Hundreds of Texas Businesses Stand Up for Customer and Employee Safety by Prohibiting Open Carry

Texas Institutions and Major Chains like HEB, Fiesta Mart, Luby’s Cafeteria and Many Others Have Prohibited Open Carry; Full List Here

AUSTIN, TX – Not even three weeks after Texas implemented its new open carry law requiring businesses to allow handguns to be openly carried in their stores or comply with burdensome signage requirements, the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America today released a list of more than 400 Texas businesses (available here) planning to stand up for customer and employee safety by prohibiting open carry on their premises. The list of businesses includes Texas institutions and major chains like HEB, Fiesta Mart, Luby’s cafeteria and many others. The Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, has been working with businesses across the state on this issue—a continuation of the group’s work to pressure businesses to adopt gun sense policies.

“We applaud all these Texas businesses that are doing the right thing and providing a safe environment for their customers and employees,” said Anna Kehde, lead volunteer with the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Despite the gun lobby’s best efforts to allow guns to be openly carried in private businesses—and despite burdensome signage requirements for businesses that choose to prohibit open carry—the message is clear that Texans don’t want to be confronted by armed activists everywhere they shop.”

HUNDREDS OF TEXAS BUSINESSES STAND UP FOR CUSTOMER AND EMPLOYEE SAFETY BY PROHIBITING OPEN CARRY
Less Than One Month into 2016, More Than 400 Texas Businesses Have Prohibited Open Carry of Handguns in Stores
Texas Institutions and Major Chains like HEB, Fiesta Mart, Luby’s Cafeteria and Many Others Have Prohibited Open Carry; Full List Here

AUSTIN, TX – Not even three weeks after Texas implemented its new open carry law requiring businesses to allow handguns to be openly carried in their stores or comply with burdensome signage requirements, the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America today released a list of more than 400 Texas businesses (available here) planning to stand up for customer and employee safety by prohibiting open carry on their premises. The list of businesses includes Texas institutions and major chains like HEB, Fiesta Mart, Luby’s cafeteria and many others. The Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, has been working with businesses across the state on this issue—a continuation of the group’s work to pressure businesses to adopt gun sense policies.
“We applaud all these Texas businesses that are doing the right thing and providing a safe environment for their customers and employees,” said Anna Kehde, lead volunteer with the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Despite the gun lobby’s best efforts to allow guns to be openly carried in private businesses—and despite burdensome signage requirements for businesses that choose to prohibit open carry—the message is clear that Texans don’t want to be confronted by armed activists everywhere they shop.”

“Openly carried guns do not belong in my business,” said Liza Wilson, Owner of Toybrary Austin. “I want the children and families that frequent my store to feel safe and comfortable, and prohibiting open carry helps maintain that environment.”

Since November, Moms Demand Action volunteers have been going door-to-door to educate business owners on the law in addition to creating an online resource center to inform concerned businesspeople on how to navigate the restrictive and detailed signage requirements for prohibiting open carry. This education campaign has led many business that never prohibited handguns in the past to now prohibit both the concealed and open carry of handguns on their premises, causing some gun advocates to say the open carry law has backfired.

Moms Demand Action has a history of working with national businesses to prioritize gun safety in their stores. Past campaigns have garnered hundreds of thousands of supporters to successfully pressure corporate giants like Starbucks, Target, Chipotle, Sonic, Chili’s, and Jack in the Box to publicly announce gun sense policies for their national storefronts. More information on Moms Demand Action’s corporate campaigns is available here.