VApatriot
Regular Member
imported post
Considering the recently revived Wal Mart thread, I have a rathercoincidental encounter to tell y'all about.
After two yearsof OCing andmaking manytrips to the Burke Walmart while OCing,today (09/16/09) I was asked to disarm because there was apparently a customer complaint.
I entered through the garden center door and made a hard left to make my way down the side wall to the back of the store. My right side (strong side) was visible to anyone in theaisles as I passed. After passing onlyabout five or sixaisles at a brisk pace, I saw a man step out behind mefrom anaisle Ihad just gone by.
He called and asked what I had there. I told him it was a Springfield XD. At that point he said he was Walmart security, while he displayed his ID to prove it, and he told me I could not carry a gun into the store.
WhileI tried to fish my voice recorded out of my pocket (which Ipurchased while OCingat the same store only a few weeks ago)I exchanged a few comments with him about never havingbeen told this before during the many other times I hadOCed at that store.
Most ofthe followinginteraction between the security employee (SE), a manager named Michelle (MM), and myself is recorded,and I willattachtheaudiofile.
I had a short conversation with the SE that ended with me asking speak to a manager. The SE radioed his manager,and asked her to meet us in the sporting goods section. I stopped recording while we waited a minuted or two for the manager to come over and then again while she stepped away tomake a call to confirm that no permit was needed to open carry (though I have no idea who she called), but I combined this into one audio file, so the actual time this lasted was longer than the amount recorded.
MM's basic point was that any complaint could cause lost business, and even if she wasn't getting complaints customers might still be leaving without saying anything. She said she was from Texas and didn't really have a problem with it (OC), but given the area. . . blah, blah, blah. I mentioned what I have heardhereabout the supposed corporate policy (or lack there of), but MM went to the "This is a private company, and we can do what we want." line.
I explained that ifit was going to be disarm orleave, that I would agree to leave. I turned off my recorder andmade a few stepsto leave before I remember to ask for a card from Michelle the manager. She went back to her office to get one for me while I waited in sporting goods with the SE.
While I waswaiting for the card, a middle-aged black man who waswaiting at the counterto get some .308joined in the conversation. Speaking both to me and the SE, said "That's why I got a concealed permit. I got tiered of all the hassle." He talked about going for walks at Burke Lake and having the cops show up and say they had gotten fifty calls about a MWAG. He said he would always got the "If you have a concealed permit, use it." line, so for the most part he justdoes. The SE (also black)joined back in with "I know exactly what you mean." He went on to say that if I had hada CHP they wouldn't have had a problem with me carrying at all; they would have just asked me to cover up and go to CC, as to not scare anyone.
The manager then returned with her card, and the SE told be that unfortunately hehad to be "that guy" and follow me out. He stopped once he couldhave a line of sight on me the rest of the way out the door,and that was the end of it.
Both employees were very polite and professional, and even seemed somewhat apologetic, but I am still pretty unhappy about the whole thing. I do plan to follow up with a higher level manager or corporate if necessary, to find out if I am welcome back in the store while still OCing without a permit.
*Still working on getting the audio file attached.
Considering the recently revived Wal Mart thread, I have a rathercoincidental encounter to tell y'all about.
After two yearsof OCing andmaking manytrips to the Burke Walmart while OCing,today (09/16/09) I was asked to disarm because there was apparently a customer complaint.
I entered through the garden center door and made a hard left to make my way down the side wall to the back of the store. My right side (strong side) was visible to anyone in theaisles as I passed. After passing onlyabout five or sixaisles at a brisk pace, I saw a man step out behind mefrom anaisle Ihad just gone by.
He called and asked what I had there. I told him it was a Springfield XD. At that point he said he was Walmart security, while he displayed his ID to prove it, and he told me I could not carry a gun into the store.
WhileI tried to fish my voice recorded out of my pocket (which Ipurchased while OCingat the same store only a few weeks ago)I exchanged a few comments with him about never havingbeen told this before during the many other times I hadOCed at that store.
Most ofthe followinginteraction between the security employee (SE), a manager named Michelle (MM), and myself is recorded,and I willattachtheaudiofile.
I had a short conversation with the SE that ended with me asking speak to a manager. The SE radioed his manager,and asked her to meet us in the sporting goods section. I stopped recording while we waited a minuted or two for the manager to come over and then again while she stepped away tomake a call to confirm that no permit was needed to open carry (though I have no idea who she called), but I combined this into one audio file, so the actual time this lasted was longer than the amount recorded.
MM's basic point was that any complaint could cause lost business, and even if she wasn't getting complaints customers might still be leaving without saying anything. She said she was from Texas and didn't really have a problem with it (OC), but given the area. . . blah, blah, blah. I mentioned what I have heardhereabout the supposed corporate policy (or lack there of), but MM went to the "This is a private company, and we can do what we want." line.
I explained that ifit was going to be disarm orleave, that I would agree to leave. I turned off my recorder andmade a few stepsto leave before I remember to ask for a card from Michelle the manager. She went back to her office to get one for me while I waited in sporting goods with the SE.
While I waswaiting for the card, a middle-aged black man who waswaiting at the counterto get some .308joined in the conversation. Speaking both to me and the SE, said "That's why I got a concealed permit. I got tiered of all the hassle." He talked about going for walks at Burke Lake and having the cops show up and say they had gotten fifty calls about a MWAG. He said he would always got the "If you have a concealed permit, use it." line, so for the most part he justdoes. The SE (also black)joined back in with "I know exactly what you mean." He went on to say that if I had hada CHP they wouldn't have had a problem with me carrying at all; they would have just asked me to cover up and go to CC, as to not scare anyone.
The manager then returned with her card, and the SE told be that unfortunately hehad to be "that guy" and follow me out. He stopped once he couldhave a line of sight on me the rest of the way out the door,and that was the end of it.
Both employees were very polite and professional, and even seemed somewhat apologetic, but I am still pretty unhappy about the whole thing. I do plan to follow up with a higher level manager or corporate if necessary, to find out if I am welcome back in the store while still OCing without a permit.
*Still working on getting the audio file attached.