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My experience at Mansfield Possum Run Wal-Mart

Jericho941

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2013
Messages
7
Location
Ashland, OH
My experience at Wal-Mart

Tried opening carrying for the first time at my local Wal-Mart. It went well the whole time through the store right up until the end. I was with my wife and my 8 month old daughter, she got a little fussy so I ended up carrying her in my arms almost the whole time as well. My firearm, an IMI Jericho 941, was on my right hip in a Blackhawk OWB holster the whole time.
No one said anything or even seemed to notice it right up until I got in line at the checkout. I was approached by a women in a white collared shirt and a tall man. The women appeared to be an employee of Wal-Mart as she had a name tag and a headset device, the man was in standard clothes and didn't appear to have any affiliation with them never speaking a word the whole time.
The women said that my firearm was making some of her associates uncomfortable and asked me to remove it from the store. I told her that it wouldn't be a problem but that I'd heard Wal-Mart supported the laws of its particular state. She told me Wal-Mart only supports Concealed Carry and repeated that it made her associates uncomfortable to see a firearm openly carried. I complied with her request and returned my firearm to my car, returning into the store to pay for my items.
Afterwards I sent a letter to Wal-Mart via their Customer support, They responded saying they have "no policy against customers carrying their handgun in our stores as long as he/she is legally permitted by their state to carry the handgun." They also have no sign posted at the door regarding firearms.
So I called the store and requested the manager. He seemed completely clueless on the issue although was quite polite discussing it with me. At the end of the conversation told me firearms are not permitted at all unless concealed, but not because it was permitted, only because they couldn't know you were carrying. He claimed there should be a sign on the door saying no firearms and that he would check to be sure there was one, despite me telling him about the letter from their Customer Care.
I'm not sure what to do about this issue at this point, other than to un-tuck my shirt and wear an IWB holster. It has been a few weeks now and there is still no sign posted at the door. Any thoughts or Ideas?
 

KimberTLE

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
11
Location
Ohio
If I was closer to Mansfield I would be going tonight to open carry and record the conversation with the manager and send a copy and a letter to corporate. Also I would educate them on the store policy with a copy of the actual policy. Good luck to whatever you decide to due.
 

eye95

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
13,524
Location
Fairborn, Ohio, USA
My experience at Wal-Mart

Tried opening carrying for the first time at my local Wal-Mart. It went well the whole time through the store right up until the end. I was with my wife and my 8 month old daughter, she got a little fussy so I ended up carrying her in my arms almost the whole time as well. My firearm, an IMI Jericho 941, was on my right hip in a Blackhawk OWB holster the whole time.

No one said anything or even seemed to notice it right up until I got in line at the checkout. I was approached by a women in a white collared shirt and a tall man. The women appeared to be an employee of Wal-Mart as she had a name tag and a headset device, the man was in standard clothes and didn't appear to have any affiliation with them never speaking a word the whole time.

The women said that my firearm was making some of her associates uncomfortable and asked me to remove it from the store. I told her that it wouldn't be a problem but that I'd heard Wal-Mart supported the laws of its particular state. She told me Wal-Mart only supports Concealed Carry and repeated that it made her associates uncomfortable to see a firearm openly carried. I complied with her request and returned my firearm to my car, returning into the store to pay for my items.

Afterwards I sent a letter to Wal-Mart via their Customer support, They responded saying they have "no policy against customers carrying their handgun in our stores as long as he/she is legally permitted by their state to carry the handgun." They also have no sign posted at the door regarding firearms.

So I called the store and requested the manager. He seemed completely clueless on the issue although was quite polite discussing it with me. At the end of the conversation told me firearms are not permitted at all unless concealed, but not because it was permitted, only because they couldn't know you were carrying. He claimed there should be a sign on the door saying no firearms and that he would check to be sure there was one, despite me telling him about the letter from their Customer Care.

I'm not sure what to do about this issue at this point, other than to un-tuck my shirt and wear an IWB holster. It has been a few weeks now and there is still no sign posted at the door. Any thoughts or Ideas?

The whitespace makes your story more readable.

