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'F.Y.I' Wal-Mart manager

10-79

Regular Member
Joined
May 30, 2011
Messages
35
Location
Southaven, MS
So, I just came home from Wal-Mart in Horn Lake, MS. I was shopping for just a handful of items. I am approaching my fifth and final item, watch battery. I go two aisles too far over, turn my cart around and BAM! Store manager standing in front of me. The dialogue goes something like this:

Manager: Excuse me sir, I had a woman come complain to me saying that there was some guy walking around with a gun on him.
Me: Yeah?
Manager: Well, I don't know if she was frightened, but she was making hysterical complaints about it, I told her I would come talk to you, I'm sure you're authorized to carry a firearm and tried to assure her you likely were.
Me: Sure am.
Manager: Can I see your permit?
Me: No.
Manager: No?
Me: Per MS Law 45-9-101, I do not have to show you my permit whatsoever. Even if one of your customers "feels frightened". It states I need only to show it to law enforcement upon request.
Manager: Well, I told her I would come talk to you. We have lots of women coming in here, shopping by themselves. She feels "threatened".
Me: Walmart parking lots are notorious for muggings and carjackings. I feel threatened every time I have to come into your store, and never come in one anymore without a firearm on my side.
Manager: Yes sir, I'm sure you are within your rights to do so...
Me: Matter of fact, whatever your trying to achieve here, I am trying to find a watch battery, then I'll be on my way.
Manager: They are over here sir, what model are you looking for? ( Walking me over to the batteries)
(Digging in my shirt pocket, I produce the battery)
Me: 2025
Manager: Here you go
Me: Thank you, I'm on my way to checkout and out the door..
Manager: You don't have to leave. I just wanted to let you know that someone was complaining.
Me: I don't understand where you're coming from then.
Manager: I was coming from the back when she came up to me. (FAIL!!)
(I am now giving him a biiiig blank stare, I roll my eyes, and proceed to checkout.)

I have now had my first encounter. A very FYI manager, who approached me, but wasn't wanting anything in particular it seems, just to "let me know someone complained."
 

thebigsd

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
3,535
Location
Quarryville, PA
Yea, I never really get the Walmart stories. I used to be a manager at Walmart and the corporate policy is very clear. Follow state law, don't treat the customer any differently. At least he didn't go on a power trip and ask you to leave.
 

10-79

Regular Member
Joined
May 30, 2011
Messages
35
Location
Southaven, MS
Of course I was very much conscientious of that thought the entire time that he does indeed reserve the right to throw me out should he wish to. But it turned out to be the most nonsensical conversation ever, just wanted to tell me someone complained about me!?
 

JoeSparky

Centurion
Joined
Jun 20, 2008
Messages
3,621
Location
Pleasant Grove, Utah, USA
I think in another WalMart they provided an escort to go with the armed shopper just in case one of their OTHER customers might try to get the carried weapon and open fire!

Now, don't you feel slighted! LOL
 

thebigsd

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
3,535
Location
Quarryville, PA
I think in another WalMart they provided an escort to go with the armed shopper just in case one of their OTHER customers might try to get the carried weapon and open fire!

Now, don't you feel slighted! LOL

Yea, that would be a major policy violation as well. Some people just can't follow company policies.
 

KBCraig

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
4,886
Location
Granite State of Mind
Sounds to me like he was doing exactly what he said he'd do, to the lady who complained: he talked to do.

Yeah, it was nonsense, but he wasn't hostile. He was just placating another customer.
 

Daylen

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
2,223
Location
America
10-79: you could have been a little nicer to the guy. The manager was just trying to placate one of his customers. More cordial words can go a long way in helping the cause of OC in MS. Remember we are fighting taboo, protecting OC in the state needs ambassadors that leave managers and those who interact with us thinking OC is a legal and fine practice instead of thinking OCers are rude and the practice needs to be stopped. I'd even give the manager a thumbs up for reassuring a distraught customer that what you were doing was legal, admittedly he was wrong about the need for a permit, but its a step in the right direction.

