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First kinda negative OC experience

callee11

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2014
Messages
13
Location
OKC
Was Oc in Aldi's grocery today like I have many times. Have never had a problem till today. The following letter is what I emailed to corp. offices since I can not find a number anywhere to call.

Hello
I will start by saying I have been a customer to this location since it's opening. I have always had good experiences while shopping there until today. I am licensed in the state of Oklahoma to carry a handgun anywhere it is not prohibited. I have carried my handgun into your store on several occasions as there are no signs on your doors stating it is prohibited. Today while me and my family were shopping I was approached by I am assuming the store manager and was told I could not carry in the store. I told him I did not see any signs anywhere stating that I could not carry my firearm in the store, he then got very short with me and said they are there and I had to leave. I walked outside and thoroughly looked over the doors and still there was no signs. I walked out to my car and placed my firearm inside my vehicle so I could go in and discuss this matter further with him and ask him to point out the signs to me. When I went back in I could not find him so I asked another employee to get the manager and they told me he was unavailable.
If your store does not recognize oklahoma state law, or my right to protect myself, my family and anyone else around me then you need to have proper signs up stating your position so that I, my family, and all other law abiding citizens who have the right to carry our firearms can find another store to do business with as there are several other stores that have no problem with me carrying my firearm in their stores.
I am looking forward to hearing from you in this matter.
Thank you
 

callee11

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2014
Messages
13
Location
OKC
I tried and it would not come up, I have already sent an email and will not do business there till I get a response, and If the response is like the one you linked, I will print it out and go give it to this manager while I OC in front of him.
 

HPmatt

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2013
Messages
1,467
Location
Dallas
Aldi and Trader Joe's are owned by German parent company

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
 

Superlite27

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2007
Messages
1,277
Location
God's Country, Missouri
*have carried my handgun into your store on several occasions as there are no signs on your doors stating it is prohibited. Today while me and my family were shopping I was approached by I am assuming the store manager and was told I could not carry in the store. I told him I did not see any signs anywhere stating that I could not carry my firearm in the store, he then got very short with me and said they are there and I had to leave. I walked outside and thoroughly looked over the doors and still there was no signs.

I'm sure that, after your vehement and repetitive remarks about the lack of signs forbidding firearms, this oversight will soon be corrected by their prompt posting.

Feel free to write letters to any additional businesses you enter and raise awareness that there are no signs.

I'm sure that if you continue to point out the lack of signs to businesses that aren't currently posted, it wont be long before the majority of doors have them due to your vehement insistence.

Thanks.

Thanks a bunch.
 
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Jayne&Vera

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2012
Messages
52
Location
NEOK
I'm sure that, after your vehement and repetitive remarks...

WHOA!
I didn't see any reason in his letter for your reaction and re reading his quote below he did not even seem to adamantly protest this against this person's claim. Person, who as far as I can tell, may not have even been an employee.
I say, good on ya for not becoming argumentative and seeking to continue the dialogue in a civil manner based on facts!

"I was approached by I am assuming the store manager and was told I could not carry in the store. I told him I did not see any signs anywhere stating that I could not carry my firearm in the store, he then got very short with me and said they are there and I had to leave"
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
I tried and it would not come up, I have already sent an email and will not do business there till I get a response, and If the response is like the one you linked, I will print it out and go give it to this manager while I OC in front of him.

Well, they may be doing business under another name ~ I do not see them in the Sec. of State's business search.

I would go back and see their business license (must be posted), find out the name of the company, go to SOS website searching for business, find its registered agent, and send a demand letter to them via their registered agent asking for $$$. This will get you a response.

If they are not licensed with the SOS then this does not mean that they cannot do business but it does lead to the situation where they cannot sue in the state (they can defend a lawsuit, just not initiate one).

I would not bother with the "manager"...bother the people who hold the purse strings; make it a civil rights issue and an entrapment issue. Who knows...maybe they'll apologize and offer you some cash.

The time for being nice is past ...
 
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kinggabby

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2013
Messages
84
Location
Duncan, Ok
Was Oc in Aldi's grocery today like I have many times. Have never had a problem till today. The following letter is what I emailed to corp. offices since I can not find a number anywhere to call.