Go back to corporate. Tell them what the manager said. What is said goes completely against Walmart corporate policy. Ask them to take action against the store to correct the situation.

There have been previous instances, and Walmart ALWAYS supports the carrier. There is a manager at a store in the Montgomery area who disappeared from the store after an incident with an OCer I know.

P.S. I would have walked away from the purchases. Let 'em put 'em all back.
 

Jericho941

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2013
Messages
7
Location
Ashland, OH
Strange, when I entered the information the first time it still had those white spaces. not sure how it ended up changing on me.
Thanks for the quite reply's. I'll give re-writing to Wal-Mart another try to see if there is any helping it, should I contact them through their customer service again or is there a better route?
 

thebigsd

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
3,535
Location
Quarryville, PA
SNIP
There have been previous instances, and Walmart ALWAYS supports the carrier. There is a manager at a store in the Montgomery area who disappeared from the store after an incident with an OCer I know.

P.S. I would have walked away from the purchases. Let 'em put 'em all back.

+1, I too have fought the Walmart battle and won quite easily. You should get the phone number of the market manager (store manager's boss). It should be posted somewhere in the store usually at the service desk. Call them and I will almost guarantee that they resolve the situation expeditiously.

I too agree with leaving your purchases. Don't reward their poor behavior with your money.
 

Jericho941

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2013
Messages
7
Location
Ashland, OH
Well it was mainly for my wife's sake. She's not too keen on firearms to begin with and to make a statement such as that could have upset her as it was a bit late and we were grocery shopping.
 

eye95

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
13,524
Location
Fairborn, Ohio, USA
Then if you are so willing to go into that good night, I have nothing more to add. I am willing to help you fight. I don't care a whit what happens to folks who won't stand up for themselves.

Moving on.


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Jericho941

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2013
Messages
7
Location
Ashland, OH
I think she'd have been okay with the standing up to them thing, just not the "Lets go hungry for the night" thing lol

I sent a letter to the customer support and I'll be stopping by Wall-Mart later tonight to look for the number for the head manager, Thank you for all the help so far I'll try to keep you up to date on on-goings.
 

eye95

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
13,524
Location
Fairborn, Ohio, USA
Shop elsewhere. Either stand up or don't ask for help from me.

Yeah, I know I moved on. I am done now.


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papa bear

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
2,222
Location
mayberry, nc
I think she'd have been okay with the standing up to them thing, just not the "Lets go hungry for the night" thing lol

I sent a letter to the customer support and I'll be stopping by Wall-Mart later tonight to look for the number for the head manager, Thank you for all the help so far I'll try to keep you up to date on on-goings.

JERICHO, if they had said they did not want your baby in there what would you have done? what would you have done if they said they did not like the color of your skin, you must wait out side till your wife got the shopping done.

there are too many stores (that includes Walmarts) that you could have gone to. make them you _itch. if you can't get that store to do the right thing then there are hundreds more that will
 

Jericho941

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2013
Messages
7
Location
Ashland, OH
I understand what you guys are saying, I was a bit shookin up at the time as it was my first time open carrying, didn't think id have any trouble at walmart, and was half way out of the store when I remembered I still had the debit card on me. The misses was half way through checking out and it being as late as it was no other stores other then a Walmart in town would have been open. But I'll remember your point and keep it in mind if the situation should ever arise again.
 

eye95

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
13,524
Location
Fairborn, Ohio, USA
Yeah. I was a bit harsh. First time and hassled is hard to deal with.

Unmoved on.

There are a lot of guys who have been in these situations over and over again. Read what we have to write. Our strategies work.

And always remember, the goal is to normalize OC and to denormalize hoplophobia.

Slack officially cut.


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joanie

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2013
Messages
306
Location
..
Just my take and I may be wrong. I don't think your punnishing the store employee/s by not buying the store's item/s. Leaving your cart and walking out is probibly the right thing to do, because the employee who ran you out for the gun, would now have to put away the item/s back in stock. As I understand the store allows open carry as to comply with the local and state laws regarding it. This seems to be an employee issue.

I got fired from a company in 1999, I like the company and to this day have nothing against the company. The supervisor at the time, who fired me on the other hand, But the company, I have fond momories of and wish them well.

