Negative experience at Dick's Sporting Goods.

decklin · Sep 17, 2011

So tonight I went into Dick's at the South Hill Mall with my wife. As I walked in through the front door a young male employee greeted us. I saw his eyes lock onto my extra magazine on my hip. Less than 60 seconds later I heard a woman calling, "Sir! Sir!"
I truned around to see a manager approaching me and my wife. She asked me if I was Law Enforcement or a Security Officer. (Security Officer, WTF?) I told her no I was not.
She proceeded to tell me that I must check my weapon in at customer service no matter if the weapon was loaded or not.
I informed her that company policy was to abide by state law.
She interupted me and repeated herself saying, "yes, but you have to check it in."
I tried one more time and was interupted again and told the same thing. I looked her dead in the eye and said no. I then turned to my wife and said we're leaving.
When I got home I checked the letters on here dictating company policy and saw that I was right. I also saw that someone had a similar experience in another state. Apparently their check in policy does exist but only for weapons requiring service. There was another letter stating that.
I called the store and spoke to the woman informing her of what I was seeing for company policy. She said that after I left she called her regional manager but had not heard back yet. She then called another store to ask about the policy and they agreed that she was correct and I was in the wrong.
I will be contacting corporate tomorrow to get this taken care of.

thebigsd · Sep 17, 2011

From my experience with Dick's she is clearly wrong and you are clearly right. Guns that are not be carried for personal defense need to be checked in at the door. Otherwise, you are good to go and should not be hassled. I have carried at several of their locations without incident. I am pretty sure corporate will back you up. Let us know how they respond.

aadvark · Sep 18, 2011

thebigsd:

I was Personally Wondering what was Dicks Sporting Goods Company Policy Regarding This Matter.

If You have a Copy of This Information, would You be Willing to Post that Information on This Website?

I have, in The Meantime, Sent a E-Mail to Their Coporate Office on This Matter.

aadvark

amzbrady · Sep 18, 2011

Need to get their policy and have it put on here http://forum.nwcdl.org/index.php?action=downloads;cat=5

amlevin · Sep 18, 2011

Places like this don't have anything I want bad enough to put up with employees like this.

I don't even bother to contact "Corporate". I just shop where my money and my firearm are welcome.

Life's too short have a "battle of wit's with an unarmed person".

She probably read their policy like some did when Cabela's first opened at Lacey. Yes, you have to "Check" your weapon at the front desk but only to make sure it's unloaded, and only then if you intend on removing it from your holster to try it in a new one. For some people all the lobes of the brain aren't communicating with each other. Often, when suffering from this condition, they are promoted to "Manager".

HK_dave · Sep 18, 2011

"Management is nature's way of removing idiots from the productive flow"

amlevin · Sep 19, 2011

HK_dave said:
"Management is nature's way of removing idiots from the productive flow"

Isn't this from the "Home Depot" operating manual?

Just Us · Sep 20, 2011

Back in mid july I went to the same store and shopped for about a hour, spent approximately $130+ with no problems. A couple cars later after about 15 minutes the lady came up and asked if I was a police officer. After answer no she said for mine and the customers safety I couldn't have it in there. I ask to see the policy. After a minute she was about to go get it. The same moment I decided to leave and mentioned I will do my shopping elsewhere. Do you still want me to get the policy. No, I'll just go.
The next sporting store, one that I've also been to before, never a problem.

decklin · Sep 21, 2011

Situation Resolved

So I received a call from the South Hill Dick's Sporting Goods Manager. His name is Andre. He told me they reviewed the corporate policy and found the error was on their end. He told me I was welcome in the store and was initiating retraining for his employees. He also gave me a $25 gift card I used to by a new Rugby ball.

amzbrady · Sep 21, 2011

decklin said:
So I received a call from the South Hill Dick's Sporting Goods Manager. His name is Andre. He told me they reviewed the corporate policy and found the error was on their end. He told me I was welcome in the store and was initiating retraining for his employees. He also gave me a $25 gift card I used to by a new Rugby ball.

And he is emailing you a copy of their policy immediatly so you can put it up for all to copy???

cbpeck · Sep 21, 2011

People make mistakes...

People make mistakes. At least in this situation they've acknowledged their error and management even went so far as to give you a gift card for your inconvenience. I'd stay a customer.

