Costco bans guns

Keepandbear arms.com ^ | ? | Mark A. Taff

[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.

[hoosierham]

The provision for banning ccw through storefront signs and property(parking lot) signs simply result in de facto nullification of the second admendment and ccw permits.
I f you cannot have the weapon anywhere but your own home and on a public street it severely limits the protection.
With the unholy alliance of many governmental units contracting special deals with commercial entities for toll roads,parking garages,eminent domain favoring developers,etc it is likely your home might become the only place you can carry.

CCW and indeed all lawful gun owners are being discriminated against as a class of people;surely this violates the civil rights acts?

[verity]

Some people are simply paranoid!

[zarf]

I disagree with Costco but they have a right to set their policy. You should take your business elsewhere.

[DaiHuy]

You said: "If Mr. Gun Toter can't shop at Costco now, it is his loss, not Costco's ..."

I am sure that Sam's Club would be happy to take the money he is not spending at Costco.

[brolin_1911a1]

The same signs popped up in Missouri when CCW became law in 2004. Since just turning away at the door without comment never tells the store management how much they offended you or how much money they've lost in the form of your business,
http://www.learntocarry.com posted a business card in Word document format (easily changed to the state of your choice) for CCW holders and supporters to print and hand out to such businesses. The cards (downloadable from http://www.learntocarry.com/news/ ) have a graphic of crossed out gun = crossed out $ on one side. The other side says:

"Missouri Concealed-Carry Permit Holders:
> Are at least 23 years of age
> Are law-abiding citizens – verified by law enforcement
> Have submitted fingerprints & undergone background checks
> Have passed firearms training and know proper weapons handling
> Know Missouri law on concealed carry & justifiable use of force
> Have paid as much as $200 for state-mandated training & up to a $100 permit fee – to comply with the law and obtain a permit

“No Gun” signs turn law-abiding customers away – while advertising a “safe working environment” to criminals!
NO Sign = Good Cents!

Card provided courtesy of: LearnToCarry.com

[mad_as_he$$]

I am reminded of the Luby's shooting in Texas. One woman, who lost her mother to the shooter, had left her weapon in the truck because it was Sunday and she didn't want to upset her mother. Now, we will never know if the outcome would have been different or not but this poor woman has to live with the fact that she was unarmed and it cost her her mother at a small moment in life.

There was an incident here in Reno two or so years ago at the University where a woman was accosted on campus by a known nut job, petty criminal. She pulled her weapon and terminated his approach to her. At the very least she was going to get mugged. It was ruled a clean shoot.

I like the second outcome better.

[Pharmboy]

I quit Costco 2 years ago. Unless you're making meals for the Third Infantry, the shelf units are too big.

[On the Road to Serfdom]

This is not a rights issue

I agree, no one said otherwise. You said you cannot see the difference between: 1. Government required Smoking bans, and 2. customers letting a company know their opinion on the store's policy and/or refusing to shop there.

[zarf]

I have a couple friends who legally carry concealed weapons. They are very well trained in the use of the weapons. It is impossible to know they are carrying because they are so well concealed.

The fact that Costco noticed you had a weapon speaks volumes as to your ability to handle one.

[Doctor Stochastic]

But perhaps they get 30% more groceries. The post gave incomplete numbers.

[JCEccles]

There is no equivalence, moral or otherwise, between the US Military and Costco. The one has absolutely no relevance to the other.

No one here is saying Costco cannot choose to ban concealed carry from their premises. Had you bothered to read the article at the head of this thread you would have known that the writer takes issue with the fact that Costco does not publicize the policy.

Why do they not publicize the policy? Because they realize that if they did, they would lose customers--actual and potential.

And if they lose customers, they cannot so easily and readily fund George Soros's favorite causes.

Its' all about full disclosure of where your discretionary dollars go, whose politics you're funding. I don't want my dollars funding the morally bankrupt left. So I don't shop at Costco. Hopefully, fewer people will after reading this thread.

[Fairview]

Studies in the retail world have found that people spend between 10-20% more money in Costco and Sam than they do at regular stores.

Studies, eh? This does not pass the smell test. Were these union funded studies perhaps?

Nah, I think it's true. The difference is that when you go into the local grocery store you buy food, toiletries, light bulbs, and cat litter; when you go into Costco you buy food, toiletries, light bulbs, cat litter, an air compressor, an office chair, a TV, and a cashmere sweater. Even if you save a lot on food purchases you're liable to spend more, which is the principle of the whole place. Last week I came back from Costco with hiking boots and a jug of chocolate sauce I didn't go in there intending to buy.

[stompk]

"Could someone explain why a person would feel the need to carry a concealed weapon into a Costco store?"

you are kidding, right ?

[JCEccles]

I disagree with Costco but they have a right to set their policy. You should take your business elsewhere.

Yet another poster who didn't bother to read the article first.

Check it out. The writer agrees with you.

[brolin_1911a1]

"name a business that DOES allow firearms on its premises.

what kind of a nut walks into a public place carrying a loaded weapon?"

In my home town, it would be far easier to name those businesses that do NOT allow firearms. One title company (the other doesn't care), Hermann Lumber (Meeks doesn't care), and the banks with out-of-town management are the only ones I know of. Two restaurants, Taco Bell and Shoney's, posted when the law first passed but took the signs down within weeks when they saw it was costing them business. One of the restaurants (Shoney's) took the sign down when the owners took the CCW course themselves and heard the instructor tell the class the restaurant was posted and suggest his graduates avoid it for that reason. Family Dollar is the only general merchandise store that's posted so I go to Dollar General instead. Wal-mart doesn't care and neither do any of the other grocery stores in town.

Criminals do not call and give advance notice of their intended targets. Guns are carried by people who realize that fact, police included.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

To me, the signs mean absolutely nothing. If my weapon is concealed, the only people who will know are the ones who find out the hard way.

It is irritating these little Hitlers think they have some sort of power.

[JNL]

No I cant, I believe that a store has a right to set their own policy be it smoking , non-smoking, no shoes no shirt or carrying guns. All the same to me, this is a private business that can set their own policies whether you or I agree with them or not.

This guy is doing more than stating an opinion. He clearly states that he was prepared for this type of confrontation and welcomed it.

The title of this thread is Costco Bans Guns. It should read:

Guy does not like store policy

[JCEccles]

Once again: the man simply wanted upfront disclosure of Costco's policy. Had they provided it, he would have never signed on to be a customer in the first place.

This isn't about Costco's policy. It's about Costco's attempt to have it both ways: to have the money of gun owners without disclosing to gun owners that Costco abhors the Second Amendment and donates money to moonbat causes determined to undermine it.

[CPOSharky]

name a business that DOES allow firearms on its premises.

Walmart.

what kind of a nut walks into a public place carrying a loaded weapon?

"Nuts" like me and thousands of others.

[Faith-Hope]

This may have something to do with their insurance.