Tosta Dojen
Regular Member
imported post
The Incident: 7/21 6:30 PM - Home Depot #4609, Hershberger Rd, Roanoke
My closet collapsed over the weekend, so after work on Monday, I went to my local Home Depot to pick up some hardware. I was armed with my Para-Ordnance "Carry" 6.45 in a Fobus C-21 holster.
I'd picked out the stuff I needed for the closet and had just finished browsing the lighting section when I was approached by an employee. He told me that firearms were prohibited in the Home Depot, regardless of whether or not they were carried legally, except for off-duty police, and that this was corporate policy.
I was skeptical of this claim; I figured that if the Home Depot had such a sweeping corporate policy against firearms, I would have found out about it before now. I asked him specifically whether this was a store policy or a corporate policy, and he confirmed that it was a store policy.
I asked for his name and whether he was a manager. He affirmed that he was a manager and identified himself as David Strouth. I handed over the merchandise I was carrying so I could write that down. He passed it off to one of the other employees who had gathered around, and asked if I had a permit. I replied that no permit was necessary for openly carrying a firearm in Virginia.
At that point, David added that there were signs posted at the store entrance indicating that firearms are prohibited. I always check for such signs wherever I go, and I didn't remember seeing one, so I was very surprised to hear him say one was posted. I told him as much, and he began to escort me to the exit. As we were walking, he again asked what kind of permit I have. I reiterated that no permit is required for open carry, and he said he'd check with the City Police on that point.
When we reached the exit, we checked the entrance and found no signs posted. David and I conversed for a bit about my carry. He made it clear that I was welcome to shop, but that my firearm would have to stay out, and suggested I could leave it in my vehicle. I declined to do so, explaining that I carry a firearm for personal protection, and it can't perform that function when it's locked up in the car. He told me that my firearm was making people nervous; they were coming to him saying, "That guy's got a gun!" (I should have asked whether those people were other customers or employees, but I didn't think of it until later.) He made a remark about "the way things are these days," and I pointed out that this was the reason I carry.
David offered to give me the corporate phone number, which took him a few minutes to locate. When he came back with it, he told me he'd found out the reason no signs were posted was that the glass at the entrances had been replaced. He also indicated that he'd called another manager, who assured him that since the store was private property, they could ask me to leave. I agreed, and left.
I got the hardware for my closet at Lowe's without incident. By the time I got home, the Home Depot corporate office was closed for the day.
The Follow-up: 7/22 9:10 AM - Home Depot Customer Care
I called the number for customer care the next morning, and spoke with a nice lady named Vickie. I asked about Home Depot's corporate policy on carrying firearms in their stores. She looked it up for me, and it reads, in effect, that firearms are not prohibited as long as they are being carried in compliance with all applicable laws. I told her about my encounter from the day before, and she was apologetic, but went on to read another section of policy which read, in part, that customers openly carrying firearms could be asked to leave.
It was a little difficult for me to understand everything Vickie was saying, but it seemed to me that this clause was meant to apply only where firearms were required by law to be concealed. Vickie was unsure, though, and I had to get to work, so I asked if she could have somebody review the relevant policies and get back to me. She agreed, gave me a reference number, and told me it could take up to 72 hours for somebody to call back.
The Follow-up to the Follow-up: 7/25 7:15 PM - Home Depot Customer Care
Since it had been more than 72 hours, and I hadn't received a call, I called back and was connected with Ebony. She looked up my case and confirmed that my interpretation was correct: Where the law requires that a firearm be concealed, customers carrying openly may be asked to leave. In general, legally carried firearms are not prohibited. Ebony also told me that a copy of the complaint had been sent to the store, so the management there should certainly be aware of corporate policy. In short, I'm welcome to patronize the Home Depot with my legally carried firearm.
The real test, of course, will be what happens when I go return. When I do, I'll report back.
The Incident: 7/21 6:30 PM - Home Depot #4609, Hershberger Rd, Roanoke
My closet collapsed over the weekend, so after work on Monday, I went to my local Home Depot to pick up some hardware. I was armed with my Para-Ordnance "Carry" 6.45 in a Fobus C-21 holster.
I'd picked out the stuff I needed for the closet and had just finished browsing the lighting section when I was approached by an employee. He told me that firearms were prohibited in the Home Depot, regardless of whether or not they were carried legally, except for off-duty police, and that this was corporate policy.
I was skeptical of this claim; I figured that if the Home Depot had such a sweeping corporate policy against firearms, I would have found out about it before now. I asked him specifically whether this was a store policy or a corporate policy, and he confirmed that it was a store policy.
I asked for his name and whether he was a manager. He affirmed that he was a manager and identified himself as David Strouth. I handed over the merchandise I was carrying so I could write that down. He passed it off to one of the other employees who had gathered around, and asked if I had a permit. I replied that no permit was necessary for openly carrying a firearm in Virginia.
At that point, David added that there were signs posted at the store entrance indicating that firearms are prohibited. I always check for such signs wherever I go, and I didn't remember seeing one, so I was very surprised to hear him say one was posted. I told him as much, and he began to escort me to the exit. As we were walking, he again asked what kind of permit I have. I reiterated that no permit is required for open carry, and he said he'd check with the City Police on that point.
When we reached the exit, we checked the entrance and found no signs posted. David and I conversed for a bit about my carry. He made it clear that I was welcome to shop, but that my firearm would have to stay out, and suggested I could leave it in my vehicle. I declined to do so, explaining that I carry a firearm for personal protection, and it can't perform that function when it's locked up in the car. He told me that my firearm was making people nervous; they were coming to him saying, "That guy's got a gun!" (I should have asked whether those people were other customers or employees, but I didn't think of it until later.) He made a remark about "the way things are these days," and I pointed out that this was the reason I carry.
David offered to give me the corporate phone number, which took him a few minutes to locate. When he came back with it, he told me he'd found out the reason no signs were posted was that the glass at the entrances had been replaced. He also indicated that he'd called another manager, who assured him that since the store was private property, they could ask me to leave. I agreed, and left.
I got the hardware for my closet at Lowe's without incident. By the time I got home, the Home Depot corporate office was closed for the day.
The Follow-up: 7/22 9:10 AM - Home Depot Customer Care
I called the number for customer care the next morning, and spoke with a nice lady named Vickie. I asked about Home Depot's corporate policy on carrying firearms in their stores. She looked it up for me, and it reads, in effect, that firearms are not prohibited as long as they are being carried in compliance with all applicable laws. I told her about my encounter from the day before, and she was apologetic, but went on to read another section of policy which read, in part, that customers openly carrying firearms could be asked to leave.
It was a little difficult for me to understand everything Vickie was saying, but it seemed to me that this clause was meant to apply only where firearms were required by law to be concealed. Vickie was unsure, though, and I had to get to work, so I asked if she could have somebody review the relevant policies and get back to me. She agreed, gave me a reference number, and told me it could take up to 72 hours for somebody to call back.
The Follow-up to the Follow-up: 7/25 7:15 PM - Home Depot Customer Care
Since it had been more than 72 hours, and I hadn't received a call, I called back and was connected with Ebony. She looked up my case and confirmed that my interpretation was correct: Where the law requires that a firearm be concealed, customers carrying openly may be asked to leave. In general, legally carried firearms are not prohibited. Ebony also told me that a copy of the complaint had been sent to the store, so the management there should certainly be aware of corporate policy. In short, I'm welcome to patronize the Home Depot with my legally carried firearm.
The real test, of course, will be what happens when I go return. When I do, I'll report back.