trocadero theater

[mkstan15]

So right now I'm at the trocadero theater getting ready to see a show. I remeber seeing hreads about pat downs so I called and asked if they had a weapons check and the gentleman on the phone said yes. I asked again just to make sure and got the same answer. Fast forward to 5 minutes ago when I get here. I tell the bouncer I need to check my firearm and his eyes get as big as plates and he says "you have a gun?" I reply yes and he says we don't check firearms here. I tell him about my earlier conversation with the phone guy and he says hold on and goes to get someone. Out comes the blob who tells me that no one would have told me I could check a gun here. He then lectures me on how it's illegal to carry in crowded places that serve alcohol and how I was tying to jam him up (his words) to which I reply I know the law. He then procedes to hail a police car so they can tell me the same thing. I say go ahead at which point he says nevermind he knows I can't have the gun in there. So I've finally had enough and just tell them that I'd leave because at this point there were now 5-8 people surrounding me looking kinda fiery. They won't get anymore of my money. Sorry for any grammar errors, I typed this on my phone as I sit in the parking garage down the street. I think I might just break the gun down and leave it in the car.

[vicious]

The people you talked to on the phone most likely thought you were asking if they check for weapons.

[Emptymag]

If you asked me the same question, I would have had no clue that you meant "is there a place to store my gun?"

Even as I started to read your post, I thought you were asking if they "check" for weapons - like a metal detector or something... I dunno.
I'd guess the person on the phone thought the same. Maybe even if they don't "check" for weapons, perhaps they would say they DO in hopes that you wouldn't bring one.

Do businesses routinely offer locked storage for handguns? I've never heard of such a thing.

Movie theaters there have bouncers? Sheesh.

[vicious]

EM, the Troc isn't a movie theater, it's a small event venue. Usually live music or comedy acts. Generally packed shoulder to shoulder in my experience.

[Emptymag]

EM, the Troc isn't a movie theater, it's a small event venue. Usually live music or comedy acts.

Gotcha.

See that? I was still blabbering when you posted, but we both thought the same thing, so yeah... now that you clarified the venue, I'm gonna say the guy on the phone thought what we both said.

Note: There is no way in hell that I'd do a "coat check" with my firearm.

[Griffy19]

Yea I have to agree with the others. It sounds a lot like you asked them if they "check" for weapons, not if they have can "check" your weapon. I in the area and have been to the Troc and I would never check a firearm even if they did offer that. The only place I would even trust to check my gun is a courthouse and even then I'm skeptical. I don't mean to bash you at all, but I don't think it was the best choice on planning to check your nice, expensive , gun at a place like the Troc when God knows who has the key to where it'd be locked up. Just my 2 cents.

[PA Traveler]

Why would the Troc be anything other than private property... where no one has any obligation to check or store a weapon, and in fact can simply refuse to permit them? Is the Troc in any way public or municipal property?

(ETA: if it is, that's news to me...)

[mkstan15]

I want to thank you all for the constructive criticisms. I guess I probably should have been more clear on the phone but the person said all I need was an ID so I assumed he knew what I was talking about . I see I left that out of the original post. Next time I'll be sure to express my question in a more understandable fashion. I was still perplexed at the guy telling me it's illegal to carry in a crowded place or a place that serves alcohol (and he was dead serious). Again, thank you all.

ps. At a coat check in a restaurant, are they checking for presence or absence of coats?

[mkstan15]

Why would the Troc be anything other than private property... where no one has any obligation to check or store a weapon, and in fact can simply refuse to permit them? Is the Troc in any way public or municipal property?

(ETA: if it is, that's news to me...)

I never said they had an obligation to store the weapon. I called on the phone and the gentleman said I needed to provide ID. I know they can refuse weapons on their property which is why I left. One of the security guards said they used to have patrons check the weapon at the bus station down the street but could no longer do so since 9/11. I didn't know what to think about that.

[vicious]

ps. At a coat check in a restaurant, are they checking for presence or absence of coats?

"gun check" is not quite as ubiquitous a term as "coat check"

As for the bouncer, manager or whoever making a mistake as to the letter of the law, their job position doesn't require that they know it, so i don't see a problems with their armature legal analysis. Being under the influence while carrying and/or discharging a firearm, even in self-defense, in a crowded theater are both unquestionably poor ideas, therefore many people assume having a gun in the presence of these things is illegal.