Unfortunately, it seems there is something to worry about in that town, angry women who don't like OC and will complain and get indigent about it. Take care, next time such a person might get ahold of a misinformed cop and ruin your day.
 

Badger Johnson

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2011
Messages
1,213
Location
USA
10-79: you could have been a little nicer to the guy.

Uh, no. The manager overstepped his bounds when he asked to see the guy's permit (which would supply the person's name).

He's placating people that have no legal standing, and alienating a paying customer. Good job on the OP standing up for your rights.
 

Daylen

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
2,223
Location
America
Uh, no. The manager overstepped his bounds when he asked to see the guy's permit (which would supply the person's name).

He's placating people that have no legal standing, and alienating a paying customer. Good job on the OP standing up for your rights.

MS is in need of ambassadors, OC is fairly new in many parts of the state. We do not need managers calling legislators asking about what can be done about people who are scaring their customers. Just because a manager makes a slight Faux pas, for carriers, does not mean one should be anything but nice to the person. Personally, I would not have shown my permit either, but I would, and have, quickly explained that a permit is only for concealed carry and has nothing to do with OC and that OC is legal.

The manager might be placating people with no legal standing, but they are paying customers as well and there is a good chance of them being more numerous. In MS we need to be cordial even when others are not, for we are fighting taboo. Badger, perhaps in your area OC is normal or recognized as legal by everyone, such is not the case down south.

Remember what impression should the manager be left with? 1. those OCers are rude and scaring my customers; 2. those OCers sure are polite, I wish these anti-gun types were as nice... Its not always about right and wrong, sometimes the best way to defend a right is more subtle. I'm simply advocating a more Gandhi like approach, win with niceness; unless someone threatens your life, then defend it with all means necessary.
 

Orion

Regular Member
Joined
May 1, 2011
Messages
108
Location
Detroit
@ Daylen:
Actually we are not fighting taboo, as that implies that the practice is banned or in process of being banned. What we are fighting is societal perception that guns are bad, and that we should be scared of them when we see them. We are attempting to change their perceptions to see that there is nothing inherently evil or scary about a gun, and more importantly the person with a gun. The focus needs to be kept on those who use weapons of any kind in an illegal manner, and to garner the reality that every law-abiding citizen has the right to provide for their own self-defense.
 

DocWalker

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2008
Messages
1,922
Location
Mountain Home, Idaho, USA
Questions for the manager

You could have hit the Manager with logic also. You could have asked him a couple questions that might get him thinking, but probably not.

1. Since I'm not breaking any laws and just minding shopping like anyone else it would be safe to come to you and ask you to talk to the person in the red shirt because re shirts scare me. Same could be said for the guy with the long hair, he scares me can you talk to him and maybe ask him to leave because he scares me. You see they are not doing anything wrong either but they scare me so you should go talk to them also.

2. Heavens forbid that race, religion or anything else scares someone what would you do then? "Sir your scaring that lady over there would you try not being so Black?" I could see the new reports now.

Why don't people get a clue, the manager should have just told her that it was legal and since he is wearing it in a secure holster openly he is probably one of the good guys that just might save your life if you do get mugged heading to your car. So instead of being scared you should just go over to him and thank him for making you feel better about you safety since the closest cop is 15 minutes away.

That would be refreshing.
 

Daylen

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
2,223
Location
America
@ Daylen:
Actually we are not fighting taboo, as that implies that the practice is banned or in process of being banned. What we are fighting is societal perception that guns are bad, and that we should be scared of them when we see them. We are attempting to change their perceptions to see that there is nothing inherently evil or scary about a gun, and more importantly the person with a gun. The focus needs to be kept on those who use weapons of any kind in an illegal manner, and to garner the reality that every law-abiding citizen has the right to provide for their own self-defense.

Taboo is not law, it is custom that prohibits an activity. The person complaining to the manager must have thought a citizen carrying a firearm openly was illegal, banned or prohibited. I do agree on the attempt to change perceptions on firearms and carry of them; such sentiment was what I attempted to convey previously.
 
