Costco

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It is pretty common knowledge that Costco in other areas are anti-gun. However, their signs aren't worth the paper they are printed on here in Utah and I have noticed they don't even have them here.

So I am curious. Has anyone had any OC experiences here in Utah at a Costco?

I have filled up with gas at their station a few times but have never gone inside while OC...

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elb1179 wrote:

It is pretty common knowledge that Costco in other areas are anti-gun.

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Common knowledge is often just plain wrong.

What may appear to be anti-gun, may in fact just be a business decision based on what they perceive as customer preference in that area.

I suspect most people just don't care one way or the other about how you carry or if you do.

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It is pretty common knowledge that Costco in other areas are anti-gun. However, their signs aren't worth the paper they are printed on here in Utah and I have noticed they don't even have them here.

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Revision: Some threads at Packing.org have mentioned some Costco's have posted "No Weapons" or similar signs. Any such sign here in Utah wouldn't be worth the paper it was printed on.

Sorry, I should be careful about blanket statements. So lets try that again.

Has anyone OC'ed in a Utah Costco? Any reactions, particularly from store employees/management?

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I routinely open carry my full size 1911 in a paddle hoslter (over jeans and a Tshirt or Polo Shirt) into the Sandy Costco. I have also open carried into the St. George Costco. I have never seen any signage to the contrary and have never been given a second look by any of the employees.

If anyone ever did have any problems with legal carry into a Costco (or any other business in Utah), I'd like to know about it. About 10 years ago, shortly after Utah went to shall issue, BlockBuster Video posted their stores as no guns. Between the ensuing boycott and the lack of any legal weight to their gun ban, they pretty quickly decided they had better things to do that upset a large segment of customers in such a way and the signs came down.

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Until about 6 months ago I worked at the Sandy Costco. They have a policy against any employees packing whether concealed or open. The management really freaked out when I got my permit and no less than 5 managers took it upon themselves to pull me aside and let me know I couldn't carry a gun in there and that I'd be fired for even joking about having one.

As far as members go there's nothing they can do about it, and I've never seen thembother anyone. I've open carried in there many times since I quit working there and have never had a problem. Most of the local workers are just fine with people carrying, but a lot of the managers have been transferred from out of state and they've really been conditioned into thinking that guns are evil. But I've never seen them confront anyone about it.

That's my .02

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I am from Northern Virginia, near D.C. I routinely open carry in the Costco in Arlington (just over the river from D.C., I point this out because DC and the surrounding area is vehemently anti-gun). I have also open carried in another Costco in VA. I have never seen any sign prohibiting weapons or been asked by any employee why I had a gun. If one store is posted and others are not, it would seem to be a management decision at the one location and not a corporate policy. If the store is posted, I would contact the corporate headquarters and ask them what their position is. This same thing happened with a Wal Mart somewhere. The WM manager decided to post his store with a "no guns" policy, when corporate found out, they repremanded the manager and got rid of the sign.

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Utbagpiper, why did you indicate that Blockbuster's "No Gun" policy is not legal? I was under the impression thata privately-owned business could do what they wanted.

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Most all businesses these days have policies against employees carrying. Ten years ago, that was not common in Utah. But with HR being such a thorny legal issue, most companies adopt HR policies from large HR organizations who get policies from large east coast law firms, and so most all of them have policies against employees carrying guns. The legal thinking is that in limiting weapons they are limiting liability for any shootings. If a non-employee brings in a gun and harms an employee, that is an on-the-job injury and workers'comp may well limit damages.

Here in Utah, it is VERY rare to see any retail or other business open to the public have a policy against customers carrying.

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Utbagpiper, why did you indicate that Blockbuster's "No Gun" policy is not legal? I was under the impression thata privately-owned business could do what they wanted.

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I did not say their policy was not legal. I wrote that their policy has no force of law behind it.

Yes, they can have any policy they want. They can tell you no green shirts allowed, just as well as they can say no guns allowed. But if you decide not to obey their policy, you have no committed any crime. There is no law making it a crime to violate a private policy against green shirts or against carrying a gun into a private business, here in Utah.