We're all so vigilant about knowing firearm policies that sometimes we're quick to pounce when others don't. I realize that the female manager should've known her employer's policy up front, but she didn't. She screwed up, and then they owned up. Sounds reasonable to me.

decklin · Sep 21, 2011

amzbrady said:
And he is emailing you a copy of their policy immediatly so you can put it up for all to copy???

They said part of the problem is that there is no written policy for checking in firearms, that is why people keep interpreting it. I look it as this. I never even had a chance to talk to corporate. He called me. That is worth some points in my book. Even the woman that caused this whole thing was polite and professional on the phone.

Lovenox · Sep 21, 2011

decklin said:
So I received a call from the South Hill Dick's Sporting Goods Manager. His name is Andre. He told me they reviewed the corporate policy and found the error was on their end. He told me I was welcome in the store and was initiating retraining for his employees. He also gave me a $25 gift card I used to by a new Rugby ball.

On your title you put "Situation Resolved" and my contention is that as a whole it isn't. Unless they implement a robust training policy from the top down it only gets solved locally. Even then, with turn over and attrition historically high in retail I predict that this will be a temporary fix at best. Let me temper my statement by saying that they recieved coupious amounts of cool points for calling you back and offering a $25 gift certificate to make amends. For me that goes a long ways.

ShooterMcGavin · Sep 21, 2011

decklin said:
...I look it as this. I never even had a chance to talk to corporate. He called me. That is worth some points in my book. Even the woman that caused this whole thing was polite and professional on the phone.

I agree with you there.

gogodawgs · Sep 21, 2011

Two points:

A) We will very seldom get a copy of a private companies written policy. It is none of our business and they can change it at any time they so choose.

B) Why do "we" think that one phone call, email, etc will 'resolve' the understanding of any particular company? We are in a much larger and longer battle to sway the thoughts, hearts and minds of a large portion of the public. We may have to have a reminder many many times over years to educate and enlighten businesses and the public.

Sky1 · Sep 21, 2011

Yeah, I think I saw the same thing happen in an old western, what was the name of that...?

Tawnos · Sep 21, 2011

aadvark said:
thebigsd:

I was Personally Wondering what was Dicks Sporting Goods Company Policy Regarding This Matter.

If You have a Copy of This Information, would You be Willing to Post that Information on This Website?

I have, in The Meantime, Sent a E-Mail to Their Coporate Office on This Matter.

aadvark

Is This a Newspaper Headline?
If Not, Why Are You Capitalizing So Many Words?

Johnburns15 · Sep 21, 2011

I've open carried into several dicks sporting goods here in Kentucky and have never had an issue. One time I had an employee tell me I should check out their ammo selection for my 9mm

carracer · Sep 21, 2011

decklin said:
So tonight I went into Dick's at the South Hill Mall with my wife. As I walked in through the front door a young male employee greeted us. I saw his eyes lock onto my extra magazine on my hip. Less than 60 seconds later I heard a woman calling, "Sir! Sir!"
I truned around to see a manager approaching me and my wife. She asked me if I was Law Enforcement or a Security Officer. (Security Officer, WTF?) I told her no I was not.
She proceeded to tell me that I must check my weapon in at customer service no matter if the weapon was loaded or not.
I informed her that company policy was to abide by state law.
She interupted me and repeated herself saying, "yes, but you have to check it in."
I tried one more time and was interupted again and told the same thing. I looked her dead in the eye and said no. I then turned to my wife and said we're leaving.
When I got home I checked the letters on here dictating company policy and saw that I was right. I also saw that someone had a similar experience in another state. Apparently their check in policy does exist but only for weapons requiring service. There was another letter stating that.
I called the store and spoke to the woman informing her of what I was seeing for company policy. She said that after I left she called her regional manager but had not heard back yet. She then called another store to ask about the policy and they agreed that she was correct and I was in the wrong.
I will be contacting corporate tomorrow to get this taken care of.

Remember, their name... "Dick's"

Negative experience at Dick's Sporting Goods.

decklin

Regular Member

thebigsd

Founder's Club Member

aadvark

Regular Member

amzbrady

Regular Member

amlevin

Regular Member

HK_dave

Regular Member

amlevin

Regular Member

Just Us

Regular Member

decklin

Regular Member

amzbrady

Regular Member

cbpeck

Regular Member

decklin

Regular Member

Lovenox

Regular Member

ShooterMcGavin

Regular Member

gogodawgs

Campaign Veteran

Sky1

Regular Member

Tawnos

Regular Member

Johnburns15

Regular Member

carracer

Regular Member