OC situation in Richmond, VA Brnes & Noble

[paramedic70002]

Got this of of VCDL's email alert:

I went to Barnes & Noble at Libbie Place in Richmond, VA, open carrying with my Gentleman Callers' 7 year old daughter to buy her father a gift for his birthday.

Upon entering the store I was summoned over by the female security guard and asked if I was a LEO. I informed her that I was not and was told that since I was not a LEO, the manager had started a policy of not allowing people to OC in the store.

I asked to speak to the manager and was taken to her. The manager then told me I could take my firearm to the car and return to the store.

This of course was unacceptable to me. I asked the manager how I was supposed to defend myself and my child (I was not going to take the time to explain to her whose child it was) and she informed me that I should not feel the need to defend myself in Barnes and Noble.

I left the store highly upset.

After giving myself time to think over the incident and calm down, I called Barnes & Noble corporate and my statement was given.

Two weeks later I received a call from the ACTUAL store manager, Paula Gear. She apologized profusely for the incident and for upsetting the child. She informed me that she had in fact, prior to this incident educated her staff and security guards about open carry and Virginia is a Right To Carry state.

She stated that she would re-educate all of her staff, especially that manager and security guard. She asked for my help in how to better handle customers who are upset by seeing Open Carriers.

My suggestion was to do as she has been doing, to calm the customer down and explain that we are not breaking any laws and have a right in Virginia to open carry and to invite the customer to speak to the open carrier as we are all more than happy to explain why we carry.

I took her some of Ed's [PVC: EM Ed Levine] Open Carry Cards today along with the address to get more cards when she runs out and asked her to please give them to the customers who complain.

She also stated that Barnes and Noble follows state laws and again apologized especially since I was stopped before anyone even complained and before I really had a chance to even enter the store.

She has welcomed Open Carriers into the store with open arms and welcomes us and our business. I am very pleased with the outcome of this incident, and I feel that like any other business who makes a point to follow the laws and welcomes us, we should welcome them and thank them with our business!

Discussion on OCDO:

Barnes & Noble-Libbie Place - Virginia - Stories From The States - OpenCarry.org - Discussion Forum

One post has this little tidbit:

Barnes & Noble

Original Message From: "Mary Ausman" <MJAusman@bn.com>

To: XXXXXXXXXXX
Sent: Monday, July 21, 2008 1:42 PM
Subject: Barnes & Noble

Thank you for your email.

While we are unable to discuss customer situations with an uninvolved third part, to answer your question, Barnes & Noble complies with the law and, except where prohibited by law, does not prohibit its customers from carrying handguns or other firearms in a Barnes & Noble store in accordance with the laws of the state in which a store is located.
Sincerely, Mary Ausman
Supervisor, Customer Retention
Barnes & Noble, Inc. 122 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10011
tel: (800) 422-7717 fax: (212)352.3660 Barnes & Noble, Inc.

Walmart
Policy is to follow the law of the state the store located.
Customer Service1-800-Wal-Mart
(1-800-925-6278) Questions regarding a Wal-Mart Store issue
702 SW 8th Street
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Bentonville, Arkansas 72716-8611

Email contact link: Walmartstores.com: Feedback

Audio of Walmart Policy: Walmart_Firearm_Policy_Call.mp3

Cabelas:
Policy is to follow the law of the state the store located.

Thank you for the recent email. I am very sorry for the confusion that took place at our retail location.
Our corporate office has taken action in regards to the below mentioned issue and here is what has been decided.
We have made the decision to comply with state laws in regards to open carry. We do not ask customers to check concealed or open carry weapons where the state has laws governing this situation. Our signs refer to firearms that are being returned or sold to Cabela's.

If you are still having problems please feel free to let us know

Thanks again

Becky
Lead Associate
Cabela's Retail Information
1-800-905-2731
retail.contactgroup<AT>cabelas.com

Toys-R-US

Dear Mr. Ross:

Thank you for contacting Toys R Us regarding the recent tragedy in our store. Naturally, we want our guest's to be safe and feel confident while they are shopping. We adhere to the state law of whatever state a particular store is located in since the governing laws regarding gun control vary across the country. At this time I have not been notified that this will change though I can not guarantee that it won't in the future. I invite you to submit your concerns to our corporate head office for further attention.

