Trader Joes in Wayne is not OC friendly

[TheWolff]

I only OC around the house and when out without my kids (I'm often too distracted with them to keep my strong-arm free to defend a gun grab, and I don't want to get proned out at gunpoint and them to have that negative association with police at their age). All that to say that I only OC about 5% of the time I'm out and about and aside from awkward stares and people asking "if I have a license for that", or curious folks interested in learning their rights, have never had a confrontation

I was shopping there today around 5pm, in black dress pants, a tucked-in ironed short-sleeve button-down shirt, and an M&P40 in a Serpa OC'd strong side at 3:00. I was in there for about 20 minutes when I noticed I was drawing a lot of employee attention. No customers were staring, although some had noticed (as usual). Employees were peeking around shelves and seeming generally tense (staring, and looking away when I met their gaze). I had about half the cart full when store manager Mike introduced himself and asked if he could speak with me. I said "sure", introduced myself and shook his hand.

He asked me to please not wear my gun in there from now on without covering it up. He said they have a lot of families in there with kids and they "shouldn't have to see it".

I asked him if it was corporate policy, and he said he didn't know, and he didn't know if there was a corporate policy. I told him I respect his rights as a property owner (or rep thereof), and will conceal if I'm in there again. He said thanks and walked away. He was polite and friendly the whole time. At no time did he ask or infer that I should leave, and he didn't ask me to cover it on the spot or take it to my car. At that point I just stood there weighing my options. I thought about leaving the cart, or putting the items back on the shelf and shopping somewhere more gun friendly. I realized that if I put the items away, my wife will have to drag three kids in tomorrow to get them, (we eat mostly organic, but don't have the budget for Whole Foods or Wegmans), and if my money is paying anyway, it would be a false gesture to stage a walk-out. I finished shopping (at one point he asked me if I needed help finding anything) and left.

I'm offended that people think kids "shouldn't have to see" someone exercising their rights, but it's fine for them to see overweight soccer moms in yoga pants 3 sizes too small. If I wasn't a bit taken aback by his objection, I would have maybe pried into his excuse a bit. If he had asked that I not carry at all, it would have been an easy decision for me. I'd have left and paid more elsewhere (to the detriment of my ammo budget). The fact that they want me to conceal upsets me, and I won't be stopping in after work again, but it's not a deal-breaker for me at this stage. I will be calling corporate tomorrow to see if they have a policy and what it is. If their policy is to follow the laws of the state they are in, I'll send an email to the Mike with that info so he has it, but I think I'm still obliged to respect his wishes (as he has the right to refuse service to anyone).

I work near the TJs in Ardmore, maybe I'll try there next time (unless there is a corporate policy against it). I checked them out on Friend Or Foe, and someone said they regularly OC'd there last December. I submitted my experience to FOF. What would you do in such a situation?

UPDATE: I'm cross-posting because this page is now number 2 when google searching for "Trader Joes Open Carry" and I want a resolution posted in-thread. So despite not getting an answer from corporate, and no CS number listed on their website, I found a phone number for them on gethuman.com and spoke with Kari. She was very friendly and said she thought the rules differed by state and she would call me back when she had the right info.

Kari called back after a couple hours. She asked if there had been a specific incident at a store and I filled her in on my story and the fact that I posted it here and friendorfoe.com and was surprised to hear that other people have open carried in there for years, but two members here were recently admonished for it. I said I was wondering if there was a recent policy change, or managerial change, and I wanted us to all be on the same page.

She said she sent my request to Matt Sloan, the VP of marketing. He emailed her back and said "without question, we follow all state and federal laws" and he would like to talk to me if I'd be open to it. I told her I'd be glad to. He will be giving me a call when he gets back into the office on Friday.

She also said that she loves taking shotguns out and shooting trap!

[gummy jones]

I only OC around the house and when out without my kids (I'm often too distracted with them to keep my strong-arm free to defend a gun grab, and I don't want to get proned out at gunpoint and them to have that negative association with police at their age). All that to say that I only OC about 5% of the time I'm out and about and aside from awkward stares and people asking "if I have a license for that", or curious folks interested in learning their rights, have never had a confrontation

I was shopping there today around 5pm, in black dress pants, a tucked-in ironed short-sleeve button-down shirt, and an M&P40 in a Serpa OC'd strong side at 3:00. I was in there for about 20 minutes when I noticed I was drawing a lot of employee attention. No customers were staring, although some had noticed (as usual). Employees were peeking around shelves and seeming generally tense (staring, and looking away when I met their gaze). I had about half the cart full when store manager Mike introduced himself and asked if he could speak with me. I said "sure", introduced myself and shook his hand.

He asked me to please not wear my gun in there from now on without covering it up. He said they have a lot of families in there with kids and they "shouldn't have to see it".

I asked him if it was corporate policy, and he said he didn't know, and he didn't know if there was a corporate policy. I told him I respect his rights as a property owner (or rep thereof), and will conceal if I'm in there again. He said thanks and walked away. He was polite and friendly the whole time. At no time did he ask or infer that I should leave, and he didn't ask me to cover it on the spot or take it to my car. At that point I just stood there weighing my options. I thought about leaving the cart, or putting the items back on the shelf and shopping somewhere more gun friendly. I realized that if I put the items away, my wife will have to drag three kids in tomorrow to get them, (we eat mostly organic, but don't have the budget for Whole Foods or Wegmans), and if my money is paying anyway, it would be a false gesture to stage a walk-out. I finished shopping (at one point he asked me if I needed help finding anything) and left.

