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Oak Harbor Wal-Mart

Cougar125

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This morning I wake up to change and feed my 5 mo. old daughter. While doing so, I discover that I'm using the last of the formula and the last diaper, so I quickly determine, following my cup of coffee, a trip to Wal-Mart is in order.



While at Wal-Mart I go and pick up diapers and formula. I venture from the baby section to the Sporting Good section to see if they have any rifle cases that will fit my 270 w/scope & bipod. They have none. I go look at the latest and greatest gadgets for my truck, none of which fit my muse. While on my way to checkout, I discover I am being followed by 3 store associates, all of them much bigger than my 5'6" frame. I decide that this is probably some BS so I take more time on my way to the front. I checked out the christmas clearance stuff and buy my wife a candle. I picked up some toilet bowl tablets on my way to the front of the store, then proceeded to self-checkout.



During my checkout process, I am approached by Steven Miller, an assistant manager. He says good morning, I cordially reply the same. He asks if I am a LEO. I told him I was not. It was at this time that he tells me that he needs me to remove my weapon (notice he said weapon and not firearm...I do believe there is a difference in the words) to my vehicle. I asked him if he could wait until my checkout process was done, because I would be leaving promptly thereafter as I had other stops to make this morning. He tells me that is fine. After my receipt prints, I ask him to write his name and position on the receipt so that when I call the regional headquarters, I have a name and position to reference. He responds with a please do. After writing his information, he escorts me to the door and thanks me for my cooperation. I smiled, said no problem, and proceeded to my truck. (I didn't feel like arguing and felt that my cooperation might make him look like an ass later).



I am now going to be on the phone with the numbers M1 left in NavyLT's thread to sort this out.



On my way home I OC'd AM/PM, Starbucks, & Home Depot with no incidents. This whole time, I had my 5 mo old daughter with me.
 

Cougar125

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This regions Manager is Don Roseborough and his number is 360-657-1192.

I'm awaiting his return call. I'll edit this post when I have an update.


Update:

Don called me back and informed me that the store could have handled the situation better. He said there would not have been an issue had I concealed the firearm. I referred him to 9.41.050 and 9.41.270 regarding the carry and let him know that it would have been more illegal for me to conceal due to my lack of a CPL. At this, he responded that a person carrying openly is a rare thing so many associates don't know how to react appropriately.

The policy, as he explained to me,is that firearms being returned are checked and tagged at the front desk to ensure the firearm is unloaded for safety. At this I reminded him that this location did not sell firearms.

All said and conversation over (for the mean time) he was unsure of how to read the cited RCW's, I will be getting a phone call back on Monday when the Legal Dept. is open so they can answer any questions to my fullest expectations.
 

sailor628

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Well handled. I love OC'ing with my little ones. It's a perfect reason to give those who want to know "Why do you have a gun?". If someone's looking to snatch a 5 month old they will probably think twice before taking yours.
I will watching for the further updates.
 

sv_libertarian

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Cougar125 wrote:
This regions Manager is Don Roseborough and his number is 360-657-1192.

I'm awaiting his return call. I'll edit this post when I have an update.


Update:

Don called me back and informed me that the store could have handled the situation better. He said there would not have been an issue had I concealed the firearm. I referred him to 9.41.050 and 9.41.270 regarding the carry and let him know that it would have been more illegal for me to conceal due to my lack of a CPL. At this, he responded that a person carrying openly is a rare thing so many associates don't know how to react appropriately.

The policy, as he explained to me,is that firearms being returned are checked and tagged at the front desk to ensure the firearm is unloaded for safety. At this I reminded him that this location did not sell firearms.

All said and conversation over (for the mean time) he was unsure of how to read the cited RCW's, I will be getting a phone call back on Monday when the Legal Dept. is open so they can answer any questions to my fullest expectations.
Oak Harbor Wal Mart does not sell guns anymore? Wow. The first brand new gun I ever bought was from that Wal Mart, a New England Firearms .410 single shot. I paid $89 plus tax for it. Funny thing was I bought some 12 gauge ammo at the same time, and they wouldn't sell me a .410 and some 12 guage ammo at the same time! I put the gun in my friend's car, went back in, bought the 12 guage, and some .410 and left the store.
 

Cougar125

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sv_libertarian wrote:
Oak Harbor Wal Mart does not sell guns anymore? Wow. The first brand new gun I ever bought was from that Wal Mart, a New England Firearms .410 single shot. I paid $89 plus tax for it. Funny thing was I bought some 12 gauge ammo at the same time, and they wouldn't sell me a .410 and some 12 guage ammo at the same time! I put the gun in my friend's car, went back in, bought the 12 guage, and some .410 and left the store.
Nope...they didn't have enough sales. I talked to Bob in Sporting Goods about it awhile back and Wal-Marts policy was if you don't sell "XXX" number of firearms a month, you don't sell any. Oh well. Only thing I buy from their sporting goods is Blazer Brass ammo because its cheap.
 

Cougar125

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NavyLT wrote:
Oak Harbor Wal Mart does not sell guns anymore?
That's why I buy 'em at Ace Hardware in Oak Harbor :)

Cougar,
Let's get together for lunch or something. And anyone else that wants to do lunch in Oak Harbor (or close)! Maybe Frank's Place?
Looking at doing something...been talking to VLR4 about setting one up. I'm booked until after new year, but we do need to have one. All 3 of us. Haha!
 

Cougar125

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Well...I did not receive a call back today from Mr. Roseborough. I will call him tomorrow requesting a follow-up.
 

Cougar125

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I got a call back from Mr. Rosenborough today.

