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Asked to Leave Walmart today

B

Bovaloe

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2009
Messages
15
Location
East Wenatchee, Washington, USA
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So I decided I would OC for the first time today.

My GF, her kid and I went to a local Mexican restaurant that I am a regular at, OCing no probs at all. They always have great service but this time whenever I they came to refill my pop and ask if we needed everything, I kept imaging that they were all scared and wanted to make sure I didnt get all pissed off, lol.

After that we went to Walmart, to do some shopping, talked to an employee for like 10 mins about phone plans and such, no problems dont think he even noticed my Glock. As I was leaving the electronics section, the Ass. Manager comes up to me

Him: Can I talk to you for a minute?
Me: Sure, what can I do for you?
Him:I wanted to talk to you about your pistol, Im sure you have a CPL and all but Im gonna have to ask you to cover it up.
Me: It is completely legal in WA for me to OC.
Him: Well I need to ask you to cover it up.
Me: No its within my rights to carry like this.
Him: :stupid look:
Me: Are you asking me to leave the store?
Him: No but I need you to cover your pistol up.
Me: Well Im not gonna do that.
Him: Then I need to ask you to leave the store.
Me: Ok, Im gone and wont be back. Have a nice day.

So I wanted to send an email or talk to someone about this. How would I go about doing this?

What could I have done better in this situation when it happens again?
 
B

Bovaloe

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2009
Messages
15
Location
East Wenatchee, Washington, USA
imported post

NavyLT wrote:
Bovaloe wrote:
So I decided I would OC for the first time today.

My GF, her kid and I went to a local Mexican restaurant that I am a regular at, OCing no probs at all. They always have great service but this time whenever I they came to refill my pop and ask if we needed everything, I kept imaging that they were all scared and wanted to make sure I didnt get all pissed off, lol.

After that we went to Walmart, to do some shopping, talked to an employee for like 10 mins about phone plans and such, no problems dont think he even noticed my Glock. As I was leaving the electronics section, the Ass. Manager comes up to me

Him: Can I talk to you for a minute?
Me: Sure, what can I do for you?
Him:I wanted to talk to you about your pistol, Im sure you have a CPL and all but Im gonna have to ask you to cover it up.
Me: It is completely legal in WA for me to OC.
Him: Well I need to ask you to cover it up.
Me: No its within my rights to carry like this.
Him: :stupid look:
Me: Are you asking me to leave the store?
Him: No but I need you to cover your pistol up.
Me: Well Im not gonna do that.
Him: Then I need to ask you to leave the store.
Me: Ok, Im gone and wont be back. Have a nice day.

So I wanted to send an email or talk to someone about this. How would I go about doing this?

What could I have done better in this situation when it happens again?
Click to expand...
So are you really never going to go back? What's the point of doing anything about it if you are never going to go back?
Click to expand...
Was saying that more for if that was their policy, to not allow me to OC.

Who should I contact about this? The head honcho for that Walmart or the big one at the Corp level?
 
swatspyder

swatspyder

Regular Member
Joined
May 25, 2009
Messages
573
Location
University Place, Washington, USA
imported post

Bovaloe wrote:
NavyLT wrote:
Bovaloe wrote:
So I decided I would OC for the first time today.

My GF, her kid and I went to a local Mexican restaurant that I am a regular at, OCing no probs at all. They always have great service but this time whenever I they came to refill my pop and ask if we needed everything, I kept imaging that they were all scared and wanted to make sure I didnt get all pissed off, lol.

After that we went to Walmart, to do some shopping, talked to an employee for like 10 mins about phone plans and such, no problems dont think he even noticed my Glock. As I was leaving the electronics section, the Ass. Manager comes up to me

Him: Can I talk to you for a minute?
Me: Sure, what can I do for you?
Him:I wanted to talk to you about your pistol, Im sure you have a CPL and all but Im gonna have to ask you to cover it up.
Me: It is completely legal in WA for me to OC.
Him: Well I need to ask you to cover it up.
Me: No its within my rights to carry like this.
Him: :stupid look:
Me: Are you asking me to leave the store?
Him: No but I need you to cover your pistol up.
Me: Well Im not gonna do that.
Him: Then I need to ask you to leave the store.
Me: Ok, Im gone and wont be back. Have a nice day.

So I wanted to send an email or talk to someone about this. How would I go about doing this?

What could I have done better in this situation when it happens again?
Click to expand...
So are you really never going to go back? What's the point of doing anything about it if you are never going to go back?
Click to expand...
Was saying that more for if that was their policy, to not allow me to OC.

