TTAG reader Brian Jacobsen writes:

Two weekends ago I attended a showing of The Avengers at the Regal Shiloh Crossing Stadium 18 in Avon, Indiana. I’d open carried at this theater several times with no problem. When I went to buy a ticket at the window the ticket taker asked me to leave my weapon in my car. He made this “suggestion” over the microphone in front of about fifty people. I asked to speak to a manager, who confirmed that this was the theater’s policy.  So I called their corporate offices to make double sure that this was indeed their position . . .

I had a lengthy, cordial and somewhat strange conversation with a gentleman at the corporate offices.  I would be hard-pressed to relay the conversation other than to note that his impression of legal firearm owners was exceedingly poor. I would imagine most of his information came from a source indistinguishable from The Brady Campaign.

When I suggested that he was missing out on making his theaters safer by allowing legal firearm owners to carry he made several disparaging ‘gun toting yahoo’ type remarks and insisted that allowing guns in the theater would keep the theater from being a ‘family friendly’ environment.

I’m just sending this up the chain to you dudes. Is there anything to be done? I really hate when I feel demonized for doing something that is perfectly legal and in my opinion a good thing.

[Send your Adventure in Open Carry to [email protected]]

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53 COMMENTS

  2. Sorry to hear about that, Brian. I’m not sure there’s much that can be done; property rights and all that. Best thing to do (IMHO) would be to hand the manager a “No guns = No money” card and let all your buddies know about your little (mis)adventure.

    (Shut up, WordPress. I am not posting too quickly.)

  4. Since they are not the only movie theater in the universe just vote with your wallet and feet.
    I’m all for private property rights. If you want to deny people of a certain color, ethnic, political bent, or whatever and suffer the financial consequences then by all means go right ahead.

  5. Regal, based in TN, owns thousands of theaters and is of course concerned about open carry customer(s) giving them a bad name in the national media I can see it now with the corporate types imagining a couple dudes getting so turned on by a violent film that they pull out their guns and…

    At least the good people of TN had the common sense not to support native-son anti-gun Al Gore during his presidential run.

  6. For NH folks, the only theater that I know that does not have a “victims here” sign is Chunky’s. About a month ago by brother and I went there and saw a movie, he was CCing, I was OCing. We had no issues whatsoever.

    • I have never really checked to see. I’d rather attempt the ignorance plea than not have my snubbie. But I have never noticed any signs suggesting no weapons at the cinemagic or the apple tree mall theaters.

    • I have never really checked to see. I’d rather attempt the ignorance plea than not have my snubbie. But I have never noticed any signs suggesting no weapons at the cinemagic or the apple tree mall theaters. But I also cc so I don’t really worry so much.

  8. I don’t know about open carry in Plainfield, but I have carried concealed there and have been very comfortable.

    • I carried concealed to a movie this weekend in Florida. I don’t look for signs. If management somehow notices and asks me to leave, I respectfully and politely will leave. Quit bitching and moaning about every person and corporation that doesn’t have firearms policies you agree with. You arguing with local staff and a faceless corporate entity in some far-off corporate headquarters is ridiculous and gets you nowhere. Some people go looking for drama no matter if it is what cola is being served or why a certain movie isn’t playing, to the theater is too cold to why can’t I open carry a firearm.

      • So you’re against asking legitimate questions and questioning authority figures within their corporation to see if it really is a corporate wide policy? Since when does that constitute “bitching and moaning?”

        See David’s response below mine. This is how it ought to be done. Don’t try to discourage people from inquiring about any organization’s policies by disparaging them. You do no favor to yourself or anyone else with your nonsensical attack on the original poster’s motives.

  11. The only response is to act civil for everyone watching and politely inform them that you will no longer patronize their theater. You get the point across, and everyone nearby will see a reasonably-behaved person with a firearm voice his dissatisfaction in a civil manner. All the right people win, and all the right people lose.

  12. It is unfortunate,but the theater owners have a right to be obstructionist idiots. If they don’t like the 2nd Amendment, those corporate suits are free to enact policy against carry. Its not a good idea or a logical one, but they reserve the right to have a stupid policy.

    Personally I believe the $10 theater admission cost is better spent on a 50 round box of practice ammo.

  14. Trying to reason with hoplophobes is a fool’s errand. You might as well try to housebreak a mule.

  15. There is effectively no safety benefit nor detriment to the theater owner banning open carry: the odds of something happening are practically nonexistent. And even if an incident happens, its questionable whether an untrained civilian would be a significant benefit, or might actually make the inevitable PR fecal tornado worse.

    There are huge benefits to the theater owner banning open carry. Far too many open-carry types are “gun-toting yahoos”, and their presence is disruptive to the normal course of business: all it takes is one customer saying “heck no”.

    E.G. in California, it was the deliberately provocative but legal behavior of the unloaded open carry advocates that got open-carry of pistols banned, and now some of these same provocative yahoos are switching to toting around California-legal EBRs…

    Get a concealed carry permit, f(#@)* open carry.

