45acpForMe
Newbie
I was just shopping at Food Lion in Yorktown, the one in the same shopping center as the Autozone protest a week or so ago. The manager asked if I was almost done with my shopping to which I answered, "No I just got here.". He then asked me to place my firearm in my car and not bring it in the store. We then got into about a half hour conversation of all the topics and issues with OC/CC, Autozone, Sandy Hook, etc. He was personable but under the impression that the Food Lion policy was to allow local management to make the call on such issues.
He did back pedal a bit by saying that he would contact corporate to discuss the issue. I gave him my phone number and email address to have him contact me. I told him that I have shopped there for 22 years and never had a problem before so I would be happy to take my business for the next 22 years to Farm Fresh or Kroger. I went to their website and submitted a question about their corporate policy. I mentioned VCDL/OpenCarry websites/communications and that while private property can ban weapons we can choose to not give them our business.
Right after we shook hands and went our separate ways, about 10 feet from where we were standing (and the manager still was standing) an ex-Marine came up to me and asked what I was carrying. (FNP-45) He and I then got into another 10 minute conversation on how we want good guys carrying guns. He specifically re-stated the phrase, "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun!". I was laughing inside because the manager was hearing all this and disproving his case that his customers might not want armed people around them.
Hopefully we can clear this up quickly. The manager said that he had only seen two other people OC-ing there a young man and his wife (DJEEPER???) but I have seen a few more. It is just ironic that the Autozone protest happened a week ago and now Food Lion is an issue. I told the manager that I was at that protest and he attested that yes people from the protest came in and explained what was going on and were polite. So with all that he still is taking an anti position?
<for Peter's benefit> The manager said that even he was a CHP holder.... ;-) I went into the arguments for OC over CC and that he didn't have much to fear from a properly holstered handgun. The name Plaxico Burress came up too.
He did back pedal a bit by saying that he would contact corporate to discuss the issue. I gave him my phone number and email address to have him contact me. I told him that I have shopped there for 22 years and never had a problem before so I would be happy to take my business for the next 22 years to Farm Fresh or Kroger. I went to their website and submitted a question about their corporate policy. I mentioned VCDL/OpenCarry websites/communications and that while private property can ban weapons we can choose to not give them our business.
Right after we shook hands and went our separate ways, about 10 feet from where we were standing (and the manager still was standing) an ex-Marine came up to me and asked what I was carrying. (FNP-45) He and I then got into another 10 minute conversation on how we want good guys carrying guns. He specifically re-stated the phrase, "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun!". I was laughing inside because the manager was hearing all this and disproving his case that his customers might not want armed people around them.
Hopefully we can clear this up quickly. The manager said that he had only seen two other people OC-ing there a young man and his wife (DJEEPER???) but I have seen a few more. It is just ironic that the Autozone protest happened a week ago and now Food Lion is an issue. I told the manager that I was at that protest and he attested that yes people from the protest came in and explained what was going on and were polite. So with all that he still is taking an anti position?
<for Peter's benefit> The manager said that even he was a CHP holder.... ;-) I went into the arguments for OC over CC and that he didn't have much to fear from a properly holstered handgun. The name Plaxico Burress came up too.
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