jmelvin
Founder's Club Member
imported post
The girlfriend and I decided to head down to Waterstone Pizza (pizza and micro-brewery) here in Lynchburg for a later than usual dinner tonight. We have been fairly regular diners (a couple times a month generally) at the Waterstone ever since it opened some time in the first half of 2008. Except for the few times I've had a beer I've open carried there with no problems at all and continued on as a customer despite what seemed a shaky startup. Well this evening we pull into the parking lot, I turned on my voice recorder and ensured my firearm (Ruger P95 carried in a nice leather retentionholster) is openly carriedand we headed for the door. I don't know why the sign caught my eye, but in the lower portion of the glassto the right ofthe door was a circled firearm outline with a "No Firearms" sign below it. This was new, or at least new since we last dined there a few weeks ago.
Seeing the sign I pointed it out to my girlfriend and we both turned around and headed to the car. As I began to start up the car I remembered that I had my little VCDL "No Guns / No Money" card in my wallet, so I left the gun in the car and headed back in to see whoever the manager was on duty to let him know he had lost a customer. As I walked back to the entrance one of the managers who I've interacted with and knows me as a customer met me outside. I pointed out to him that although I'd been a customer previously, because of the restaurant's position on firearms I would no longer be giving them my business. The manager then told me that the owner had decided to ban firearm carry for all, because some people had both carried and drank and now all firearm carriers would be banned. Although I tried to handhim my previously mentioned VCDL card, he only took it and then handed it back stating that the owner's decision had been made. After this brief cordial conversation I returned to my car, visited a neighboring restaurant and spent in excess of $50 for two meals and tip at The Depot Grill, which provided both decent service and a tasty meal with no denial of civil rights.
Although as a rule I don't drink and carry at the same time, I understand it to be legal, provided that one is not under the influence of alcohol. Further it is my opinion that it is no more dangerous to have a bit of alcohol with dinner and carrying a firearm than it is to have a bit of alcohol and then drive home. Given this, I find it disingenuous that this restaurant will happily serve multiple rounds to diners who openly drive a vehicle and then leave shortly afterward,but bans firearm carry for all diners and guests, whether they wish to drink alcohol or not. The wait staff should have a much easier time of identifying firearm open-carriers than trying to identify the drivers of each vehicle, so the wait-staff could surely know when they are serving a firearm carrier. Although I am not mad aboutall of this, I am highly disappointed to cross off the list one of myfavorite places to dine and amdisgusted to see such abigoted attempt to ban one type of diner, while freely serving another the same mealwith no restrictions.
Some time in the upcoming days I will draft a letter to theowners of the Waterstone, Shoemaker's and the Craddock Terry Hotel (all threeshare same ownership and are posted the same) to share mydismay and share that I will no longerbe a customer and will rescind my recommendations for the restaurants to my friends and family. Once I have drafted the letter I will post its contents and will make you aware of all further discussion. Take note that I have audio to follow once I downloadfrom my voice recorder and I will likely have pictures this upcoming weekend.
The girlfriend and I decided to head down to Waterstone Pizza (pizza and micro-brewery) here in Lynchburg for a later than usual dinner tonight. We have been fairly regular diners (a couple times a month generally) at the Waterstone ever since it opened some time in the first half of 2008. Except for the few times I've had a beer I've open carried there with no problems at all and continued on as a customer despite what seemed a shaky startup. Well this evening we pull into the parking lot, I turned on my voice recorder and ensured my firearm (Ruger P95 carried in a nice leather retentionholster) is openly carriedand we headed for the door. I don't know why the sign caught my eye, but in the lower portion of the glassto the right ofthe door was a circled firearm outline with a "No Firearms" sign below it. This was new, or at least new since we last dined there a few weeks ago.
Seeing the sign I pointed it out to my girlfriend and we both turned around and headed to the car. As I began to start up the car I remembered that I had my little VCDL "No Guns / No Money" card in my wallet, so I left the gun in the car and headed back in to see whoever the manager was on duty to let him know he had lost a customer. As I walked back to the entrance one of the managers who I've interacted with and knows me as a customer met me outside. I pointed out to him that although I'd been a customer previously, because of the restaurant's position on firearms I would no longer be giving them my business. The manager then told me that the owner had decided to ban firearm carry for all, because some people had both carried and drank and now all firearm carriers would be banned. Although I tried to handhim my previously mentioned VCDL card, he only took it and then handed it back stating that the owner's decision had been made. After this brief cordial conversation I returned to my car, visited a neighboring restaurant and spent in excess of $50 for two meals and tip at The Depot Grill, which provided both decent service and a tasty meal with no denial of civil rights.
Although as a rule I don't drink and carry at the same time, I understand it to be legal, provided that one is not under the influence of alcohol. Further it is my opinion that it is no more dangerous to have a bit of alcohol with dinner and carrying a firearm than it is to have a bit of alcohol and then drive home. Given this, I find it disingenuous that this restaurant will happily serve multiple rounds to diners who openly drive a vehicle and then leave shortly afterward,but bans firearm carry for all diners and guests, whether they wish to drink alcohol or not. The wait staff should have a much easier time of identifying firearm open-carriers than trying to identify the drivers of each vehicle, so the wait-staff could surely know when they are serving a firearm carrier. Although I am not mad aboutall of this, I am highly disappointed to cross off the list one of myfavorite places to dine and amdisgusted to see such abigoted attempt to ban one type of diner, while freely serving another the same mealwith no restrictions.
Some time in the upcoming days I will draft a letter to theowners of the Waterstone, Shoemaker's and the Craddock Terry Hotel (all threeshare same ownership and are posted the same) to share mydismay and share that I will no longerbe a customer and will rescind my recommendations for the restaurants to my friends and family. Once I have drafted the letter I will post its contents and will make you aware of all further discussion. Take note that I have audio to follow once I downloadfrom my voice recorder and I will likely have pictures this upcoming weekend.