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Asked to leave Dick's Sporting Goods today.

snirp88

New member
Joined
Jul 13, 2014
Messages
5
Location
Aurora, Colorado
Hello,
I am new the forum and just wanted to share one of my first negative open carry encounters. I am extremely disappointed in Dick's Sporting Goods at Corner Star in Aroura as earlier today 2 friends and I were in there looking for a .22 rifle for one of them. I was open carrying a handgun in a blackhawk retention holster and when my friend asked to take a look at a rifle the gun counter attendant asked to see his I.D. and held on to it while he was taking a look at the rifle. One he was done he handed it back and the attendant told my friend that he has to ask us to leave on the grounds that "Because we sell guns and your friend is armed." None of us said another word and we left the establishment. Ironic because my friend was planning on purchasing the rifle. But I hope they lose more business that just his 250 dollars.
 
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Beau

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2007
Messages
672
Location
East of Aurora, Colorado, USA
This doesn't surprise me a bit. Dick's lost my business when they pulled their scary EBRs from the shelves after the CT incident. They also refused to honor orders already placed.
 

tomrkba

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2011
Messages
125
Location
Virginia
Did you call the store manager and inform him of what occurred? Have you followed it up with a letter to the corporate office? If they do not know, they cannot change their policy.

Are you prepared to start a nationwide boycott of the store if you are not satisfied with their response? I woild love to see a boycott of Dick's Sporting Goods by gun owners.
 

bc.cruiser

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2011
Messages
786
Location
Fayetteville NC
Maybe it's a Colorado thing. I don't often have occasion to go the store here, but I'm always armed, and no one seems to care. I was OCing the day I bought my Remy 597. It's history now, but perhaps you should have made immediate contact with the store manager, especially since the clerk waited until your friend was done looking before he made the statement about having to leave.
 

cloudcroft

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 13, 2007
Messages
1,908
Location
El Paso, TX (formerly Colorado Springs, CO)
I've been to Dick's Sporting Goods here in The Springs (S. Carefree Cir & Powers store) 2-3 times and was OC-ing each time. The sales guys clearly noticed my "scary" gun but nothing was said during any of those visits. No, it's not a BIG "scary" cocked & locked gun like all my OC colleagues carry when we meet @ OC events, it's a medium-sized gun all taped up so the mag stays in...which makes it look ghetto-scary -- but I digress...

Anyway, it's possible that Dick's -- like most other stores/businesses everywhere -- RARELY sees OC-ers so maybe they just forget what their official policy is due to hardly ever (IF ever) needing to apply said policy. So when they see an OC-er, maybe it depends on how the specific sales-droid you draw that visit reacts, which then determines the response?

As for CC-ers @ Dick's -- which probably happens lots more often -- nothing would be said, or course, because no one would know.

Just another reason we need LOTS MORE PEOPLE OC-ing...not just here in Colorado, but in EVERY state that has OC. Stores/businesses do not see enough (if any) of us of us!

For reader here from OTHER states, if you ever plan any OC events, start inviting CC-ers to attend also, so we can "educate" then as to WHY we OC (many reasons)! Presently, most CC-ers don't understand OC and so remain isolated from it. We need to bridge the gap (mainly caused by ignorance on the part of CC-ers re: OC-ing) between OC & CC as we need to act (and vote!) TOGETHER on many gun issues. We can't do that effectively if we are at odds with each other.

For specific example, here in Colorado, we probably will NEVER get Denver County?City to CHANGE from presently BARRING OC to ALLOWING OC (like the rest of the state) if we can't convince most of the CC-ers of Denver to VOTE for any change...should it ever come up for a vote, or, change via the State Legislature. Since the residents of Denver will need to do the voting (not those of use elsewhere in CO), THYE must be persuaded to vote FOR OC. If they stay ignorant about OC-ing, and mostly anti-OC (again, due to ignorance), getting Denver to go OC will be much harder.
 
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1245A Defender

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2009
Messages
4,365
Location
north mason county, Washington, USA
Wowwie!!!

I've been to Dick's Sporting Goods here in The Springs (S. Carefree Cir & Powers store) 2-3 times and was OC-ing each time. The sales guys clearly noticed my "scary" gun but nothing was said during any of those visits. No, it's not a BIG "scary" cocked & locked gun like all my OC colleagues carry when we meet @ OC events, it's a medium-sized gun all taped up so the mag stays in...which makes it look ghetto-scary -- but I digress...

Anyway, it's possible that Dick's -- like most other stores/businesses everywhere -- RARELY sees OC-ers so maybe they just forget what their official policy is due to hardly ever (IF ever) needing to apply said policy. So when they see an OC-er, maybe it depends on how the specific sales-droid you draw that visit reacts, which then determines the response?

