I frequent my local Food Lion about 3-5 times a week, nearly every week, and have been OC constantly, every where I am legally allowed to do so for the past 8 months, including this particular Food Lion.
I've never had any trouble at all, until last weekend when an assistant manager decided to tell me "Sir, you can't have that in here". I replied to her, "As a matter of fact, I can, you have no sign posted at the doors." She was standing to my left(weakside) talking with an employee about his lunch break for a good 2-3 minutes, it wasn't until I turned to continue my shopping and she noticed my gun that she said this. She insisted there was a sign posted, so I asked her to show me. We walk to the front, we stand there for a minute while she reads the sign over multiple times and says "Well, we used to have a sign posted that said no weapons, even concealed." I told her well I knew there was no sign, and had been no sign for the 6-8 months that I have been open carrying at this store, no employees have ever said anything to me about the store not allowing firearms (including her, which I know she has seen me in the store prior to this) and NC law says I can OC. She was obviously getting mad that I had shown her she was wrong and said "Well the employees must not have noticed it", and I told her as a matter of fact multiple employees have noticed, and have talked to me about it(I'm even referred to by a few as the gun guy, as I am the only person ever OC'ing there lol), and have even mentioned they feel a little safer with me in the store. All she had to say was, "Well that's fine, but I can't have you scaring customers in the store", I asked her if she had received any complaints, she stammered a little bit, and said "Uhh, yes I have". Now, if she had received a complaint from a customer, I imagine that she would have immediately approached me instead of having a conversation with an employee for a few minutes, and THEN telling me I could not carry in the store. I told her all she had to do was inform me of the customer complaint, and I would comply, but instead, because of her attitude and ignorance, I decided to leave my basket at the front of the store and head to the Wal-Mart, where prices are cheaper, and they never question my legal right to open carry. I have emailed Food Lion, and am awaiting a response, since the only info I could find on this forum was from about 2 years ago, just want to make sure I have the most recent policy from the corporate offices. My hunch is she was just having a bad day, and when I told her she was wrong she started fishing for any reason to tell me I couldn't be in the store OC'ing, I think I will most likely continue to open carry at this location, as I have been there quite a few times (I mean 3-5 times a week in 8 months is quite a few trips) with absolutely no incident from any managers at all, except this one, and if there is an additional incident with her I will ask to speak to the store manager, just to clarify his position on OC in his store. Unless you guys have a better suggestion for me?
I've never had any trouble at all, until last weekend when an assistant manager decided to tell me "Sir, you can't have that in here". I replied to her, "As a matter of fact, I can, you have no sign posted at the doors." She was standing to my left(weakside) talking with an employee about his lunch break for a good 2-3 minutes, it wasn't until I turned to continue my shopping and she noticed my gun that she said this. She insisted there was a sign posted, so I asked her to show me. We walk to the front, we stand there for a minute while she reads the sign over multiple times and says "Well, we used to have a sign posted that said no weapons, even concealed." I told her well I knew there was no sign, and had been no sign for the 6-8 months that I have been open carrying at this store, no employees have ever said anything to me about the store not allowing firearms (including her, which I know she has seen me in the store prior to this) and NC law says I can OC. She was obviously getting mad that I had shown her she was wrong and said "Well the employees must not have noticed it", and I told her as a matter of fact multiple employees have noticed, and have talked to me about it(I'm even referred to by a few as the gun guy, as I am the only person ever OC'ing there lol), and have even mentioned they feel a little safer with me in the store. All she had to say was, "Well that's fine, but I can't have you scaring customers in the store", I asked her if she had received any complaints, she stammered a little bit, and said "Uhh, yes I have". Now, if she had received a complaint from a customer, I imagine that she would have immediately approached me instead of having a conversation with an employee for a few minutes, and THEN telling me I could not carry in the store. I told her all she had to do was inform me of the customer complaint, and I would comply, but instead, because of her attitude and ignorance, I decided to leave my basket at the front of the store and head to the Wal-Mart, where prices are cheaper, and they never question my legal right to open carry. I have emailed Food Lion, and am awaiting a response, since the only info I could find on this forum was from about 2 years ago, just want to make sure I have the most recent policy from the corporate offices. My hunch is she was just having a bad day, and when I told her she was wrong she started fishing for any reason to tell me I couldn't be in the store OC'ing, I think I will most likely continue to open carry at this location, as I have been there quite a few times (I mean 3-5 times a week in 8 months is quite a few trips) with absolutely no incident from any managers at all, except this one, and if there is an additional incident with her I will ask to speak to the store manager, just to clarify his position on OC in his store. Unless you guys have a better suggestion for me?