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Daylen

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
2,223
Location
America
Why don't people get a clue, the manager should have just told her that it was legal and since he is wearing it in a secure holster openly he is probably one of the good guys that just might save your life if you do get mugged heading to your car. So instead of being scared you should just go over to him and thank him for making you feel better about you safety since the closest cop is 15 minutes away.

That would be refreshing.

Manager: Well, I don't know if she was frightened, but she was making hysterical complaints about it, I told her I would come talk to you, I'm sure you're authorized to carry a firearm and tried to assure her you likely were.

According to the OP the manager did as you ask, but in fewer words and probably far more respectfully considering its a paying customer he was talking to. Guys remember managers of stores do not make money by being an advocate of anything or explaining laws to idiots. Managers make money by having happy customers who buy lots of stuff the statement you think a manager should give to a paying customer would have pissed her off, not something that would be good for business. The response of that manager indicates he is on the side of citizens carrying, otherwise he could have asked the carrier to cover up, leave, or even not encouraged the carrier to stay and keep shopping.
 

Bill Starks

State Researcher
Joined
Dec 27, 2007
Messages
4,304
Location
Nortonville, KY, USA
why is it when people feel threatened or afraid they stay in the store and contact a manager instead of leaving?

I know when I pull into a 7-11 late at night and there is a questionable group I don't go in and inform the manager, I find another store.
 

DocWalker

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2008
Messages
1,922
Location
Mountain Home, Idaho, USA
Manager: Well, I don't know if she was frightened, but she was making hysterical complaints about it, I told her I would come talk to you, I'm sure you're authorized to carry a firearm and tried to assure her you likely were.

According to the OP the manager did as you ask, but in fewer words and probably far more respectfully considering its a paying customer he was talking to. Guys remember managers of stores do not make money by being an advocate of anything or explaining laws to idiots. Managers make money by having happy customers who buy lots of stuff the statement you think a manager should give to a paying customer would have pissed her off, not something that would be good for business. The response of that manager indicates he is on the side of citizens carrying, otherwise he could have asked the carrier to cover up, leave, or even not encouraged the carrier to stay and keep shopping.

I agree that the manager is there to make money and keep people happy. But what he did by even approaching the person OCing was to validate her fears as well as trample on the rights of the OCer be it ever so lightly. This plays into her fears and puts the OCer on the defense no matter how you like to put it. If the manager would have approached the OCer and asked if he needed help, then helped him find the battery while he commented on his pistol and how he understands his rights and that wallmart supports it. He could have also said that OCing made a couple of other customers uncomfortable and that he tried to educate them and assure them that everything was normal and fine. This approach instead of the head on tactic that made the OCer feel uncomfortable would have been better. You would have had two happy customers instead of a unhappy feearful lady customer and slightly unwelcomed OCer; he did say I was getting a battery then I will leave that tells me he felt unwelcome. He also would have gone against state law and store policy by asking the OCer to "cover up" or to "leave". This could have set the store up for bad PR as well as a letter to the main office. The Manager could have handled it better and not upset either party but he choose to appease the woman and confront the OCer. That is all.
 

MSRebel54

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
238
Location
Northern Mississippi, ,
If I'm the OC'er, how about asking the manager to tell the lady that he talked to me, and I am authorized by the State of Mississippi to carry a firearm, and she has nothing to worry about. Two happy customers that way!
 

Daylen

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
2,223
Location
America
Guys the manager might not have had perfect manners or approach, but such is rare; remember its unlikely it has ever crossed most walmart managers' minds that such an instance would happen or what approach would be best and not cause a faux pas. Also, in the end its much more in our interest to bring managers and the general public over to our side of the situation in MS, than it is to be "right" and let everyone know.

Is it better to snub a person who might have accidentally slighted you and cause them to be your enemy or be an ambassador and maybe cause them to take the side of OCers?
 
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