Toys R Us
Attn: Gerald Storch (CEO)
1 Geoffrey Way
Wayne, NJ 07470

If you have any further questions or concerns please email us or contact our customer service line at 1-800-869-7787.

Sincerely,
Beverly McCann
Toys R Us Corporate Guest Relations Team


LOWE'S
Dear XXXX XXXX:

Thank you for giving Lowe's the opportunity to respond to your concerns regarding our policy on firearms in our stores.

Lowe's currently does, and will continue to abide by federal, state and local laws regarding firearms, and we do not prohibit customers from carrying firearms into our stores.

Our first and foremost concern is for the safety of our customers, however; we take all comments and concerns from our customers seriously. We are considerate of all customers, and will remain neutral regarding the right to carry firearms. We will respect federal, state and local laws regarding this.

If Lowe's can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to call 1-866-284-8989 or email execustservice@lowes.com. You may also contact us by mailing your correspondence to P.O. Box 1111, Mail Code CON8, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina 28659.

Thank you,
Julie Holloway
Lowe's Executive Customer Service

Home Depot.

Policy is to follow the law of the state the store located.
http://www.tennesseefirearms.com/law...s/homedepo.pdf

Customer care number. 1-800-430-3376
Contact link: Contact Us

Recieved this from Jerry. Seems to contradict the letter.

Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2008 06:13:57 -0400 (EDT)
From: "HD Consumer Affairs" <hdconsumeraffairs@homedepot.com>
To: warchild44spcl@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: Other Website Questions

Dear Jerry,
The Home Depot Customer Care is in receipt of your email. We appreciate you taking the time to email us. Our general policy is not to ban customers from carrying firearms on the Home Depot property in those states having a concealed firearm law, provided they are carrying the firearm in accordance with the applicable laws.
If the firearm is not concealed in accordance with the carrying permit (typically that means concealed and cannot be seen by members of the public), it is up to the manager based on personal comfort level to approach the individual directly and request them to leave the premises or to contact local law enforcement for purposes of having the individual removed. Thank you for contacting us.


Sincerely,
Ricky
Customer Care

BEST BUY's POLICY

from Customer Contact <CustomerContact@bestbuy.com>
to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
date Sat, Apr 11, 2009 at 7:31 PM
subject Best Buy Gun policy - XXXXXXXX
mailed-by bestbuy.com

Best Buy strives to comply with all applicable law and statues. Best Buy also strives to provide a safe and comfortable shopping environment for all our customers. Best Buy does not ban guns at our retail locations. As a general rule, Best Buy does not post “no guns allowed” signs in our stores and we are not aware of any individual stores that might have posted such a sign.


BOB EVANS
From:Garrett_Hajes@bobevans.com
Bob Evans - Reference # 536155

We certainly appreciate you taking the time to e-mail regarding our Bob Evans Restaurants. Bob Evans follows all local, state, and federal laws pertaining to firearms. Please contact your local Bob Evans restaurants for the specific regulations. Again, Mr. Spice, we appreciate your comments. We value your patronage and appreciate your interest in Bob Evans Farms Inc.


Bass Pro. Inc. Clarifies Policy – Open Carry Welcome!

OpenCarry.org (OCDO) is pleased to announce that Bass Pro Inc. advised OCDO co-founder Mike Stollenwerk by telephone today that open carry of holstered handguns is as welcome as concealed carry provided all federal and state laws are followed.

After being contacted by OpenCarry.org (and apparently some of our almost 20,000 some thousand members) about sporadic inconsistent treatment of open carriers at some Bass Pro shops, Bass Pro’s Manager of Communications Larry L. Whiteley asked OCDO co-founder Mike Stollenwerk for more background information and some time to straighten things out.