He informed me that it is Wal-Mart's right to ask a person to leave if other customers feel uncomfortable. He also told me that it would just be easier for everybody to conceal.

That was about all he said. He seemed to want off the call ASAP and wouldn't entertain any other questions that I had prepared to him about law abiding citizens carrying or anything else.

I guess I will just not be shopping at Wal-Mart for the last 60 days I am here if I can at all help it. F***ing Sheeple...
 

shad0wfax

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Cougar125 wrote:
I got a call back from Mr. Rosenborough today.

He informed me that it is Wal-Mart's right to ask a person to leave if other customers feel uncomfortable. He also told me that it would just be easier for everybody to conceal.

That was about all he said. He seemed to want off the call ASAP and wouldn't entertain any other questions that I had prepared to him about law abiding citizens carrying or anything else.

I guess I will just not be shopping at Wal-Mart for the last 60 days I am here if I can at all help it. F***ing Sheeple...


Itsounds likeWal-Mart doesn'thave a corproatepolicy and they leave it up to the discretion of the store manager. I'd be having a very polite (but tenaciously persistent) conversation with the store manager (in person) about open carry and I'd bring some of the tri-fold Washington Gun Rights pamphlets with me. It sounds like Mr. Rosenborough is just trying to avoid dealing with it entirely.


The thing that baffles me about what Steve Miller said to you was that he first asked if you were an LEO. As if an off-duty (or plainclothes) LEO is somehow less likely to make a customer feel uncomfortable. The customersdon't know if you're an LEO or not and neither do the employees, or he wouldn't have asked you. The logic that if you were an LEO (but weren't in uniform) open carry would be OK, but as a non-LEO open carry issomehow discomforting to customers isastoundingly stupid. The "no OC except LEO / MP's" is quite possibly the lamest excuse for forbidding OC I've ever heard. It's basically the store's way of saying that LEO's are somehow magically more trustworthy and will give customers a warm-fuzzy even if they're off-duty or plainclothes. It's not like an armed plainclothes (or off-duty) LEO is going to greet every customer they see and say "Not to worry sir or ma'am, I'm an officer."

This makes me tempted to carry around a set of handcuffs on my belt whenever I OC so that rabid employees willjust assume I'm an LEO, without actually impersonating one. (But that defeats the purpose of OC to make a political statement, doesn't it?)

EDIT: <SARCASM>
The next time I'm atWal-Mart I'm going to say that the fat lady in tight-fitting clothing makes me feel uncomfortable. She looks like a pressed ham in one of those hanging nets at the meat counter!The annoying lady who pushes her cart into my heels as she follows me down the tight aisle makes me feel uncomfortable too. For that matter, the lady and her pack of marauding children who are completely out of control make me feel uncomfortable. I won't be satisfied until they're all removed from the store! I demand satisfaction! Heck, why stop there? The greeter at the door makes me feel uncomfortable; He's in a wheelchair and he actually smiled at me and said hello! What's his problem!? That's creepy! He should be fired and removed from the premises without delay! </SARCASM>
 

just_a_car

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shad0wfax, it has previously been determined that Wal-mart policy is to follow state law. Cougar, you need to go higher than the regional manager before you give up, here, as that is not their corporate policy, nor does that person make corporate policy. Find the number for the chief of security, which used to be Jason Schmit, but I am under the impression he's no longer in that position. Previously, that person, who has the authority to say 'yay' or 'nay' on corporate policy, has stated that OC was okay if it was legal in the state the store was located in.

Please, all involved here, research Wal-Mart on the forum here... you may be surprised.

As an aside, shad0wfax, you may want to tone it down a little. I think you're being sarcastic with a lot of your post there... but it's sure hard to tell. I'm not a mod, nor do I want to be, but I figured you'd like to know a lot of what you said could be taken the wrong way (e.g. you're sounding like a loony) and I don't think you intended such.
 

shad0wfax

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just_a_car wrote:
shad0wfax, it has previously been determined that Wal-mart policy is to follow state law. [snip]
As an aside, shad0wfax, you may want to tone it down a little. I think you're being sarcastic with a lot of your post there... but it's sure hard to tell. I'm not a mod, nor do I want to be, but I figured you'd like to know a lot of what you said could be taken the wrong way (e.g. you're sounding like a loony) and I don't think you intended such.

Thanks for the clarification on Wal-Mart policy just_a_car. It's the same policy Cabela's has.

I editted my post to emphasize the intended sarcastic nature of my last comment.It was meant to be completely sarcastic (as a few other posts I've made about politics here have been). I thought I was making it so overtly sarcastic that no one would think I was serious, but I guess that could be taken as me having a screw loose instead. :lol:
 

just_a_car

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No worries, shad0wfax. There are enough folks that lurk here that would likely take that wrong that I'd hate to see a member pigeonholed for one post.
 

Bill Starks

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This makes me tempted to carry around a set of handcuffs on my belt whenever I OC so that rabid employees will just assume I'm an LEO, without actually impersonating one. (But that defeats the purpose of OC to make a political statement, doesn't it?)

I prefer this. Its make a statement and let folks do their own assumptions....
police-back.jpg
 

trevorthebusdriver

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Kent, Washington, USA
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Yay! On my FIFTH trip to the Renton Wal-Mart OC to buy ammo no one(employee or customer) said anything!

Maybe because I was also buying hamburger buns. :celebrate
 

Cougar125

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Well, after our OH OC Brunch on Sunday, my family went to Wal-Mart. The store was crowded (after church crowd) so the going was slow. 2.5 hours later we left. Nothing was said.
 
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