Value City Furniture - Ft Wayne

[BIGnTall83]

Saturday I was asked to disarm while purchasing a couch at Value City Furniture in Ft Wayne. If I had not been in the final stages of the purchase I would have walked out and not spent any $$$ there rather than complying (and if the wife would not have killed me if I didn't get her "Perfect couch" lol). I wrote corporate because I had opened carried the previous week with out issues. Waiting for their response. Has anyone else had issues here before?


"I am writing to find out if Value City Furniture has a policy regarding exercising my 2nd amendment rights. I was in your Ft Wayne Indiana location Saturday July 20[SUP]th[/SUP] to purchase a sectional and was asked to remove my firearm to my vehicle by the store manager. The reason I question whether or not there is a company policy is because on Sunday July 14[SUP]th[/SUP] I was in the store for over an hour picking out the sectional that I was going to purchase. While I was in the store for that hour I was also carrying my firearm and was not asked to remove it, also one of the salesmen gave me a thumbs up and complimented my firearm which led me to believe that Value City Furniture was at lease tolerant of the 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] amendment if not supportive of it. My wife has picked out quite a few other sets of furniture/beds for the rest of the house and I would like to know where the business I am going to spend thousands of dollars at stands on 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] amendment rights.

Thank you for your time,"

 

[kawtech87]

I have carried into the Value City in Greenwood a few times when my fiance and I were shopping for a couch. I never got hasseled but I was CC and it was over the winter so my jacket was also covering it.

We also went to Ashley Home furnishings and I took my jacket off in that store, we were in there quite a bit longer, and the sales lady saw my pistol. She never said a word.

I can't speak to policy for either of them but if Value City is anti-carry I will go back to Ashley when it is time for us to buy.

 

[JetGirl]

If I had not been in the final stages of the purchase

Did you ask the manager why it wasn't important to mention it all the time you had already been there up until that point?

 

[BIGnTall83]

I was about to when my wife started running her mouth before I even had a chance to gather my thoughts to respond to the request to remove my firearm she said "YES he will take it out" so that lead to a large argument when we got home. And no I did not ask the manager anything because I was doing my best to keep my composure with my wife and finishing the transaction.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

All the Value City Furniture stores I've been to have ALL had "no guns" signs on the doors.

Not that INGO is the do-all / be-all, but it seems to be rather well known 'round here that they're a "no gun" business.

It's not all that surprising that you were asked to remove it.

Also, you're remiss in your civics if you think this is a 2A issue. It's a private property / rules issue.

-J-

 

[rsklar]

Although yes it is a private property issue, it is also a 2A issue in that the business has made a decision to impose restrictions on people who openly exercise their 2A rights while shopping or going about their business. As such the business owners have taken a position that they do not support peoples 2A rights and CHOOSE to infringe upon them.

It is well within their rights as property owners, but well within our rights to recognize and decide if we want to patronize these establishments and support their right to be a business owner and live the american dream, while they tread on ours.

 

[JetGirl]

I was about to when my wife started running her mouth before I even had a chance to gather my thoughts to respond to the request to remove my firearm she said "YES he will take it out" so that lead to a large argument when we got home.

Ouch.

 

[ATM]

Although yes it is a private property issue, it is also a 2A issue in that the business has made a decision to impose restrictions on people who openly exercise their 2A rights while shopping or going about their business. As such the business owners have taken a position that they do not support peoples 2A rights and CHOOSE to infringe upon them.

It is well within their rights as property owners, but well within our rights to recognize and decide if we want to patronize these establishments and support their right to be a business owner and live the american dream, while they tread on ours.

It is not a 2A issue. They had no power or recourse by which to disarm him, he waived his own right to carry in order to remain on the property and do business with them.

 

[BIGnTall83]

I am new to carrying and new to firearms in general, and yes perhapse my choice of terminology should have been different. This was the first time ive been approached about being armed and obviously my wife did not help matters. I did look for signage before entering the building and I did not see a sign regarding firearms.

 

[JetGirl]

and obviously my wife did not help matters.

Are you of different opinions about carrying?
Or did you maybe come up with a strategy to both be on the same side of it, if it comes up again in the future?

 

[Double T]

It's a matter of principle's. My wife and I have had this disagreement before, and she know agrees that we won't be shopping anywhere that our protection has to stay in the car. She has even told people off regarding my handgun, so I think you need to remain calm and explain to your wife WHY you are returning said couch. It may be awesome, but what if the store had been robbed on your way back in to pay for the couch? Would your wife still love it if someone was held at gunpoint while you stand there helpless? Talk to your wife. Don't argue.

 

[BIGnTall83]

Are you of different opinions about carrying?
Or did you maybe come up with a strategy to both be on the same side of it, if it comes up again in the future?

yes and no. it took almost an hr to explain to her that it was perfectly safe to have the loaded magazine inserted into the gun, she wanted me to carry the magazine in my pocket... and the gun on my hip empty. We are both new to guns and I do plan to take a beginner handgun course with her in the near future so she will be more comfortable with me carrying. I am purchasing an IWB hoster this weekend (currently only have Serpa) so this will avoid some issues and I will CC instead of OC. I am strongly in favor of OC myself. She wants me to carry especially when we are in Ft Wayne because she feels safer but she is willing to ditch the safety factor just because some people are scared when they see an "intimidating" (her word not mine) 6'4" 250lb guy open carrying a firearm. She is comming around but we still have different views on carrying (such as cocked & locked vs. empty chamber)

 

[BIGnTall83]

It's a matter of principle's. My wife and I have had this disagreement before, and she know agrees that we won't be shopping anywhere that our protection has to stay in the car. She has even told people off regarding my handgun, so I think you need to remain calm and explain to your wife WHY you are returning said couch. It may be awesome, but what if the store had been robbed on your way back in to pay for the couch? Would your wife still love it if someone was held at gunpoint while you stand there helpless? Talk to your wife. Don't argue.

Exactly my point, I will try to have another talk with her. Her main point was "its the perfect couch at a great price" and she did not want to pass on it, she has a valid point since we are a 1 income family with 3 kids so money is tight, but she doesnt grasp my reluctance to spend my hard earned cash somewhere that wont allow me to protect ourselves.

 

[Redhorse]

yes and no. it took almost an hr to explain to her that it was perfectly safe to have the loaded magazine inserted into the gun, she wanted me to carry the magazine in my pocket... and the gun on my hip empty. We are both new to guns and I do plan to take a beginner handgun course with her in the near future so she will be more comfortable with me carrying. I am purchasing an IWB hoster this weekend (currently only have Serpa) so this will avoid some issues and I will CC instead of OC. I am strongly in favor of OC myself. She wants me to carry especially when we are in Ft Wayne because she feels safer but she is willing to ditch the safety factor just because some people are scared when they see an "intimidating" (her word not mine) 6'4" 250lb guy open carrying a firearm. She is comming around but we still have different views on carrying (such as cocked & locked vs. empty chamber)

Well as for cocked and locked, John browning invented that for the military so it's perfectly safe. As to being new to guns, het man you're alright also +1 for taking a course, safety is the number one thing. Also, if she wants to be safe, she can carry too, a revolver is about as safe and easy as it comes. I've broke up with girls before because they didn't agree with me carrying and I cc usually.

 

[sharpetop]

I was about to when my wife started running her mouth before I even had a chance to gather my thoughts to respond to the request to remove my firearm she said "YES he will take it out" so that lead to a large argument when we got home. And no I did not ask the manager anything because I was doing my best to keep my composure with my wife and finishing the transaction.

If my wife had done this the "perfect couch" would have still been a "perfect display" in the store.