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Joe's Sports in Boise is prohibiting open carry!

Saint

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I walked into Joe's Sports today with two of my friends to visit an employee and to purchase some Surefire batteries for a flashlight. All three of us were open carrying, me and my first friend both with our Glock 19's and my other friend with his Glock 26.

We had been in the store for about 20 mins and were looking at batteries while visting with the employee we had gone in to see when we were approached by the manager who asked us if we were law enforcment. We all responded in the negative to which he replied that we would then have to go and put our guns in the car.

I asked the manager if this was a store policy and he said that it was. He further went on to say that it was a city ordinance and was illegal for us to carry into the store in the first place.

I then asked him if he was aware that the policy is nowhere posted throughout the entire store. He replied that yes he was aware of that.

I then proceeded to explain to him that Idaho had full state pre-emption of all city and county ordinances and that all three of us were fully legal in our actions. I also expressed my disapointment that Joe's had such a policy and told the manager that until such time as it was changed he had lost my business.

At this time, a second employee who was standing there made the mistaken ascertion that open carry was illegal ANYWHERE in the state of idaho and especially into any place of business. He based this ascertion on the fact that he had recently 'completed his concealed weapons training'

I reiterated to him that that was an incorrect statement and that it was indeed lawful. Both he and the manager said that they didn't know about that and would look into it.

I once more confirmed that the manager was aware that their was no signs that spoke of the policy and that he was mistaken on his gun knowledge.

While the manager was amiable and polite, he was none-the-less horribly mistaken in his quotation of Idaho law. I will not be shopping at Joe's until such time as they change their policy. Both Cabela's and Sportsman's warehouse carry almost identical inventorys but both allow open carry.

For those who are interested in calling to inquire please PM me and i will happy to provide the managers name and the location of the Boise store.
 

blacknyt

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Hello all, I am new to this forum and a friend of Saint's. I am the one talked of above about open carrying in Joe's with Saint and I do confirm this confrontation, and will also take my business elsewhere until such policy is changed.
 

HankT

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Saint wrote:
I then asked him if he was aware that the policy is nowhere posted throughout the entire store. He replied that yes he was aware of that.
...
I once more confirmed that the manager was aware that their was no signs that spoke of the policy...
I can never figure out why such stores, with a prohibiting policy in place, don't put up the signs advising customers of suchpolicies.

Doesn't make any sense.

At least they should inform customers before they get into the store.

Actually, making a big deal about the lackof policy signage might be a good tactic to pressure retailers. If the signs go up, then more people will see the store's policy and can react to it negatively--even if they themselves do not elect to OC.
 

IdahoCorsair

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Funny, I OC'd there just before the Sawtooth relay and the manager actually came up to me, looked at my gun and asked if he could help me with the radios I was looking at... he helped me for 10-15 minutes and then I thanked him and walked away with my purchase. Possible I have the advantage of "age" and inheirently look more like LE than you do so he wasn't worried?
 

IdahoCorsair

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I'll call them on sunday or monday, whenever they're open next about the OC being illegal deal, and about them loosing my business... and emailed corporate. :cuss: Ok, ok, so I was nice in my email! :cool:
 

longwatch

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Well I think you should send them a letter letting them know that they have a mistaken impression about the law and that OC is legal and they should rescind their ban. See if you can get a dialog going. If they respond that ok its legal and they will still ban carry, then let them no that you will honor their policy and give them the old no guns = no money and that you will be happy to inform other gun owners on internet forums not to inconvenience themselves by going to Joes sports.
 

cato

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You shouldsend them their competition's letter and suggest they match Cabela's policy as you will share their decision with several national self defense web forums and urge all Idahoans to boycott their stores.
 

Saint

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I intend to format and send an e-mail and letter of complaint to both the store and their corporate offices tomorrow as I have the day off from work. Anyone else already sent something in that they got a response on?
 