Stollenwerk advised Whitely two weeks ago that open carry is legal in most states, usually without a permit, and that Sportsmens’ Warehouse and Cabelas have adopted clear corporate policies welcoming open carriers in their stores just as they do concealed carriers. Further Stollenwerk noted, it’s better to adopt one clear corporate policy than allow individual employees make up store rules or give legal advice to customers, i.e., the proverbial but well meaning, “psst, hey, you gotta cover that up, it’s the law” kind of thing, which can get gun owners in trouble for breaking the law and unlawfully concealing (e.g., in Wisconsin where no permit to conceal is even issued).

Well today Mr. Whiteley called and confirmed that Bass Pro’s policy is and “always was” to be to respect lawful customer gun carry, concealed or open, and that steps the following steps are being taken to ensure this policy is understood by all managers and employees, including production and distribution of training videos as well re-drafting of signage pertaining to guns.

OpenCarry.org is pleased that Bass Pro. joins both Sportsmens’ Warehouse and Cabelas in clarifying to OpenCarry.org that open carry is welcome in their stores as a matter of corporate policy.


Dicks Sporting Goods


Mr. XXXX,

Thank you for contacting Dick's Sporting Goods.

Our stores comply with state laws and, in some cases, where we are a tenant as an anchor store, those mall restrictions if any exists.

Jean Taggart, Manager of Customer Engagement

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[razor02097]

wow some great info

Glad they got the book store thing sorted out

Thanks for the post

[chiefjason]

I've never had a problem at my local B&N. Glad you posted all the info from OCDO here. I stopped in last week and got a Starbucks coffee while I was there OC'ing. Good job handling the issue and offering to help the store out as well.

My question is, if she trained all the employees on OC, who trained the Security Guard to look for OC? HMMM And then escort them to Mgt to get "straightened out". Makes me wonder if they did not initiate the real training for OC.

[archer51]

I've OC'd in that particular B&N several times and CC'd even more time. Never was I approached by anyone from the staff there. Glad to see it was just a matter of a misinformed shift manager and not store policy.

[Black Knight]

Too bad the actual store manager, Paula Gear, didn't have the so called manager and security guard pay for and furnish to you a $25 or even $50 gift card from each. That would cement their understanding of the policy by giving them an incetive not to screw up again. It would be like the company is fining the employee for disregarding their policies. Glad it worked out for you and was resolved properly.

[Kenpo]

Also from OCDO
Harrassed at sugarhouse barnes and noble - Utah - Stories From The States - OpenCarry.org - Discussion Forum

Harrassed at sugarhouse barnes and noble (Utah)


So I just returned home from a night out with the wife that was cut short due to a very ignorant security officer from metro security.

My wife and I were reading some books at about 9:15 pm tonight (2-9-10) When I was asked to step outside by security officer Jacob Meier of Metro security. Aslo joined by the manager on duty (failed to get his name)

He asked me if I have my concealed permit which I do not and I kindly asked why?

He said "well you need a permit to openly carry a gun in the state of utah"

I said, no, I dont, I know the law.

He argued that I was required to have one in order to carry a weapon concealed or open. I again told him that I am aware of the laws and have studdied them well and that he was wrong. The store manager then chimmed in with his "I hold a permit in three states and I know that utah does not allow open carry"

At which point good ol Jacob adds, "I too am a concealed carry nut and know the laws inside and out"

I tried one last time to properly educate him that as long as the firearm is at least 2 actions away from firing, then im good to go.

His reply was "well that law changed in march of 09".

He asked if I had a vehilce that I can secure it in and I told him that no vehilce is secure and that Im not about to leave a gun in my vehilce. He told me at that point to conceal it. At which I told him I cannot do, since I dont have the permit.

I told him that we were done and asked for his name. He said go study the law and you can call my supervisor with any concerns.

Since they were getting close to closing time, my wife and I left.

So, tomorrow Im gonna get a print out of the law as the state of utah has it written and take it back there, along with a phone call to Jacob Meiers' super and barnes and nobles corporate office. Maybe a letter as well.

The bottom line here is that I was harrassed and my night out with my wife was cut short. Any more ideas ya'll have on goin about making my point with the right people?

Thanks guys...

Sorry for the rant

[roberev]

I'll make a point of stopping by the Libbie Place B&N next week. I don't usually OC, but will then. We'll see what happens.

Rob