Hello
I will start by saying I have been a customer to this location since it's opening. I have always had good experiences while shopping there until today. I am licensed in the state of Oklahoma to carry a handgun anywhere it is not prohibited. I have carried my handgun into your store on several occasions as there are no signs on your doors stating it is prohibited. Today while me and my family were shopping I was approached by I am assuming the store manager and was told I could not carry in the store. I told him I did not see any signs anywhere stating that I could not carry my firearm in the store, he then got very short with me and said they are there and I had to leave. I walked outside and thoroughly looked over the doors and still there was no signs. I walked out to my car and placed my firearm inside my vehicle so I could go in and discuss this matter further with him and ask him to point out the signs to me. When I went back in I could not find him so I asked another employee to get the manager and they told me he was unavailable.
If your store does not recognize oklahoma state law, or my right to protect myself, my family and anyone else around me then you need to have proper signs up stating your position so that I, my family, and all other law abiding citizens who have the right to carry our firearms can find another store to do business with as there are several other stores that have no problem with me carrying my firearm in their stores.
I am looking forward to hearing from you in this matter.
Thank you
Which store was it? Glad a place of business in Oklahoma has to have it posted.
 

Rusty Young Man

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Messages
1,548
Location
Árida Zona
SNIP...I have carried my handgun into your store on several occasions as there are no signs on your doors stating it is prohibited. Today while me and my family were shopping I was approached by I am assuming the store manager and was told I could not carry in the store. I told him I did not see any signs anywhere stating that I could not carry my firearm in the store, he then got very short with me and said they are there and I had to leave. I walked outside and thoroughly looked over the doors and still there was no signs. I walked out to my car and placed my firearm inside my vehicle so I could go in and discuss this matter further with him and ask him to point out the signs to me. When I went back in I could not find him so I asked another employee to get the manager and they told me he was unavailable.
If your store does not recognize oklahoma state law, or my right to protect myself, my family and anyone else around me then you need to have proper signs up stating your position so that I, my family, and all other law abiding citizens who have the right to carry our firearms can find another store to do business with as there are several other stores that have no problem with me carrying my firearm in their stores.
I am looking forward to hearing from you in this matter.
Thank you

Bolded your mistakes, underlined your BIGGEST mistake. That being said:

Never:banghead:suggest:banghead:putting:banghead:up:banghead:gunbuster:banghead:signs:banghead:.

Also, never:
Let them know their gunbuster signs do not adhere to the format specified by local anti-gun ordinances.
Call ahead of time to ask about their gun policy, since that might encourage them to form an anti-gun policy.

We want to make management have to throw out every single armed LAC so they understand their criminal empowerment policy is causing them to lose business. They will likely ignore or not even notice people simply coming up and driving away.
Sorry if I come off as angry, but stuff like that, while seemingly innocent, makes it harder for the next OCer or armed LAC, and potentially adds another anti-gun establishment to the list of anti-rights establishments we should not patronize.
 
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Rusty Young Man

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Messages
1,548
Location
Árida Zona
I'm sure that, after your vehement and repetitive remarks about the lack of signs forbidding firearms, this oversight will soon be corrected by their prompt posting.

Feel free to write letters to any additional businesses you enter and raise awareness that there are no signs.

I'm sure that if you continue to point out the lack of signs to businesses that aren't currently posted, it wont be long before the majority of doors have them due to your vehement insistence.

Thanks.

Thanks a bunch.

WHOA!
I didn't see any reason in his letter for your reaction and re reading his quote below he did not even seem to adamantly protest this against this person's claim. Person, who as far as I can tell, may not have even been an employee.
I say, good on ya for not becoming argumentative and seeking to continue the dialogue in a civil manner based on facts!

"I was approached by I am assuming the store manager and was told I could not carry in the store. I told him I did not see any signs anywhere stating that I could not carry my firearm in the store, he then got very short with me and said they are there and I had to leave"

Jayne&Vera, the reason for Superlite27's post is NOT because of the tone callee11 used, but because of the mentioning of SIGNS.

There are a few unspoken, but generally understood, rules on OCDO regarding anti-gun establishments:

1) Never suggest gunbuster signs.
2) Never let them know their gunbuster signs do not adhere to the format specified by local anti-gun ordinances.
3) Never call ahead of time to ask about their gun policy, since that might encourage them to form an anti-gun policy.