IdahoCorsair

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I apparently sent the email to their "online store" and all I got was "you sent this to the wrong address" from the online guys... no help in who to send it to now. I"ll get on it. :)
 

HankT

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cato wrote:
You shouldsend them their competition's letter and suggest they match Cabela's policy ...
That's a great idea. Very shrewd.

Altough, as with the Wal-Mart problem, some would say not to push corporate.

I'd say, full speed ahead--go for the corporate policy change.
 

Dave The Welder

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We hit Cabela's with an overwhelming force of letters. I think it's time to try that tactic again, and this timelet the companyknow that not only is theremore than just three OCers out therebut that we have the option to take our business to their competitor, who does support our rights. I'll fire an emailoff in the morning.
 

IdahoCorsair

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Phone number for corporate Joe's is: 503-682-2242. I'll make a call asap after posting this.
 

Domandred

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Not sure which is worse...the not allowing open carry or the shear ignorance of the laws in their statements.

I did think about it at first when he said it was store policy. I *thought* initially that the manager was incorrectly thinking employee policy = customer policy, then I read further and saw he thinks it's against the law.

Then the second employee:cuss:...holy cow he either didn't pay attention in CCW class or lied and never actually went to one. The third possiblity not sure I want to think about, a CCW instructor somewhere in the area that is giving false information.
 

IdahoCorsair

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I just got off the phone with Corporate's gun-room lady... Amanda???... (oops, I can't believe I forgot her name) she said that it was indeed policy to not allow ANY loaded guns OC, CC, or any other carry. It was not just for gunsmithing, and we had a good (7miunte) discussion... in which she was very open and interested that it might be beneficial to Joe's to allow us to exercise our civil rights like other stores in the area do. I really think I came across well, and she's now passing me along to another lady who would be higher up, she said it might be a day or two, but the lady higher-up would call me back regarding this matter. All in all it seems she'll relay our message in a favorable light. I'll update you as I get more info.
 

flyingkitchen

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As an employee at Joe's, I was present during the whole confrontation. I have to say that its sad that field and stream employees, the ones who are supposed to know the most about guns in the store, didn't even know that open carry is perfectly legal. Although I can't confirm that the manager has been receiving a lot of flack for this incident, I can say that he has been out of sorts since the confrontation and has been receiving a much greater volume of telephone calls than normal. The best step would be to talk to corporate, in either email, letter or phone call. The local store can't change national policy and since the store is based in Oregon their policy is totally screwed up anyways. Kudos to Corsair for calling National and hopefully that will go somewhere.
 

kparker

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Could you guys (IdahoCorsair or Flyingkitchen) please clarify who I should be asking for when I call the corporate (Oregon) number?

I really want to make this call and remind them that their store in Federal Way has a competitor literally across the street (Sportsman's Warehouse) who has a very welcoming policy to those who exercise their right to be armed, and tell them that future purchases like my recent ~$300 one will be directed to those other guys if Joe's persists on being unfriendly to lawful carry.

BUT I want to make sure I'm talking to the right person...
 

Saint

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Welcome aboard kitchen! good to see you bro. :)

Corsair, would you mind posting the number for corporate and the contact person to talk to? Just so we can all direct our calls to the same person. TY
 

IdahoCorsair

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Glad to see your powers of observation are keen, Saint. :p Hehe, Look six or so posts above this one, but if you can't do that, then:

Phone number for corporate Joe's is: 503-682-2242.

I got the "gun counter" and I think I had a good conversation with that lady, and she passed along my contact info and I am waiting for a call from "Angela" (I think) :uhoh: though I really should know, my bad. :banghead: They said to wait a couple days. I'll keep you all posted.
 

Saint

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Lolz... ahh my... now i feel dumb after realizing that the number was there all along. :p oh well... ty corsair. Let me know what you hear back from corporate. I am crazy busy with work right now but i'll try and give them a call in the next couple days.
 

Mainsail

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Just thought I’d mention that I was asked to leave Joe’s in Federal Way Washington by one of their loss control people. It seems a little silly that a sporting goods store would disallow lawful firearms carry, but they do. I haven’t been back.
 
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