Why is Walmart considered the Concealed Carry Rite of Passage?

[CDR_Glock]

So every New CC License holder on the Internet talks about their first walk as a concealed carry member in Walmart. Why is that the case? Because it is the most common retail store in the country? Why not "The Mall" or "The Flea Market". I find those areas to be a higher functioning test since many more people are in your personal space.

 

[TurtlePhish]

Because Walmart is Walmart, and if you accidentally expose or print or something, nobody'll look twice because there's someone wearing/doing/looking like something else even more surprising and completely unexpected ten feet to the left. Ever seen some of the people in there? Yikes.

 

[smalls]

The mall never seems to have good deals on ammo.

 

[JTHunter]

While TurtlePhish is correct about the people in Wal-mart, that won't happen in my state. I live in the lone hold-out, Illinois.
When we do finally get some form of carry, you can be sure that the police, after this length of time with NO carry, will be inundated with thousands of panic-stricken calls by the nervous ninnies all over this state.

 

[2DREZQ]

I live in the lone hold-out, Illinois.

When we do finally get some form of carry...

Any chance of getting CC in our lifetime?

 

[beatledog7]

I cannot recall having carried in a Walmart. That must be due to rarity of my Walmart visits or to series of locations I visit along with Walmart, places where I can't carry.

Should I plan a special trip there so I can join this club?

 

[larryh1108]

It seems that many crimes are committed in a Walmart parking lot. You see it on the news a lot. Walmart attracts people of all ages and backgrounds. It is the melting pot of quite a spectrum of Americana.

 

[Shadow 7D]

You just gotta do it, there are lots of people, the demographic doesn't get all bent out of shape, corporate isn't going to can the GM if they DON'T call 'man with gun' if you show....

and then you do the walk and realize that nobody cares... welcome to the real world. or at least Wally World.

 

[EddieNFL]

When we do finally get some form of carry, you can be sure that the police, after this length of time with NO carry, will be inundated with thousands of panic-stricken calls by the nervous ninnies all over this state.

Doubtful, unless the weapon is visible. Most people walk around in their own little bubble of a world. Seems to be even more common among those thinking .gov is taking care of them.

 

[SWAT1911]

This is why...

 

[youngda9]

www.peopleofwalmart.com

You're welcome

 

[claiborne]

In Tucson, Walmart is where I see more people openly packing heat than almost anywhere. Never seen anyone get bent out of shape about it either. Walmart seems to be the true testament to the old adage "live and let live". Besides, as noted earlier, they have some good sales on ammo.

 

[hso]

I'd guess that it is the fact that there are more opportunities to carry in a Walmart because there are so many Walmarts that people shop at for more reasons than the CVS or Kroger or other large chains with multiple establishments in any given community.

 

[SaxonPig]

My first (legal) concealed carry experience was a trip to Walmart. But it just happened that I was going shopping when the permit arrived in the mail. Not planned.

BTW- WM corporate policy on concealed carry is supportive. They have no problem with customers who are legally carrying.

 

[777TRUTH]

I did Home Depot.

 

[wally]

So every New CC License holder on the Internet talks about their first walk as a concealed carry member in Walmart. Why is that the case?

News to me. Nobody I know has done that.

 

[au01st]

I think I had my permit a full week before I carried. My first CC was in Walmart because it's where I got groceries (I work for a competitor, but we don't sell groceries, yet), there are no mom/pop stores, and Winn Dixie/Publix/Kroger are all 5min further away. Gas was $5 a gallon at the time for premium, so those few miles hurt in a truck getting 15mpg... It really was just the first place I went in public after I got my permit.

It was also the first place I OC'd, since I was well aware of their corporate policy and state law, I knew I was ok. And I was. People don't even seem to notice others nowadays.

 

[Moparnut]

I figured walmart had a rule of no firearms on the premises. Like most companies. Very interesting.

 

[V1ROT8]

Do not know if they were my first or not but we do shop Walmart often.

 

[Sam1911]

I figured walmart had a rule of no firearms on the premises. Like most companies. Very interesting.

I'd say "most" companies have no such rule that applies to their customers. "Most" companies would just keep away from the issue so as not to stifle business, and let prevailing local law be the rule. (This is why it is such a big deal in the "gun community" when a company does decide to post "gunbuster" signs.)

And in many states, any policy the store would have is legally null anyway, so it becomes a moot point.

 

[fatcat4620]

You just have to, my first open carry was walmart.

 

[bearcreek]

I figured walmart had a rule of no firearms on the premises. Like most companies. Very interesting.

Maybe it's different in Arkansas, but here in my part of Ohio it's fairly rare for a company to have a no firearms policy. Couple small mom and pop type places are posted. Only chain company that has a crime protection policy that I can think of off hand is Dairy Queen, and that's only the stores in one county.

 

[Driftertank]

Well lets see...

Speaking only of my area, i've witnessed 2 incidents of violence between patrons at my local walmart. A couple years ago an arsonist started a fire in the store, during the busy daylight hours. I've seen many people NOTICABLY under the influence of various substances, sometimes belligerently so.

As a general rule, i'm ALWAYS armed when i go to Walmart these days. Though i don't see why it's a "rite of passage" except that maybe it's the ONE store chain that universally pervades our daily lives as Americans, and the, uh, "diverse characters" that represent the clientele are equally universal...

 

[Moparnut]

In AR the law is the company can have their own rules on firearms. Even if you have a concealed carry permit. If the company states no firearms on the premises you can be cited and possibly arrested. Arkansas allows the business to make its own decision. Except for church. you can not carry a firearm on church premises (state law). That was a big deal a year or two back. People argued that the church should be able to make up its own mind following the seperation of church and state. however, the law stood as written. Most small town churches do not enforce the rule though.

 

[Mainsail]

I've heard this but I think it's mostly a joke in the firearms community. Since we open carry in the Walmart stores here, concealed carry is pretty tame.