The Liberal Gun Club Forum

Kroger asks customers to quit openly carrying guns in stores

“Kroger is respectfully asking that customers no longer openly carry firearms into our stores, other than authorized law enforcement officers,” Jessica Adelman, group vice president of corporate affairs, said in an emailed statement.

“We are also joining those encouraging our elected leaders to pass laws that will strengthen background checks and remove weapons from those who have been found to pose a risk for violence.”

Cincinnati, Ohio-based Kroger’s announcement follows Walmart Inc (WMT.N) on Tuesday saying it would discontinue sales of ammunition for handguns and some assault-style rifles in stores across the United States.

Walmart did the same. Open carry is stupid except in a few circumstances so I don't have a problem with it.

I have zero issue with the concept of open carry. I have a lot of issues with 90% of the people I have seen open carry. I will say this though, living in an open carry state where Kroger is the dominant grocery source I can honestly say I have never seen anyone carrying. I have noticed more than a few concealed carry mishaps and people who printed but were not aware of it. But since 2008 I have only seen one open carry in my state that wasn't an employee in a local gun store. When I worked at Tandy one of the regular customers wore a nice stainless Ruger Vacquero in a fancy tooled but obviously well worn rig. We spent a lot of time talking about gun belts and leather working. Very soft spoken and polite guy actually worked as a cow hand and he looked like he was built of steel cord and beef jerky. I have never seen a guy that skinny but so obviously very physically strong.

SpaceRanger42 said:

I have zero issue with the concept of open carry. I have a lot of issues with 90% of the people I have seen open carry.

I tend to agree. For the majority of open carry folks, it is all about "proving something" - not about being armed when needed.


And I don't see much open carry anywhere I live, but I am a city dweller.

Anyone that open carries a rifle in Kroger or similar stores is ...not really in touch with reality. Open carry of a pistol--OK but I'd prefer to see them conceal carry.

But I will always conceal carry in Kroger. One Kroger that I used to shop at had a guy go crazy and just started stabbing people. Another that I shop at now had a murder right next door. And the one where I used to live had a white supremacist try to start a race war by randomly shooting black customers.

Hiker said:

But I will always conceal carry in Kroger.

I am with you on this Hiker!

I find I am almost hyper aware when in stores nowadays. So many of the nut jobs seem to seek out the soft targets at stores.

I was just at my local grocery store FoodLion. Middle age, blue collar white guy, revolver on appendix. Pachmar grips. Looked nickel, and Smith and Wessish..

max129 wrote: Wed Sep 04, 2019 3:16 pm

SpaceRanger42 said:

I have zero issue with the concept of open carry. I have a lot of issues with 90% of the people I have seen open carry.

I tend to agree. For the majority of open carry folks, it is all about "proving something" - not about being armed when needed.


And I don't see much open carry anywhere I live, but I am a city dweller.

I've only recently been allowed to CCW. Despite that and California's rather liberal law that allows open carry of fixed blade knives, I've never open carried a fixed blade knife, opting for a folder instead. I guess it's the same reason I don't walk around in public with my parts hanging out. I just seems unnecessary and makes others uncomfortable. Even on hot days.

Most people that I see carrying openly in Walmart or Kroger are the type that makes me glad I carry concealed.

I support open carry because there are situations where it's necessary, but shopping at big box stores is not one of them.

I believe that open carry should be legal but not somthing one does outside of very rural areas. I have seen open carry once in the wild. I have a friend who used to and only regularly see it at VCDL meetings.

I also object to stores banning the practice. If I ran a business, I'd permit open carrying in non-SERPA retention holsters. The downside is that the average non-gun acculturated person won't pick it up very quickly. The upside is that such a policy will keep the average idiot who open carries out.

I frequent Kroger and Walmart. I don't have much choice here. I have never seen open carry in either, and it is perfectly legal here.

Like many of you, I assume, I don't "leave home without it" when making a quick run to the store. I don't see a reason to open carry in a grocery store, though.

So, in the States where open carry is permitted (that I know of - Kansas and Iowa) a sign or request to not carry does not carry force of law. Can they ask you to leave the store if you carry anyway? Can they have you charged if you do not comply?

Curious.

VooDoo

In Texas they will need to post the appropriate sign. Since concealed carry is still an option I’m not too bothered by their request. Make it legal and post a sign though, otherwise here at least it will not be legally enforceable and a request can be ignored.

As far as I know a private business can always request you to leave because you carry a gun openly, and failing to comply counts as trespass. Carrying a gun is a behavior, not a protected personal trait. They can't legally refuse business because you're a certain skin color, but they can do it because you're strapped.

States that legally recognize a no-gun sign at the door simply make it an automatic trespass if you ignore the notification, everywhere else it's only a trespass if you refuse to leave after being told.

That's from Kroger corporate so it's not just the stores with the Kroger name but their chain and they're the largest in the US. Some other stores they own: Dillons, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry's, Ralph's, Smith's....

Stiff wrote: Thu Sep 05, 2019 7:36 am As far as I know a private business can always request you to leave because you carry a gun openly, and failing to comply counts as trespass. Carrying a gun is a behavior, not a protected personal trait. They can't legally refuse business because you're a certain skin color, but they can do it because you're strapped.

States that legally recognize a no-gun sign at the door simply make it an automatic trespass if you ignore the notification, everywhere else it's only a trespass if you refuse to leave after being told.

Yes, anyone can ask you to leave at anytime, but until they do if they don’t have a Texas state approved sign it’s not valid and there is no trespassing threat until they do ask. At that point one leaves and never comes back. This is not going to be a huge thing in Texas, the number of people allowed to carry is from my recollection under 10 percent here. I bet they calculated that offending those that would open carry, will not change their bottom line. As I said, those who need to carry will conceal carry.

I think open carry is probably pretty rare in those stores. I cannot imagine it will hurt their bottom line.

Of course, some red state yahoo-GOP representative will certainly introduce a law to challenge it. I expect to see laws similar to the Chik-Fil-A law pop up across the deep south. In GA, it will certainly be led by Doug Collins - our version of Gohmert.