We want to make management have to throw out every single armed LAC so at the very least they understand their criminal empowerment policy is causing them to lose business (if all goes well, they'll also realize they are making themselves prime targets). They will likely ignore or not even notice people simply coming up and driving away.
 

woodyrr

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2013
Messages
19
Location
Midwest City, OK
There are a few unspoken, but generally understood, rules on OCDO regarding anti-gun establishments:

1) Never suggest gunbuster signs.
2) Never let them know their gunbuster signs do not adhere to the format specified by local anti-gun ordinances.
3) Never call ahead of time to ask about their gun policy, since that might encourage them to form an anti-gun policy.

I fully agree with these points!

Last year, I had the unfortunate experience of having an organization for which I was an active volunteer receive a phone call asking about their gun policy. Suddenly confronted with the apparent need to do something - anything - ordinarily rational people, many of whom claim to support the right to keep and bear arms, literally went into panic mode to post a computer printed sign until they could buy pre printed signs and post them. In keeping with a 20 year position on gunbusters signs, I stopped volunteering and allowed my membership to lapse. Now that the policy has been established, it will not be rescinded.

I hope more thoughtful heads prevail at Aldi.
 

Superlite27

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2007
Messages
1,277
Location
God's Country, Missouri
WHOA!
I didn't see any reason in his letter for your reaction and re reading his quote below he did not even seem to adamantly protest this against this person's claim."

You don't see why I'd be a little disturbed about a person writing a letter to a company demanding they post a "no guns" sign?

Unless you believe any company official reading it will see the repetitive reference to lack of signs and come to any other conclusion than the easiest way to prevent customers entering the store and complaining about not seeing a sign......

.....is to simply put up a sign.

he did not seem to adamantly protest this against this person's claim."

You don't consider taking the time to write a letter an adamant protest?
 

OC for ME

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
12,452
Location
White Oak Plantation
Once requested to leave the business, leave and do not return, then send a letter to corporate indicating why you will not return. Any communication with a business must be focused on the incident and not the policy in effect, or lack thereof. Inform the business of your intentions to encourage others to not patronize their business as a result of you treatment by store employees.
 

Robert318

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2012
Messages
158
Location
Choctaw, OK
How about informing them that under the new provisions of the Oklahoma SDA that businesses and employers are exempt from liability for allowing lawful citizens from carrying in their business. I dont necessarily agree with the sign issues as mentioned above but do agree that you have to be careful about mentioning the lack of signage, and instead focus on the lack of civil liability to them for allowing armed LAC's and that you respect their decision either way but don't appreciate the manner at which you were treated.

TITLE 21 § 1290.22 BUSINESS OWNER’S RIGHTS

E. A person, corporation, place of worship or any other business entity that does or does not prohibit any individual except a convicted felon from carrying a loaded or unloaded, concealed or unconcealed weapon on property that the person, corporation, place of worship or other business entity owns, or has legal control of, is immune from any liability arising from that decision. Except for acts of gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct, an employer who does or does not prohibit their employees from carrying a concealed or unconcealed weapon is immune from any liability arising from that decision. The provision of this subsection shall not apply to claims pursuant to the Workers’ Compensation Code.

http://www.ok.gov/osbi/documents/SDA_Lawbook_NOV_2013.pdf#page23
 

Glock 1st fan

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2012
Messages
310
Location
United States
Once requested to leave the business, leave and do not return, then send a letter to corporate indicating why you will not return. Any communication with a business must be focused on the incident and not the policy in effect, or lack thereof. Inform the business of your intentions to encourage others to not patronize their business as a result of you treatment by store employees.

Businesses don't listen to the littleman because he is one voice. They listen to the bells that ching on heir tills. Like for example. Movie theater tried to do what they felt was theright thing and only play g and pg movies providing a family environment free of sex and violence. It wasn't long before the theater was losing money so they reversed the decision.

I don't have issues with businesses who don't allow firearms but instead opt to shop where they do allow them. If its unavoidable and I need to shop where they don't allow firearms then I simply conceal. (Except prohibited places listed on pag 23)

I am fully supportive of the 2nd amendment and fully against tyranny but we have to fight with our money if we want to be heard. No sales means no stay in business.
 

callee11

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2014
Messages
13
Location
OKC
Yes I did mention the signs and the MAIN reason for this is because he clearly lied through his teeth saying there was a sign. Besides that I would rather know before hand if firearms are allowed or not... I don't know about y'all but I would find it a lot easier to just see the sign and go do business somewhere else then to go in with my daughter and have to explain to her why we had to leave and why everyone was looking at us. And before y'all take that statement way out of context let me say I don't want more businesses to put up signs... I would just rather see I'm not welcome before I decide to walk in a place then to go in , get in the middle of what I am doing and then have some manager come and make a lil scene about it and tell me to leave. If businesses don't want us in there they are going to keep us out rather it's through a goofy sign or by confronting us in the store in front of our family freinds or whoever else is around. Just my opinion.
 

