Stay away from whole foods

**AwesomeMarcel** · March 22nd, 2013, 10:28 AM

My gf works at wholefoods in Devon and I usually pick her up and drop her off at work. Sometimes it takes her a little bit longer to come out of the store and therefore I spend a lot of time on Whole Foods property and figured I should find out what their gun policies are. I sent them an E-Mail and here is their response:

Hi Marcel,

Thank you for contacting Whole Foods Market. Our policy restricting handguns in the store is driven around providing a safe working environment for our Team Members – and our intent is to extend this safe environment to our customers. In our Whole Foods Market General Information Guide (employee handbook), we state that:

“Whole Foods Market has adopted a policy that no one, including Team Members and customers, may bring firearms, concealed weapons or the like to any Whole Foods Market location. This prohibition applies, but is not limited to, any public areas of our stores, back rooms, break rooms, Team Member lockers, central kitchens, distribution centers, parking lots and garages… only commissioned law enforcement officers or other law enforcement personnel are permitted to bring firearms onto Company premises.”

Also, we have specific policies in how our Team Members respond to armed robber and state:

“If you are ever confronted by an armed robber, cooperate completely! We have a ‘no heroes’ policy which means that no Team Member should ever put themselves in danger when it comes to robbers, shoplifters, etc… Give the robber everything he or she wants.”

Again, Whole Foods Market’s “No Firearms” policy is in place for safety reasons only; while individuals in the company may have personal opinions regarding the 2nd Amendment, Whole Foods Market does not take a political position on this issue, nor is our policy intended to infer a lack of support for the 2nd Amendment. Whole Foods Market’s policy is based on state law, which allows businesses to establish and enforce a “No Firearms” policy in our stores as part of state criminal trespass laws.

We recognize that you have a choice in where you shop – and appreciate your business. I hope that this e-mail clarifies some of your concerns regarding our reasons for this policy.

If you have any further questions please use our on-line response form.

Best regards,

{name removed at request}

**bogey1** · March 22nd, 2013, 10:32 AM

I love the "only law enforcement" can carry crap

**Subverto** · March 22nd, 2013, 10:34 AM

Looks like I violated their policy the one and only time I ever stepped foot in a Whole Foods. Whoops. No worries, I won't be going back ever again.

**Bobdole10** · March 22nd, 2013, 10:50 AM

Well Sucks I was going to check them out... Well with the weirdos out there today shooting up malls and Movies and what the hell ever, wont catch me not carrying and well the state of PA says I can so to bad for them.

Just my 2 cents. Jeremy

**AwesomeMarcel** · March 22nd, 2013, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by Bobdole10

Well Sucks I was going to check them out... Well with the weirdos out there today shooting up malls and Movies and what the hell ever, wont catch me not carrying and well the state of PA says I can so to bad for them.

Just my 2 cents. Jeremy

There is no sign against guns posted anywhere so go for it and if someone says something just tell them you didn't know. Worst that can happen is them ask you to leave or call a LEO to ask you to leave.

**Emptymag** · March 22nd, 2013, 11:01 AM

Breaking news! Hippie grocery store prohibits guns!

Oh, wait. Not breaking news?
Nevermind.

Tune in at 11 for our exclusive coverage of MALLS that prohibit weapons!

**em2b96p** · March 22nd, 2013, 11:20 AM

With a name like "Carijane Grigsby-Etter" you can be sure this lady come from a long line of hippies....

I actually never been in a Whole Foods. Giant is sufficient for me.

**Emptymag** · March 22nd, 2013, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by em2b96p

With a name like "Carijane Grigsby-Etter" you can be sure this lady come from a long line of hippies....

I actually never been in a Whole Foods. Giant is sufficient for me.

HAHAHAHAHA! Indeed.

I've been to one. It's a trendy store filed with trendy products for trendy people in a trendy part of the city.
Got a freaking awesome "organic steak" there, but I had to shower when I got home to get all the "liberal" off of me. (shudder)

It's a store for liberal, bicycle-riding city dwellers who have more money than they know what to do with.

"Oh, look - soap made from the bark of the Egyptian poo-poo shrub!" I MUST have this!

**QuackXP** · March 22nd, 2013, 11:49 AM

Was it posted no firearms at the door? If not why bother asking?

If an organization is not going to post that carrying is prohibited I take that as de facto permission to carry. They might have it buried in an employee handbook (that customers are not going to see), website, or list of rules in small typeface one you are inside their store. That is hardly reasonable notification and is there more as a CYA so if something happens they can point to a no weapons policy and not be held responsible.

For most places that are not specifically pro-2a I think they ban weapons as policy because new employees and customers are cheaper that settling a lawsuit because the allowed weapons to be on their property.