Who should I contact about this? The head honcho for that Walmart or the big one at the Corp level?
Click to expand...
Call the store and ask to speak with the store manager or district manager. Store manager first though. Let them know how the situation went and that Walmart policy is different for employees than with patrons, and that OC is legal.
 
sudden valley gunner

sudden valley gunner

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Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
16,674
Location
Whatcom County
imported post

Write a letter to them through the website I did this and was contacted by the Bellingham store manager, with an apology. Keep it short and sweet but to the point.

I carried in the Wenatchee wal-mart last year with no problems.
 
B

Bovaloe

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2009
Messages
15
Location
East Wenatchee, Washington, USA
imported post

Just got off the phone with the store manager at the Walmart. He said that several customers had made reports of a "man with a gun" and that the manager did nothing wrong with asking me to cover it up even though WA its legal to openly carry.

I asked him why was other customers comfort level more important than my own comfort level and my legal right to carry. He basically said that it was private property so they could ask me to leave, to which I said yes that is why I left when asked.
I then asked what was the Corporate level policy on fireams to which he replied there "wasn't one."

Since I was getting nowhere with this guy I asked for the name and number to the district manager and he gave me the 1800WALMART number.

Does anyone know who the district manager is and how I can get a hold of him?

I am quite angry with this, especially after talking to the guy on the phone
 
N

New Daddy

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2009
Messages
123
Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
imported post

If you want to impact this policy, go into Walmart and load the cart with things you want to buy - then uncover your weapon and walk around. If the management approaches you say, "I'm very sorry" and leave. If you're going to have an interaction, about 30 minutes should do it.

Nothing like cause and effect. The manager can easily tell the complainants that State law allow it and there is nothing he can do. He can't stop you from walking out - not only losing the sale, but also the staff time to restock the items.

It's all about the bottom line. If Walmart is like other stores, manager compensation is based on sales.
 
D

deanf

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Joined
Feb 25, 2007
Messages
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Location
N47º 12’ x W122º 10’
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The manager can easily tell the complainants that State law allow it and there is nothing he can do.
Click to expand...

But that's not exactly true.

State law may allow open carry, but it certainly doesn't prohibit the manager from setting policy right on the spot and telling you to cover up or leave.
 
4

.45ACPaddy

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Joined
Oct 15, 2009
Messages
999
Location
Lakewood, WA
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Some numbnuts decided to tell me firearms were banned in every walmart store period (as I posted in another thread), citing the incident with the armor truck driver, and the fact he wasn't allowed to carry as an employee. I called the 1800WALMART number and asked to speak with someone about store policies and procedures regarding customers in their stores. The person I talked to said policy is to follow state law, and I requested they send an email saying so to the store I was at. They did, I've had no problem since.
 
Machoduck

Machoduck

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Joined
Dec 12, 2007
Messages
566
Location
Covington, WA & Keenesburg, CO
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deanf wrote:
The manager can easily tell the complainants that State law allow it and there is nothing he can do.
Click to expand...

But that's not exactly true.

State law may allow open carry, but it certainly doesn't prohibit the manager from setting policy right on the spot and telling you to cover up or leave.
Click to expand...
Dean, you're mixing things up here. Nobody here said that a manager couldn't toss you out. We recognize that they are allowed by law to do so. If Walmart says that they follow applicable laws at each store, then a manager who prohibits guns is going against corporate policy. As a practical matter this is a corporate problem but is based upon the law. I suggest calling Bentonville (Mecca to Walmart employees) and tell them that a local guy, security, manager, whatever, is countermanding corporate policies and driving customers away because of his refusal to properly explain company policy.

MD
 
amzbrady

amzbrady

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Marysville, Washington, USA
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Is there any way to get a thread with coorperate stores policies from the higher ups so we can print them out and have name and numbers to cite in instances like these? Like Starbucks, and Wal-Mart and so on.
 
D

deanf

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Location
N47º 12’ x W122º 10’
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Dean, you're mixing things up here. Nobody here said that a manager couldn't toss you out.
Click to expand...

What does "State law allow (sic) it and there is nothing he can do" mean then?

As a practical matter this is a corporate problem but is based upon the law.
Click to expand...

I don't understand what you mean by "but is based upon the law." Can you rephrase?
 
D

deanf

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Location
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Is there any way to get a thread with coorperate stores policies from the higher ups so we can print them out and have name and numbers to cite in instances like these? Like Starbucks, and Wal-Mart and so on.
Click to expand...

Oh it can be done, but to what end? You can wave all the corporate paper policy you want in the face of a manager or any other employee, but the fact still remains: nothing in the law prohibits them from changing current policy or making new policy on the spot, at their sole discretion.
 
amzbrady

amzbrady

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Marysville, Washington, USA
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