Starbucks to ask customers not to bring guns in stores

[Patoz]

Starbucks Corporation is about to become less friendly with its firearm carrying clientele. While they aren’t banning the carry of firearms in their stores, they are making it clear that customers with firearms, whether carried openly or concealed, are unwelcome.

According to an internal document dated 9/16/2013, Starbucks Coffee stores will “request that Starbucks customers not bring weapons into our stores.” The request will come in the form of an open letter from Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz to national media outlets that will be shared Thursday, 9/19/2013.

The memo stresses this announcement doesn’t signal a company policy change. Starbucks’ corporate stance on firearms dates back to 2010 when they stated each store would respect the jurisdictional law that allowed the carry of firearms on their premises.

“Starbucks is not pro- or anti- gun,” the latest document reads, “We believe gun policy is a complicated, serious and emotionally-charged issue that should be addressed and enforced by government leaders and law enforcement rather than by Starbucks and our partners.”

The memo to all store staff explains that employees are not to put themselves in “the difficult position of enforcing this request; however, we are being clear that weapons are not welcome in our stores.”

Gun carriers should be prepared for stern looks and passive aggressive foam art from their barista.

http://blogs.militarytimes.com/gear...to-ask-customers-not-to-bring-guns-in-stores/




http://www.thegunmag.com/starbucks-caving-anti-gunners/


After about an hour of research, the best I can tell this document hit the internet about 4 - 5 hours ago based on the comments on Starbucks Facebook page, which is blowing up right now. I can't find anything official from Starbucks itself online. However, the article above and post on their FB page, from people who stated they have called Starbucks Customer Service to verify this policy and were told it's true, seem to indicate it's true.

In a way, I can see their point about being caught in the middle of a political tug-of-war. The memo states 'no guns allowed', but at the same time it instructs their employees to do nothing about it. Personally, I think this is primarily directed at the pro-gun, open carry groups who are using Starbucks to make a statement. If you carry properly concealed, then this shouldn't be an issue for you or the management because they won't know. Unless you don't mind paying $8.00 for a cup of coffee, then this is a non issue anyway, right?

 

[Patoz]

I just found it...

An Open Letter from Howard Schultz, ceo of Starbucks Coffee Company

Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Posted by Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman, president and chief executive officer


Dear Fellow Americans,

Few topics in America generate a more polarized and emotional debate than guns. In recent months, Starbucks stores and our partners (employees) who work in our stores have been thrust unwillingly into the middle of this debate. That’s why I am writing today with a respectful request that customers no longer bring firearms into our stores or outdoor seating areas.

From the beginning, our vision at Starbucks has been to create a “third place” between home and work where people can come together to enjoy the peace and pleasure of coffee and community. Our values have always centered on building community rather than dividing people, and our stores exist to give every customer a safe and comfortable respite from the concerns of daily life.

We appreciate that there is a highly sensitive balance of rights and responsibilities surrounding America’s gun laws, and we recognize the deep passion for and against the “open carry” laws adopted by many states. (In the United States, “open carry” is the term used for openly carrying a firearm in public.) For years we have listened carefully to input from our customers, partners, community leaders and voices on both sides of this complicated, highly charged issue.

Our company’s longstanding approach to “open carry” has been to follow local laws: we permit it in states where allowed and we prohibit it in states where these laws don’t exist. We have chosen this approach because we believe our store partners should not be put in the uncomfortable position of requiring customers to disarm or leave our stores. We believe that gun policy should be addressed by government and law enforcement—not by Starbucks and our store partners.

[HIGHLIGHT]Recently, however, we’ve seen the “open carry” debate become increasingly uncivil and, in some cases, even threatening. Pro-gun activists have used our stores as a political stage for media events misleadingly called “Starbucks Appreciation Days” that disingenuously portray Starbucks as a champion of “open carry.” To be clear: we do not want these events in our stores. Some anti-gun activists have also played a role in ratcheting up the rhetoric and friction, including soliciting and confronting our customers and partners.[/HIGHLIGHT]

For these reasons, today we are respectfully requesting that customers no longer bring firearms into our stores or outdoor seating areas—even in states where “open carry” is permitted—unless they are authorized law enforcement personnel.