Rusty Young Man

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Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Messages
1,548
Location
Árida Zona
Yes I did mention the signs and the MAIN reason for this is because he clearly lied through his teeth saying there was a sign. Besides that I would rather know before hand if firearms are allowed or not... I don't know about y'all but I would find it a lot easier to just see the sign and go do business somewhere else then to go in with my daughter and have to explain to her why we had to leave and why everyone was looking at us. And before y'all take that statement way out of context let me say I don't want more businesses to put up signs... I would just rather see I'm not welcome before I decide to walk in a place then to go in , get in the middle of what I am doing and then have some manager come and make a lil scene about it and tell me to leave. If businesses don't want us in there they are going to keep us out rather it's through a goofy sign or by confronting us in the store in front of our family freinds or whoever else is around. Just my opinion.

I can understand that you don't want to be "put on the spot" and all, but I'd also like to make an argument for it: YOU have absolutely no reason to feel ashamed for practicing a God-given/Natural (whichever way you see it) RIGHT to defend yourself and your little ones, yet that is precisely what the antis want us carriers to feel. The people who SHOULD be ashamed are the ones trying to force us to be easy prey. So each time a scene is made by the antis, it helps our cause if bystanders see the following: a raving lunatic screaming about guns (the anti).... and a calm, courteous armed mother and her daughter (you and your daughter, in this case).
Being defenseless is a choice, and they should respect yours, mine, and ours.


:confused:The odd thing is, I'm in the same conversation on another thread (conversation really starts around post #69):
http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/s...C-today-and-how-d-it-go&p=2056199#post2056199

Here's part of what I posted:

Rusty Young Man said:
One of our goals is to normalize OC, and we can't exactly do that if businesses start putting up signs that have the force of law because then we can't be in there without breaking the law.
By promoting the posting of signs (even if by unintentional suggestion), an area becomes closed off for casual discourse and normalization of OC by the next OCer who sees that sign (provided it has the force of law, or there is a codified exception in the law for entering with the intent of determining whether the sign reflects company policy).

We know the business is anti-gun when they ask us to leave BECAUSE of our sidearm, we contact the manager/higher-ups about it, and they ALSO uphold the decision to ask us to leave because we carry a sidearm.
It seems drawn-out, tiresome, and energy-consuming, but THAT is exactly why the approach of having them reply to EVERY single OCer is effective: they get a chance to see how many people they are no longer getting money from, and get to see how Law-Abiding and POLITE we are; the latter helps to dispel negative stereotypes they may have of OCers.

This was the response:
Rusty Young Man said:
Yes, we to normalize OC, but if a business is anti gun I do not want to step a foot on there property. Also having a gunbuster sign up is costing them business.

Plus changing someone/business from anti gun/ anti OC is like changing a democrat to a conservative. But I do see your point, I guess I view it a little different

On the part I bolded:
I can respect that decision, though I have no problem doing so provided I don't patronize them (spend any money there). I'll give the doors a glance, but won't go out of my way to look for signs. Usually with the amount of time I spend perusing the aisles, AT LEAST two employees get a good glimpse of my 1911 (plus, I tend to wear lighter colors, which really contrasts with the place holster and grips). If they ask me to leave because of my sidearm, I'll simply add it to my list of places I don't patronize, as well as entering it into FriendOrFoe.us and gunburger.com so that other armed LACs can inform their decision on which businesses NOT to patronize. I'm pretty constant about which places I now frequent, so it's a RARE occurrence when I find myself in an anti-gun establishment.

On the part I underlined:
Correct, gunbuster signs are announcing that our armed presence isn't welcome (and my money goes where I go), as well as speaking volumes to the defenselessness of everyone in the establishment. Unfortunately, the owners probably won't notice an OCer (or armed LAC, for the matter) pulling up in his/her car, seeing the sign, and then driving to another business because of the sign. It would be akin to CCing to bring awareness to OC: if they can't SEE it, they can't NOTICE it, and they can't become accustomed to it (armed LACs).
 