As for CC-ers @ Dick's -- which probably happens lots more often -- nothing would be said, or course, because no one would know.

Just another reason we need LOTS MORE PEOPLE OC-ing...not just here in Colorado, but in EVERY state that has OC. Stores/businesses do not see enough (if any) of us of us!

Sooo sorry,,, but I just gotta go off topic for a minute here...
Please do tell me all about this "gun".

PS pics would be Real nice!
 

cloudcroft

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 13, 2007
Messages
1,908
Location
El Paso, TX (formerly Colorado Springs, CO)
Sorry...no pics, as my ghetto-carry is copyrighted & registered-trademarked (© & ®) just in case some big gun company wants to put out it's own version! Pictures would help some other fly-by-night startup company that didn't care about legalities to copy me! ;-)

It's just that my particular gun (Tokarev TT-33) was originally designed to be carried in a military flap holster -- no civilian holster was ever made/intended for it. Even today civilian holster selection for the TT-33 is poor. So OCCASIONALLY when carrying it in a civilian holster (a Falco brand holster, made in the Slovak Republic -- Falco is probably THE source for TT-33 holsters nowadays), the mag-release button would get pressed and the mag would fall out. Not cool and it happened twice. So, a few wraps of blue painter's tape (colored black with a permanent marker, so it's not TOO obvious) solved the problem...but I still frequently have to check that the mag still is not "semi-released" anyway (not seated completely) so there are no FTF malfunctions -- should I ever need to shoot. And yes, I am limited to that ONE mag in a "situation" so 1 mag will have to do. Not worried.

But an unforeseen benefit of looking ghetto is that the bros in the 'hood feel quite at home around me as they appreciate me 'keeping it real' -- unlike all you Yuppie guys with your 'elitist' $$$ upscale guns & holsters. ;-)

Most citizens out there, however, even if they DO notice I am OC-ing, probably do NOT notice the difference...
 
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cloudcroft

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 13, 2007
Messages
1,908
Location
El Paso, TX (formerly Colorado Springs, CO)
I wanted to add something much more important:

For readers here from OTHER states, if you ever plan any OC events, start inviting CC-ers to attend also, so we can "educate" them as to WHY we OC (many reasons)! Let's try to change the "us vs. them" situation we've had and still do have. We've invited them to events here in CO and some have attended, and it seems at least with those few, progress HAS been made re: educating them about OC.

Presently, most CC-ers don't understand OC and so remain isolated from it. And it seems MOST are anti-OC (not good) even though there isn't any good reason. We need to bridge the gap (mainly caused by ignorance on the part of CC-ers re: OC-ing) between OC & CC as we need to act (and vote!) TOGETHER on many gun issues. We can't do that effectively if we are at odds with each other. BOTH groups carry, and most of us OC-ers ALSO have a CC permit, so we already DO have something in common.

RE: why this adversarial relationship between OC and CC can be a serious problem, look at this specific example here in Colorado:

Colorado is an OC State...EXCEPT, that is, for Denver/Denver County -- which arrogantly exempted itself from it's own State Constitution. So when we CO residents who OC everywhere else in the state (yes, even in liberal Boulder) visit Denver, we need to CC (if we have a permit of course) or leave it locked-up in the car.

Yes, we'd like to CHANGE Denver to OC also, but we'll probably NEVER get Denver/County to CHANGE from presently BARRING OC to ALLOWING OC (like the rest of the state) if we can't convince most of the CC-ers of Denver to VOTE for any change...should it ever come up for a vote, or, change via new legislation processed through the Colorado State Legislature. Since only the residents of Denver will need to do the voting since the change sought is Denver-specific, (those of us elsewhere in CO can't vote), THEY must be persuaded to vote for or support legislation for OC. If they stay ignorant about OC-ing -- and consequently mostly anti-OC (again, due to ignorance) -- getting Denver to go OC will be much harder as the CC-ers there (who, if they want to carry, MUST CC as per Denver's law) see "nothing in it for us" and vote it down -- or simply not vote at all.

And remember, just looking at pure numbers, there are MANY MORE CC-ers out there than OC-ers...so we sure could use CC-er support AND votes!

As for what the situation is in YOUR particular state (those of you reading here from states other than CO), IMO, it STILL is in our (meaning all OC-ers across America) interest for you to reach-out LOCALLY in your state to CC-ers...so I hope you all will start BROADENING your OC events to include CC-ers, too. At least INVITE them...that's all you can do (it's up o them to COME). And then if any show up, just explain WHY we OC (MANY reasons)...where are they going to hear that otherwise?

