Posted on 10/22/2006 5:25:01 AM PDT by sig226
Costco Bans Guns Fellow newslinks editor Bruce Kraft learned the hard way about Costco's gun ban. Below is his story.
Mark A. Taff
. . . We arrived at the registers, and got rung out. I paid, and as we are getting ready to head out, Brian came up and said that "for the comfort and safety" of their employees and guests, he asked that I leave my gun outside.
I said "No problem, sorry if I caused any fuss." I then asked if this was the policy of the Eden Prairie store, or a company-wide policy. He said it was company policy. I asked if I could get some sort of written statement or copy of the policy, because there were 35,000 permit holders in the state of Minnesota alone who were going to want to know about it.
Oh, and since they didn't want me in their store could they please return my groceries. Brian said "Oh, no, your perfectly welcome to shop here, we just" at which point I cut him off saying "You just asked me to leave, so obviously I am *not* welcome here, and neither is my money." (I have played out scenarios like this in my mind for several years, it was gratifying that he kept giving me all the right straight lines).
(snip)
Bruce continues:
"BTW, their letter is misleading, I never raised the issue of civil rights, because I firmly believe that companies have every right to ban whomever they please, I just think it is not fair for them to hide the fact."
You can read a pdf of the letter Costco sent to Bruce.
Call Costco at 1-800-774-2678 and give them your feedback on their gun ban policy.
(Excerpt) Read more at keepandbeararms.com ...
This is a batle that wasn't worth fighting. By demanding that his groceries be returned to the shelves, this happy gun toting guy gained nothing and gave the image that all gun owners could be as anxious for an argment as he is.
If Mr. Gun Toter can't shop at Costco now, it is his loss, not Costco's ...
Which one?
We're in 100% agreement. Carry the firearm and don't mention it to anybody at the store. The original narrator could have kept the flannel shirt worn properly and the gun would have remained covered the whole time and there wouldn't be a story to tell!
Absolutely. And the best way to complain is to take ones $$ elsewhere if one doesn't like a business's practices. That's why capitalism works and socialism doesn't. There's no incentive for businesses under socialism to please the customer ... there's no competition ...
Could someone explain why a person would feel the need to carry a concealed weapon into a Costco store?
__________________________________________________________
HUH?????
I agree with you on that. Open carry means the bad guys can see who to attack first. Concealed carry makes the bad guys afraid of everybody. I'm not intimidated by people who open carry, but that is because I am one of the few sentient beings left on earth with common sense. Killers rarely telegraph.
Now how are they, as retailers, supposed to know that they are losing customers because of the CCW policy? We have to tell them we are not interested in their products until they change thier CCW policy.
Most Freepers laud the military's ban on gays, but bemoan Costco for making a decision to ban firearms on their premises?
Wish that applied to businesses who oppose bans on smoking!!
Yep--got my Michelins there,too. I swear by those tires!!! Butter--the best deal anywhere and eggs, too. And cream cheese is a steal!!!
I use the one off of I-17 and Yorkshire.
You can think it's wrong, that doesn't make it wrong. In Costco's eyes it a correct policy. And their opinion is really the only one that matters.
Not another talk about smoking? Oh Gun Control...never mind.
Thanks for that post. I needed a good laugh. Talk about explaining the obvious. Oh man, Some of these people posting here make me wonder if there are any real americans left out there. But You let me know I'm not totally alone...yet.
That's what gets me about "gun free zones." What if you take the bus everyplace? Leave your gun with the teenager outside the door?
Clearly we need a government funded 'Gun Assistant' program so that we can have someone to hold our pistols when we go into Costco. </sarcasm>
Do you have an open carry law in Minnesota with a concealed law?
Was the guy who wrote this article legally able to walk around this store with an open carried pistol?
Carry any way you so choose, in Minnesota.
"On, or about your person or clothing."
Look, I'm all for guns. I have several nice ones myself. However, the principle basis of a right to keep and bear arms is the more fundamental right to property. A store, especially a membership store like Costco, is not really "open to the public" as they have a the right to exclude you for any reason--and they also have a right to make rules (shirts and shoes is a common example...not usually required on public property, but typically required by stores (except at the beach)).
One doesn't have to be "anti-gun" to exclude gun-carrying customers....it's probably just a business decision. Since 99% of their customers won't be carrying anyway--the managers of Costco probably think (rightly) that 99% might be more comfortable knowing others won't be secretly carrying guns. Would their being safer true? Probably not...but to a business owner, logical or not, they want to please their customers, so count on them pleasing the 99%, not the concealed carry folk.
I would be appalled if GOVERNMENT mandated no concealed carry in stores, just like I'm appalled when government mandates no smoking in restaurants--but when a private enterprise makes rules of their own--in their private property--well, that's what America and our freedom is all about.
You're free to shop wherever you want--at whatever shop wants you.
Another thing, no one has mentioned. It may well be that Costco gets a big break on their insurance with the "no weapons" rule. This way if someone was shot inside their store, it would be harder to win a lawsuit against (gigantic) Costco corp. claiming some sort of liability.
There are all kinds of reasons why private businesses make private rules for their own private property.
I think Mr. Kraft’s actions in this case were noble but could be viewed as bad judgment. By taking off the shirt and exposing the weapon he was inviting a response from the business which I think was obviously baiting on his part. I was happy to note that when Mr. Kraft got the response that he was looking for, everyone acted in a civil manor.
That being said, I would have to say that I’m not comfortable with the whole incident. It seems to me that this was poor judgment and very bad advertising that reflects poorly on a fairly large group of people who choose to exercise their rights.
I think it is probable that there were people that saw Mr. Kraft’s weapon that were personally uncomfortable with the situation. After all, how often does one see a non law enforcement type person carrying a hand gun in public? Not that there is anything wrong with that because it is legal but, its just not common place. It draws unwelcome notice by people who are against what we value.
I think it would be wise to remember that the people that are uncomfortable with these situations vote. We are about to go through an election that could very well go badly for politicians that have supported us in the past. I don’t think that Costco was necessarily the enemy here until they were provoked. I do think it is likely that there were people who witnessed the incident that are the real enemy. Remember, they vote.
K
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