So the suggestion to leave the cart, I agree with, I would however hold off on any ill feelings tward the company (Walmart) until you see how they handle this. Even then, if you need what they sell and have to be there, I can't fault you for that.

If your wife gets upset over leaving the cart, just explain to her how important this personal freedom thing is and I can't see her staying angry.

Store employees can in many cases have a customer banned from the store, In my case, another customer can have me banned from a store. Police tried to have me banned from the YMCA when I had that mishap in the parking lot. But the staff and managment at the Y stood up to the police and didn't, or wouldn't. I'm a bit worried that if the police have any futher contact with the lady who hit me, she would agree with their suggestion to ban me and issue the trusspass.

Only tring to explain how easy someone can be slapped with a trusspass warning. This should be a consideration when open carrying, I know it is for me. If Walmart as a company truly allows open carry in their stores, I have to just say

"way to go Walmart!" I know the police here won't like me carrying in Walmart, and will follow me around tring to find anyone to ban me, but just, ,, ,,, "way to go Walmart!"
 

Werz

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2012
Messages
301
Location
Northeast Ohio
It is my understanding that Wal-Mart corporate policy is to allow concealed carry if allowed by state law. However, it is up to local management as to whether they allow open carry. They do not post notices to that effect, but on a case-by-case basis, they may give issue direct oral notice that open carry is not allowed. Of course, you are legally obliged to accept that oral notice.

That said, if I recall correctly, I was carrying openly the last time I was in that Wal-Mart, and nobody said anything. And at some point, if they are relying strictly on oral notice, do they eventually risk accusations that their policy is being applied in an unlawfully discriminatory fashion?
 

eye95

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Jan 6, 2010
Messages
13,524
Location
Fairborn, Ohio, USA
It is my understanding that Wal-Mart corporate policy is to allow concealed carry if allowed by state law. However, it is up to local management as to whether they allow open carry. They do not post notices to that effect, but on a case-by-case basis, they may give issue direct oral notice that open carry is not allowed. Of course, you are legally obliged to accept that oral notice.

That said, if I recall correctly, I was carrying openly the last time I was in that Wal-Mart, and nobody said anything. And at some point, if they are relying strictly on oral notice, do they eventually risk accusations that their policy is being applied in an unlawfully discriminatory fashion?

From personal experience, I can assure you that Walmart policy is to allow OC where OC is not prohibited by State law. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I personally know of two instances of OC in a Walmart that was harassed. Both (in and around Montgomery, AL) were addressed by corporate in favor of the carrier and against the manager. In one instance the manager disappeared from that Walmart.


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davidmcbeth

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Jan 14, 2012
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16,167
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earth's crust
Well it was mainly for my wife's sake. She's not too keen on firearms to begin with and to make a statement such as that could have upset her as it was a bit late and we were grocery shopping.

Getting a new wife is an option ... guns v wife bye bye wife (4 me)
 

Jericho941

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2013
Messages
7
Location
Ashland, OH
Lol, don't get me wrong. The misses does enjoy going out to the range, especially shooting rifles and things with a bit of a kick. She just doesn't care to open carry is all.

Just got back from Walmart with the Marketing Managers phone number and name. While I was in the Customer Support Area I notice a strange sign though. It read "WARNING !! If you are carrying a firearm in this liquor establishment, you may be guilty of a felony and subject to a mandatory jail term of one or two years." Now stop me if I'm wrong but I was pretty sure that only applied to establishments that sold alcohol to be drunk on premiss.
 

eye95

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Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
13,524
Location
Fairborn, Ohio, USA
Don't pay any attention the the CT resident being rude in an OH forum.

If I understand correctly, the way the law is written, it is not necessary for the establishment to serve the liquor that is drunk on the premises. This may not apply to a retail establishment, but my understanding is that the following circumstances will be a violation of OH law (I have no idea whether a court will uphold it):

1. You are in an establishment with a class D license.
2. Your are carrying.
3. You do not have a CHL.
4. Someone is consuming alcohol (regardless of source).

Boom! YOU are the criminal.


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