    • The self-pity and self-hatred of many people, plenty of whom claim to care about liberty (although I’m not sure that you do because I do not personally know you), always astonishes me.

      You’re blaming the victim. Again we see a version of the “she shouldn’t have worn that dress” immoral blame-game going on.

      Open carriers did not get open carry banned in California. Californian tyrants who were unaware of the practice, and would’ve likely banned it sooner had they known about it, banned it.

      Blame them, not the people who were exercising their lawful ability to do something that harmed absolutely no one. If you’re offended by open carry, grow a thicker skin. If you want to fault them for not hiding like a scared slave from a vengeful master, then shame on you.

      They were doing nothing wrong.

    • I agree with everything you said because you follow it up with conceal. But are you really using a picture with a pose like that for your gun forum thing? I mean come on guy.
      And at ttag why is it I don’t see any good old fashions kind spirited ball busting? A gun forum should sound like a barbershop

  18. I’ve never understood the tactical wisdom of open carry. Even my CCW instructor said it invites more trouble than it scares away. I personally would never open carry, let alone in a dark movie theatre where the likelhood of being seated next to strangers and curious children who could attempt to get their hands on my weapon could occur. I just don’t think it’s wise, even if it is legal. I’m really tired of hearing that one.

    • I wouldn’t open carry even if I had the choice. But I will stand in solidarity with those who want to and support their right to do so.

      We gain nothing by throwing responsible liberty-minded people under the bus. We do so at our own peril.

      • This is pretty much my position as well. It’s not for me, but if someone else feels it’s right for them, it should be their right to do so.

        I’d open carry if it ever became so unremarkable that literally no one ever remarked about it. But since these kinds of interactions always seem to crop up with open carry, it’s more of a hassle than I want to deal with.

    • First target shot? Are you frickin serious? I understand that some of you bros are too pussy to open carry. Not everyone has a big enough ball sack to do it and that’s cool, but please don’t start with the first to get shot BS if you don’t have any evidence to back it up. Just say “Hey Bob I’m a pussy. I have small balls and I’m just going to tuck my Glock into my waistband, and let Gaston massage my weiner, if that’s Ok with you”. That would be fine with me. Just be honest about it.

  19. Yes there is something to be done, conceal the firearm. Why make yourself the first target shot? To endanger everyone around you. Do you want the right to carry, or the right to be arrogant? Open carry may very well have a place, public area is not the place. Use your head first, and don’t invite problems.

  20. either conceal it then if you want to go in.or myself id say screw you and spend my money eles were but not before putting p some no guns=no money signs and let every one know exactly what the idiot that runs the place from corprate said about gun owners

  21. oh and btw the open to carry does work wonders.can almost walk through a whole ghetto and not be bothered for a change

      • Bruce, do U carry ? If so, where do U get off telling someone else how to carry ? I’ve had this discussion with Iowa, carriers. We have carry permits, U can carry concealed or not. I usually conceal, but not always. When I go to Missouri, I conceal, because that’s the Law. Carry your way and let other people carry legally how they wish.

  22. Avon is not particularly friendly towards open-carry. Just an FYI from someone who’s been there/done that. Kinda surprised the men in blue didn’t come to charge you with trespassing (I was never asked to leave, they claimed didn’t make a difference)

  23. does it say something about me that the first question i have about this story, is what model Glock she’s holding in the picture? 🙂

  24. I don’t understand all of the people who want to open carry because its their “right”. It would seem to me most of these people are looking for confrontation and want to be challenged by authority, even though they all say they dont want drama, we all know if you open carry a weapon its ususally going to lead to drama. Is it so difficult to just conceal the damn thing? you still have it if you need it. And in my opinion if a bad guy starts shooting, he usuually shoots the armed people first. why would i want him to know I am armed?? IN MY OPINION open carry basically just a “protest”. I go to the movie theatre all of the time with my weapon. CONCEALED. I never have a problem.

    • I couldn’t agree more. Open carry does for gun rights what two dudes making out in public does for gay rights. On top of that, carrying openly makes you an obvious threat for BG’s to neutralize. Just carry concealed and don’t worry about the rules… plus, nothing beats the look on an armed robbers face when he leaves with three more orifices than he came with.

    • I don’t know about Indiana, but some states allow opencarry by any non-prohibited persons, but require a license for concealed. Some people have a problem providing fingerprints, SS#, $$, etc. to the state just to exercise their rights.

      —
      matt_

      • NH also allows open carry to anyone who wants it, but the CCL is 10 bucks and 14 days shall issue (by law IIRC).

  25. Efforts like these lead to businesses banning all firearms, regardless if it is open or concealed.

    Isn’t as much as it is your right to carry open, it is their right to refuse you to enter their private business, on private property? What does the IN statute say?

    • Again, if you’re carrying concealed it doesn’t matter what their rules are.

  26. I open carry because it is my right! Some of your comments about just go the easy route and carry concealed. Don’t make waves. I have my CCW but, most of the time I open carry. I don’t adjust the way I carry to conform to how comfortable people feel. I adjust my carry to what makes me feel comfortable.

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