In fact, I'm told that the commercial trespassing law in Utah is such that a business might even have a hard time getting a trespassing conviction against a lawfully armed patron who declined to leave when asked for no other reason than the possession of a gun. I don't want to be the test case on that. But I do rest assured that so long as I leave when asked, I've commited NO crime regardless of any policy against guns.

Even employees who carry in violation of a no-gun employment policy have not violated any laws in Utah. They can be fired, just as they might be for showing up late every day in violation of policy. But they have not committed any crime.

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elb1179 wrote:

It is pretty common knowledge that Costco in other areas are anti-gun. However, their signs aren't worth the paper they are printed on here in Utah and I have noticed they don't even have them here.

So I am curious. Has anyone had any OC experiences here in Utah at a Costco?

I have filled up with gas at their station a few times but have never gone inside while OC...

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Well...Fellow Arms Men...I have a Wonderful Story to tell You all.

On12/11/2006 @ about 5Pm MST my wife and I went in to Costco @ 106th So next to I-15.

My Outfit is Chippawah Boots, Levi's, Levi shirt, Light Brown Vest, Blue Scarf, Suit Coat and a Stetson on my head. Strapped to my hip under the Coat is an "old style" Vaquero 44mag in a Triple K Rooster Cogburn Rig - Deluxe, with 25 44mag caliber rounds shining to the world.

After walking around for a while I got warm and took of my Coat and put it in the cart. We walked around looking at X-mas gifts and along the way we stopped plenty off Associates in the store when we had Questions. I even OPEN CARRIED thru check-out.

On the way out we decided to have a Polish and an Ice-cream, and while waiting for the food we were shooting the Breeze ( NO PUN INTENDED )with a Supervisior and he could absolutely NOT miss that a 44 was strapped to my hip.

while we were eating a older couple came by on the way out and stopped by our table and said "-I don't think You get this alot if at all. But THANK YOU for Carrying Open. THANK YOU for upholding OUR CONSTITIONAL RIGHT. We need more of that." I was caught off guard but Happy when I understood what he said. I said Thank You Very Much , and they went on their way.

HAPPY AND SATISFIED COSTCO "OPEN CARRY" CUSTOMER.


"With Great Power comes Great Responsibility"

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Now that's the classy way to OC. Well done.

That .44 is a hell of a lot more powerful than my 9mm Glock but if I went through the same motions you did, I doubt I would have received the same reaction. Especially with a modern version of your rig: tactical thigh holster with a double mag pouch on my belt. Doubt thatany black auto would goover so well even with a normal holster.

Ignorance...


Mike

Spring Break Fallujah '06

"Always Flexible"

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UTOC-45-44 wrote:

My Outfit is Chippawah Boots, Levi's, Levi shirt, Light Brown Vest, Blue Scarf, Suit Coat and a Stetson on my head. Strapped to my hip under the Coat is an "old style" Vaquero 44mag in a Triple K Rooster Cogburn Rig - Deluxe, with 25 44mag caliber rounds shining to the world.

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Hey UTOC, Did you know that Levi Strauss is big time ANTI-GUN??

http://www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?ID=15

http://www.mtssa.org/levis.phtml

http://www.jpfo.org/alert20000126.htm

You can contact them at:

Levi Strauss & Co.
Robert D. Haas, Chairman
Philip Marineau, CEO
Peter A. Jacobi, President and COO
1155 Battery St.
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 501-6000
FAX (415) 501-3939
www.levistrauss.com

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BobCav wrote:

UTOC-45-44 wrote:

My Outfit is Chippawah Boots, Levi's, Levi shirt, Light Brown Vest, Blue Scarf, Suit Coat and a Stetson on my head. Strapped to my hip under the Coat is an "old style" Vaquero 44mag in a Triple K Rooster Cogburn Rig - Deluxe, with 25 44mag caliber rounds shining to the world.

Click to expand...

Hey UTOC, Did you know that Levi Strauss is big time ANTI-GUN??

http://www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?ID=15

http://www.mtssa.org/levis.phtml

http://www.jpfo.org/alert20000126.htm

You can contact them at:

Levi Strauss & Co.
Robert D. Haas, Chairman
Philip Marineau, CEO
Peter A. Jacobi, President and COO
1155 Battery St.
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 501-6000
FAX (415) 501-3939
http://www.levistrauss.com

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Sorry...:shock:, it was a Wrangler Shirt and Wrangler "Levi's".