Up until now, all the OC events I've seen posted (in any state sub-forum) make NO mention of CC-ers ALSO invited...yes, it makes sense as it's an OC event -- but is it really helpful to remain exclusively OC when it tends to fragment us? OC events are a great way to meet CCers and bridge the present gap. Anything that brings OC-ers & CC-ers together is a GOOD thing.

IMO, we need to look at the larger picture...especially here in CO if we ever hope to make Denver OC also.
 
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OC for ME

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
12,452
Location
White Oak Plantation
No OCer that I know here in MO has a "us vs. them" attitude where CCers are concerned. But, CCers do and perpetuate this attitude. CCers have actively worked to stop restoring OC as the only free manner to carry. No OCers has worked to limit CC.

So, where does this leave us in MO? OCers are a small minority doing the work for all citizens to restore liberty. Shall not be infringed is a tenet that many CCers here in MO have some issue with.
 

cloudcroft

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 13, 2007
Messages
1,908
Location
El Paso, TX (formerly Colorado Springs, CO)
Well, I was not saying this division was the OC-ers fault...

Again, it seems CC-ers need some serious educating so I think it's about time we need to start looking at how to do that!

In the OC events that *I* organize here in Colorado, I invite CC-ers, also. Always. And newbies, too, who don't carry EITHER way, but are thinking about it, and need some encouragement.

At least it's a start, and no "blame game" is played at these events, and no "my way of carrying is better than your way" going on, either. We try to make CC-ers feel comfortable, as many are a bit unsure what to expect from a group of "scary" OC-ers, especially if they never even MET an OC-er previously, or even KNOW any OC-ers (remember, we are the elusive and mythical Unicorns) -- so we try to make them feel comfortable around us (and show we're not fringe-fanatics as some may think) as we explain WHY we OC.

As mentioned, so far progress is being made here in Colorado. Little by little. Baby steps. ;-)

I'm just asking those of you in OTHER states who hold OC events: Start inviting CC-ers, too.

Let's TRY to do something about this CC vs. OC situation...
 
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snirp88

New member
Joined
Jul 13, 2014
Messages
5
Location
Aurora, Colorado
Did you call the store manager and inform him of what occurred? Have you followed it up with a letter to the corporate office? If they do not know, they cannot change their policy.

Are you prepared to start a nationwide boycott of the store if you are not satisfied with their response? I woild love to see a boycott of Dick's Sporting Goods by gun owners.

I just got off the phone with the store manager and turns out it was the same guy. He assured me that that was the policy and once again told me it was "because we sell guns." I asked for a corporate e-mail but all he gave me was a phone number and they are closed the rest of the day. I'll be giving them a call tomorrow
 

lukaszu

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2012
Messages
73
Location
Brighton
spend money ..

I just got off the phone with the store manager and turns out it was the same guy. He assured me that that was the policy and once again told me it was "because we sell guns." I asked for a corporate e-mail but all he gave me was a phone number and they are closed the rest of the day. I'll be giving them a call tomorrow

Thus is why I spend my money at Gardner Mountain. The weapons policy is clearly stated on the front door here in Thornton.
 

JustaShooter

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2013
Messages
728
Location
NE Ohio
Thus is why I spend my money at Gardner Mountain. The weapons policy is clearly stated on the front door here in Thornton.

I wouldn't spend my money at Dick's after they showed their true colors either, but Gander Mountain? Nope - not unless I couldn't possibly find it anywhere else. Their prices (at least around here) are well above average and their staff are the least knowledgeable about firearms and related topics I've ever encountered.
 

lukaszu

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2012
Messages
73
Location
Brighton
me

I wouldn't spend my money at Dick's after they showed their true colors either, but Gander Mountain? Nope - not unless I couldn't possibly find it anywhere else. Their prices (at least around here) are well above average and their staff are the least knowledgeable about firearms and related topics I've ever encountered.

I normally don't do this but... Sports man's warehouse has Springfield xds 9's on sale for 440$.
That deal beats the pants off of cables and Gardiner mountain.
 

since9

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
6,964
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
...the attendant told my friend that he has to ask us to leave on the grounds that "Because we sell guns and your friend is armed."

While there's a lot of genuine ignorance surrounding the issue of being armed, there's a fair amount of blatant stupidity, as well. Your experience with the attendant at Dick's Sporting Goods is a prime example.

You can't fix stupid, but ignorance is one thing which may be overcome with the right approach. I'd write corporate and relay the above quote from your conversation.
 
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