I'm offended that people think kids "shouldn't have to see" someone exercising their rights, but it's fine for them to see overweight soccer moms in yoga pants 3 sizes too small. If I wasn't a bit taken aback by his objection, I would have maybe pried into his excuse a bit. If he had asked that I not carry at all, it would have been an easy decision for me. I'd have left and paid more elsewhere (to the detriment of my ammo budget). The fact that they want me to conceal upsets me, and I won't be stopping in after work again, but it's not a deal-breaker for me at this stage. I will be calling corporate tomorrow to see if they have a policy and what it is. If their policy is to follow the laws of the state they are in, I'll send an email to the Mike with that info so he has it, but I think I'm still obliged to respect his wishes (as he has the right to refuse service to anyone).

I work near the TJs in Ardmore, maybe I'll try there next time (unless there is a corporate policy against it). I checked them out on Friend Or Foe, and someone said they regularly OC'd there last December. I submitted my experience to FOF. What would you do in such a situation?

I have maybe open carried (aside from while hunting/hiking) all of 3 times in my life but am pretty troubled by this situation and especially the manager's comments. I appreciate your humor concerning the fat slobs in tight clothes being much more offensive. But on a serious note, people responsibly carrying a pistol is EXACTLY what kids need to see. The media, especially lately, has demonized firearms more than ever before. Most kids' only weapon exposure is via video games and they are growing up thinking that they are nothing more than devices of evil.

The bigger picture is that we need our kids and others to see that there are still people out there who responsibly exercise all that is granted to us by the Constitution. It is one of the few things that make this country different from many of the other "powers" and one of the few things around left to be proud of. As fewer and fewer people know of certain liberties, let alone practice them, we come closer and closer to losing them.

As far as your reaction...I would have done exactly the same thing. Many people here would have probably argued and that sounds great on a message board but it just simply isn't me. Not after a long day of work with some dork in a crowded place where I (gun enthusiast) am most likely the minority. There just isn't any way to win that battle.

[Mechairpow]

I don't know if this is the right place to ask but I always wonder reading these OC encounters. Why is it ok for a police officer's weapon to be seen by families but not an average citizen? I know the reason but it would be an interesting question to ask a person complaining about open carry.

[lprgcFrank]

I've OC'd dozens of times in there over the past 5 years without any issues. Gonna have to stop in there this weekend......

Btw Wegmans down the street has a better selection and better prices and is OC friendly.....

[FTNWO]

Don't know what corporate policy is, but the wife and I regularly shop in the TJs in Media and we both OC.

[internet troll]

I don't know if this is the right place to ask but I always wonder reading these OC encounters. Why is it ok for a police officer's weapon to be seen by families but not an average citizen? I know the reason but it would be an interesting question to ask a person complaining about open carry.

Because for some people a logic fail is a normal occurrence. That and conditioning. People are conditioned to see the police with guns so they don't think twice about it. Despite there being a lot of open carriers on this site, it is still an extremely rare occurrence to see someone. Since people don't see regular people carrying as a norm, they fallback to media stories that a man with a gun is bad and likely about to shoot the place up. YMMV.

[glock19girl]

I often go to the one in Pittsburgh in the South Hills area. I only CC anyhow. I almost fell off the chair laughing when I read the comment about the overweight soccer mom. I rarely see overweight people in Trader Joes seems most people who shop there are buying healthier foods. If you want to see overweight soccer moms, go to Super Walmart, Bottom Dollar or Aldi

[TheWolff]

As far as your reaction...I would have done exactly the same thing. Many people here would have probably argued and that sounds great on a message board but it just simply isn't me. Not after a long day of work with some dork in a crowded place where I (gun enthusiast) am most likely the minority. There just isn't any way to win that battle.

Thanks. That's about what I figured as far as continuing the conversation. I knew I wasn't going to change his mind at that point.

I've OC'd dozens of times in there over the past 5 years without any issues. Gonna have to stop in there this weekend......

Btw Wegmans down the street has a better selection and better prices and is OC friendly.....

I knew it was your area. Thanks for the support. I haven't been in the KOP Wegmans yet. I didn't realize their prices were better. I've OC'd in the Collegeville one several times. I'm waiting for a soccer mom to ask why I need it there so I can point toward the yogurt shop that got held up at gunpoint last year.

[Manxdriver]

You did a good job. here's something to think about as a acomeback though: Next time somebody says, "kids, decent, honest folk, little old ladies, whatever, shouldn't have to see it....", turn it around on them by asking them to substitute the word gun for Bible, or Constitution, or Bill of Rights, or a newspaper. Any of those things are perfectly within your rights to have too. would the manager have a problem with you carrying a Bible? Why, or why not? It's the same thing!!!
They want us to give up one of our rights, well why are they ok with us keeping the others. If they asked you to leave, which they didn't, but they did make you feel awkward, right?,would they have also asked a Nun to leave? No!!! Why? Because that would open them up to a massive Civil Rights lawsuit, right? So, why shouldn't we advise them of the lawsuit they are opening themselves up to by making us feel the least bit uncomfortable about exercising one of our rights?
Perhaps, we should also warn the liberal that gasps out loud upon seeing a gun that he/she is opening themselves up to a severe 'wallet lightening' session for discrimination.
Something to ponder.

[mrnyman]

Yah, they dont want the kids to see Guns, but no problem with them seeing all the porn and Guts on their screens, or the overweight Chicks at Walmart with their Jeans down on their asses crack showing and all.

Wow how America has changed, in the old days most Hardware stores, dept,. stores sold Guns, even Macy's in NYC sold Guns, wow how the Culture have changed