Thanks for the correction

These websites will help me in "adjusting" my shopping andviewing movies.

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UTOC-45-44 wrote:

BobCav wrote:

UTOC-45-44 wrote:

My Outfit is Chippawah Boots, Levi's, Levi shirt, Light Brown Vest, Blue Scarf, Suit Coat and a Stetson on my head. Strapped to my hip under the Coat is an "old style" Vaquero 44mag in a Triple K Rooster Cogburn Rig - Deluxe, with 25 44mag caliber rounds shining to the world.

Click to expand...

Hey UTOC, Did you know that Levi Strauss is big time ANTI-GUN??

http://www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?ID=15

http://www.mtssa.org/levis.phtml

http://www.jpfo.org/alert20000126.htm

You can contact them at:

Levi Strauss & Co.
Robert D. Haas, Chairman
Philip Marineau, CEO
Peter A. Jacobi, President and COO
1155 Battery St.
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 501-6000
FAX (415) 501-3939
http://www.levistrauss.com

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Sorry...:shock:, it was a Wrangler Shirt and Wrangler "Levi's".

Thanks for the correction

Click to expand...

Whew that was close!! lol..... I gotcha...all jeans are "Levis" and all soda is "Coke", etc....

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BobCav wrote:

UTOC-45-44 wrote:

BobCav wrote:

UTOC-45-44 wrote:

My Outfit is Chippawah Boots, Levi's, Levi shirt, Light Brown Vest, Blue Scarf, Suit Coat and a Stetson on my head. Strapped to my hip under the Coat is an "old style" Vaquero 44mag in a Triple K Rooster Cogburn Rig - Deluxe, with 25 44mag caliber rounds shining to the world.

Click to expand...

Hey UTOC, Did you know that Levi Strauss is big time ANTI-GUN??

http://www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?ID=15

http://www.mtssa.org/levis.phtml

http://www.jpfo.org/alert20000126.htm

You can contact them at:

Levi Strauss & Co.
Robert D. Haas, Chairman
Philip Marineau, CEO
Peter A. Jacobi, President and COO
1155 Battery St.
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 501-6000
FAX (415) 501-3939
http://www.levistrauss.com

Click to expand...

Sorry...:shock:, it was a Wrangler Shirt and Wrangler "Levi's".

Thanks for the correction

Click to expand...

Whew that was close!! lol..... I gotcha...all jeans are "Levis" and all soda is "Coke", etc....

Click to expand...

I carry that rig EVERY DAY, although I have a Perfectly nice Kimber Custom Pro TLR/RLII "hanging"out to be used as well

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UTOC-45-44 wrote:My Outfit is Chippawah Boots, Levi's, Levi shirt, Light Brown Vest, Blue Scarf, Suit Coat and a Stetson on my head. Strapped to my hip under the Coat is an "old style" Vaquero 44mag in a Triple K Rooster Cogburn Rig - Deluxe, with 25 44mag caliber rounds shining to the world.

Click to expand...

I carry that rig EVERY DAY, although I have a Perfectly nice Kimber Custom Pro TLR/RLII "hanging"out to be used as well

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What no spurs? lol.... Sounds like an impressive setup!

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I had my first open carry experience today in the Lehi Costco. I have been a CFP holder now for two years, and until finding this message board yesterday, gave no thought to open carry. Like others, I simply thought it wasn't acceptable to do so. Now I know otherwise. Thank you for reminding me what I fight for as an American!

SGT Jensen
Glock 23

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SGT Jensen wrote:

I had my first open carry experience today in the Lehi Costco. I have been a CFP holder now for two years, and until finding this message board yesterday, gave no thought to open carry. Like others, I simply thought it wasn't acceptable to do so. Now I know otherwise. Thank you for reminding me what I fight for as an American!

SGT Jensen
Glock 23

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Congrats Sarge!! Feels great, doesn't it?

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i work at the south ogden costco and have yet to see anyone plain clothes carry open..... come on down so i can see how my management reacts!

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btoland wrote:

i work at the south ogden costco and have yet to see anyone plain clothes carry open..... come on down so i can see how my management reacts!

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btoland,


I don't go that way very often but when I'm on the way to Logan I will keep you in mind.:celebrate:monkey