Starting a retail business - have a tough descision

[zip]

Please don’t flame or bash, I am trying just trying to come up with a solution

Need some advice. I am looking to start a business more specifically a retail business, not a gun shop though. In doing market research I have found that better than half of my customer base will be very liberal. Now being a gun owner, I carry and have no problem with guns. That being said I can guarantee that some of my customer base will. This is the problem. Not allowing weapons from my store could cost some sales from people in the weapons community. Now allowing legal weapons in my store will definitely have an impact on sales.

So my question is:

Is there a balance between the two, or am I SOL and going to have to be a hypocrite?
And be a gun owner and not allow legal weapons in my store.

 

[schapm]

With respect, it sounds to me like you may be thinking about this too much. Your liberal clientel will be far too busy blaming Dick Cheney for their problems to know if you or your right wing customers are packing heat. A local business that I frequent counts many grad students (heavily liberal demographic) as regulars, yet the owner and often as many as a dozen others in the place are carrying. If I was in your position I would definitely conceal rather than OC, but other than that just focus on the things that will really make or break your business, like marketing and producing something that people will actually want to pay you for. Good luck.

 

[OneBadV8]

That's why its called "Conceal Carry". If you do it right, nobody will know and everybody wins.

 

[jpo117]

Is there a reason why this is an issue? Perhaps the best course of action is not to address it at all, if you don't have to. If an employee or customer can legally carry a firearm simply defer to the law. If you're concerned about how carrying a firearm is dealt with in your employees' dress code then require concealment, just like if they wanted to wear a t-shirt with bad words on it.

 

[nalees]

/thread

the above posters have solved your dilemma!

 

[zip]

Thanks for all the advice so far. Due to the nature of the business ( I cannot be more descriptive due to non disclosure) many kids will be in the store and their parents will be the meat and potatoes of the income. I am concerned that word of mouth could cause me problems. Personally I carry concealed, if some one carries concealed I cannot see nor do anything about it. some one OC'ing could be an issue. now that being said. I do not want this to be a OC/CC debate. but, I will not be selling something that anyone has to have nor something that they cannot get somewhere else. I don't think defering to the law would be much help. So if the sheep don't feel safe for what ever reason they can and will go else where. I have seen it before.

 

[Hondo]

I agree with many of the above...don't make it an issue and most people will not have any clue as to what is happening....I spend a lot of time in lots of retail establishemnts and the number of people I see OC is so small I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill....

Good luck with the new venture....and deal with any issues when they arise, my guess is it won't be often....

 

[Archbishop]

I think your only option from what you've described is to conceal, don't ask don't tell policy. When you build your customer base of liberals for awhile maybe it won't matter to them that you carry if and when they find out, because they know you and your business.

 

[XDs4me]

You could always post a sign that reads no OC. That is not restricting the rights to its fullest extent. It still allows those that are legal to carry but they must obey the stores rule.

 

[Clay]

I say do nothing. No signs encouraging or preventing. Dont ask/Dont tell, etc.

 

[turnandshoot4]

What Clay said. I don't walk into a store wondering what their political stance is. Most people don't even notice OC, let alone CC. Only gun people think about guns and how they are in our daily lives.

It seems that an no guns sign just draws fire from the pro gun people and no benefit from the anti gun people.

 

[JetGirl]

I say do nothing. No signs encouraging or preventing. Dont ask/Dont tell, etc.

Agreed. Why draw attention to it at all??

 

[in_betts]

Have the courage of your convictions........whatever they may be. Remember that being the business owner (I assume that is what you are talking about) means YOU get to make the rules, as long as you don't cross the legal threshold.

 

[zlittell]

hmm i never even think twice about someones right to carry when i see someone carrying but then again... im edumacated.

are you talking about employees open carrying?
if so i would not allow that and depending on what you are selling i might not even let me employees CC. If you selling me farm equipment go for it; if your selling me skateboarding shoes and a new obey tshirt i dont think a gun is appropriate. You could always have an employee gun safe and just have a gun under the counter that way you dont inhibit your employees right to protect himself/herself outside the work place.

If you mean customers I almost want to say HOW DARE YOU. Before I got into handguns and carrying I would have never questioned whether or not it was a stores responsibility to prohibit someone from carrying. You WILL alienate your customers that carry. I would not shop at a store that had a sign that even said no OC just CC.

-zack-

 

[DRob]

Question

About this "tough decision"..........I think you need to ask yourself if this is a business decision or a 2nd Amendment decision. If you can't decide and it's going to cause you this much grief, don't open the business!

 

[DoubleTap Tactical]

Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Works for the military doesnt it?

 

[zip]

Thanks for all the advice guys/gals. I think for now I am not going to do anything and see what may or may not happen. Thanks again for all the advice

 

[Josh Ward]

Is there a reason why this is an issue? Perhaps the best course of action is not to address it at all, if you don't have to. If an employee or customer can legally carry a firearm simply defer to the law. If you're concerned about how carrying a firearm is dealt with in your employees' dress code then require concealment, just like if they wanted to wear a t-shirt with bad words on it.

BINGO

 

[marv]

How about a sign at the entrance saying "Concealed is Concealed"? The libs probly won't have a clue and the carriers should catch on quick.

 

[dailylc]

Better left alone. I carry with my work. Only place I don't carry is where prohibited.

James