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callee11

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2014
Messages
13
Location
OKC
I'm going to post this then I'm done.
I didn't feel ashamed and I never will, If anything I was pissed off. I could have sat there and argued with him in the middle of the store, I have seen several posts on this forum where that type of behavior seems to be condoned, But that's not me. I will be polite and obey the "rules" of the so called manager. That is why I took my gun to the car and went back in to discuss it with him, However he didn't wish to speak to me so the next thing to do would be complain or leave. Also I understand what you are saying about wanting them to "throw us out" but at the same time that just not me. It is not because im "ashamed" it is because I just don't want the hassle of all of it and I don't want my family to be in the middle of some big scene.
Point being I will not go where I'm not welcome, If I see a sign, I avoid that store, If I don't I will go in. My biggest problem was being lied to, How do I let his superiors know what he did if I cant mention the sign issue?? Had he simply said I don't need a sign, I would have told him I will no longer do business here and I would leave and that would have been the end of it.
I understand everyone's point but at the same time you all are kind of treating this as I have just unveiled a trade secret, Like businesses had no clue that these signs exist. but like I said before if there is a sign there or not, if they don't want you there they will find a way to keep you out.
on a side note, Some of the rude and criticizing comments left on this thread have been un called for, I am all about constructive criticism, otherwise I wouldn't have posted. With all that said I will post a response when and if I receive one, But this will be the last time I post on this forum.
Have a good evening.
 

Whitney

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2010
Messages
435
Location
Poulsbo, Kitsap County, Washington, USA
Good Gouge with a quick how to

Well, they may be doing business under another name ~ I do not see them in the Sec. of State's business search.

I would go back and see their business license (must be posted), find out the name of the company, go to SOS website searching for business, find its registered agent, and send a demand letter to them via their registered agent asking for $$$. This will get you a response.

If they are not licensed with the SOS then this does not mean that they cannot do business but it does lead to the situation where they cannot sue in the state (they can defend a lawsuit, just not initiate one).

I would not bother with the "manager"...bother the people who hold the purse strings; make it a civil rights issue and an entrapment issue. Who knows...maybe they'll apologize and offer you some cash.

The time for being nice is past ...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I was intrigued by this post. For my own edification, I went to my Secretary of State (SOS) website and did a quick search for Trader Joe.

The short version...you may not be dealing with the the actual business; there is a business entity called "registered agent", a middle man of sorts.

Screen shots as attachments: Links follow for what I discovered.

In this case (click on the green link below search results) it seems TJ has an agent named Paracorp.
If you click the additional information link from the previous result you find business governing information.

So...what the heck / who is Paracorp? Google foo says ......Paracorp Inc, and they have a website, Parasec dot com.

I tend to agree with davidmcbeth with regard to skiping the manager and making my case elsewhere.

~Whitney
 

Rusty Young Man

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Messages
1,548
Location
Árida Zona
callee11,
I'm sorry if my post came off as a scathing criticism. I usually try to (over-) use emoticons to soften up the tone that people read it in. And I'm sorry if I offended you, since that was never my intention.:)

I never meant to sound as though arguing in the store is productive. I was just trying to point out that shaming/pointing out of OCers is one reason people seem to choose CC over OC. So you and I share the same view on people who decide to have the debate in the middle of the stores. Unfortunately, OCer's are seen as "ambassadors", whether they like it or not. An argumentative OCer tends to give other OCers a bad image in the minds of observers. I'm also against this "you're an ambassador of OC" :)rolleyes:) thing.

In cases of an anti-gun business asking OCers to leave, I advocate for leaving the premises and then contacting the manager/higher-ups by phone call or email (email is my preference, since it leaves a trail). So yes, you did what I would have done by leaving.

While some stores do know about the signs, others never post them because they fear guns only because they are ignorant of guns, not like the antis, who have an illogical fear of guns.
Posting of signs just makes it less likely that they'll ever interact with OCers and dispel whatever negative stereotype they've cultivated. I know in my case, I've changed a few minds just within my family (just ask me what my first Thanksgiving while OC was like:lol:).

Again, I never meant to offend you or be rude. I try to make my criticisms be constructive, lest I reduce myself to troll-like behaviour. I believe open discourse, with mutual respect, is how each of us can contribute to promoting OC, and I apologize if what I posted came off as hostility instead of an attempt at passionate discourse.

I hope you'll consider continuing to post here, since each member contributes a slightly different perspective to the forum.
 
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