[HIGHLIGHT]I would like to clarify two points. First, this is a request and not an outright ban. Why? Because we want to give responsible gun owners the chance to respect our request—and also because enforcing a ban would potentially require our partners to confront armed customers, and that is not a role I am comfortable asking Starbucks partners to take on. Second, we know we cannot satisfy everyone. For those who oppose “open carry,” we believe the legislative and policy-making process is the proper arena for this debate, not our stores. For those who champion “open carry,” please respect that Starbucks stores are places where everyone should feel relaxed and comfortable. The presence of a weapon in our stores is unsettling and upsetting for many of our customers.[/HIGHLIGHT]

I am proud of our country and our heritage of civil discourse and debate. It is in this spirit that we make today’s request. Whatever your view, I encourage you to be responsible and respectful of each other as citizens and neighbors.

Sincerely,

Howard Schultz

http://www.starbucks.com/blog/an-open-letter-from-howard-schultz/1268

 

[Gravity3694]

OC activists were the first thing I thought before reading this. What did they think was going to happen when they strolled into the shop with a rifle slung.

http://www.kens5.com/news/Open-Carr...ion-leads-to-criminal-charges--221719121.html

Hurt someone's wallet by scaring customers and this is bound to happen.

 

[Telum Pisces]

Money is king. And I can guarantee you that the majority of their business is done by anti-gun people in the inner cities where most of their stores are located.

 

[Urbanfuturistic]

There goes the neighborhood.

 

[FrankT]

Hell I sometimes am more scared of a LEO open carrying than a citizen! Conceal you weapon and carry in the SB. I personally have never been in one to pay 10x's the price for coffee so this does not affect me.

 

[TraderDan]

I would ask everyone to go to Starbucks and order around of coffee for the office say between 6-12 cups and once it is time to pay ASK ABOUT POLICY and then say well I guess I will not be needing the coffee, we are all gun friendly folks and like to spend our money with gun friendly folks!! thanks anyway.

 

[Urbanfuturistic]

Whoa, there. They arent putting the circle slashes on the doors just yet fellers. They didnt say anything about concealed. You want to be mad? Get mad. But get mad at the right people. People doing dumb shit in the name of people of the gun is what led us here. We allowed others to put them in this position. I dont necessarily think it was only the three tools in TX with ARs slung on their backs, but when we turned their storefront into our political front(same goes for the anti-gunners) we put them in a spot. They were for the rule of law and now theyve had to backtrack because we dont police ourselves.

And their prices arent 10x for a cup of coffee.

 

[TraderDan]

Im sorry, did I get a little carried away again? Mornings do that to me alot.? My bad.

 

[FrankT]

SB is a rip off anyway so if you have the money to waste go there, if not I consider you smart w your $$. My coffee is better and is 10X's less than SB. Add the gas to get there, the time to get the product and you are probably 20X's the cost, even if it is on the way to where you are going you have to get off the road, idle, get back on the road, and time so add about $5 to $10 to the inflated cost of the coffee already...just don't go there period!

 

[Urbanfuturistic]

Id be interested in knowing what sludge you drink in the morning.

 

[FrankT]

LOL better than the overpriced yuppie SB...Colombian actually

 

[Urbanfuturistic]

Name it. I wanna do a comparo. If its as good as you say....stop beating around the bush.

 

[ilintner]

Im sorry, did I get a little carried away again? Mornings do that to me alot.? My bad.

LOL... Order them 2 dozen Large Pizzas too!

 

[Urbanfuturistic]

LOL... Order them 2 dozen Large Pizzas too!

No, this does nothing but screw the pizza store. Thats 24 wasted pizzas that they cant sell.

 

[ilintner]

No, this does nothing but screw the pizza store. Thats 24 wasted pizzas that they cant sell.

It was in jest, just playfully mocking Trader Dan's suggestion of ordering 12 cups of coffee and leaving them on the counter . I know that it would be totally inappropriate and hurt the pizza place more than anyone.

 

[M.O.A.]

8 O'clock bean. To Hell with Starbucks. Lol

 

[JWlineman]

I buy whole beans from the Bucks and will probably continue...just my opinion

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[Gravity3694]

LOL better than the overpriced yuppie SB...Colombian actually

Their coffee taste horrible and is stupid expensive for what it is. Not to mention that the names are goofy.

I drink my coffee black and I have no clue what a tall venti or verismo is.

 

[Aaronious45]

I've never been in Starbucks...always thought it was a gay bar


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