Ultimatum to My Wife's Store From an Anti

[Abraham]

Or: "I really appreciate your business and I'm sure other businesses will too..."

[allisji]

Good response, very good.

I don't know what I would say if confronted on the issue face-to-face. I probably wouldn't say anything about not wanting to make a political statement. Because by saying that I don't want to make a political statement I may be opening the door for a political discussion that I don't want to have.

I'd probably just say something along the lines of "While I certainly don't want to inconvenience any of my customers. If I perceive that customer safety is becoming a concern then I will consider taking any and every appropriate measure to ensure the safety of whomever is shopping in my store."

edit: and I definitely wouldn't reply to the email.

[RHenriksen]

I recently had a conversation with a gentleman who owns a few various restaurants and we discussed the various signs. He decided not to post and make a decision at a later date while waiting for feedback from customers based on actual open carry experience within his businesses.

That is a refreshingly calm, level-headed, experience-based approach to the issue! Cheers to him

[goose]

If questioned she could use the same approach, if nobody comes in open carrying then it is not an issue and she can mention that it has never happened so why look to solve a problem that does not exist with her clientele.

I think that this is the best approach. Even couch is as an aesthetics issue? "If it never happens, I don't want all of that lettering to clutter up my cute storefront."

[HankB]

If I owned a small business, my inclination would be to NOT respond to the email rather than engage in a debate - after all, I wouldn't care about their political views, I'd be in business to make money off of them.

If they still pushed me for a response, I'd adapt something from the replies above.

If at some point the hoplophobic activist began to badger me about my pro-gun position, I would refer them to this "gun free zone" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozJTenNzUKM

[Oldgringo]

Those customers are goners anyway, so how about a reply something like this:

"Thanks for your note. I have appreciated your business for many years, but should let you know that one reason you have been safer in my shop is that I carry a concealed firearm at all times and have since ...... I value my customers safety and do what I can to protect them, and me. All good wishes. Stay safe! Etc etc"

I like this one better.

[mloamiller]

Given that this was an email from a known customer, I think it would be worth a response to the effect that signs don't stop criminals, they only help them, which is why they won't be posted, etc. Be polite, but don't soft-sell it either.

I know it will probably fall on deaf ears, but I think it's worth saying anyway. Who knows? The more it gets said, the better the chances that someone might actually listen. That's the basic tactic of the anti's - keep telling a lie long enough and it starts to get accepted as the truth. Well, we have the truth on our side and I don't think we should shy away from saying it, especially when it's a direct statement from a known person.

Had this been an anonymous letter, or an email from an unknown, then I'd probably ignore it as well.

[mr1337]

If I owned a small business, my inclination would be to NOT respond to the email rather than engage in a debate - after all, I wouldn't care about their political views, I'd be in business to make money off of them.

If they still pushed me for a response, I'd adapt something from the replies above.

If at some point the hoplophobic activist began to badger me about my pro-gun position, I would refer them to this "gun free zone" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozJTenNzUKM

Haha

That's a great video. Shows how silly those signs actually are.

[cb1000rider]

I would tell her to get a life, and not to worry about how I run my business.

Your customer service is superior to mine. Would you respond the same way if someone asked you to take down a sign in your store?
The issue with polarizing issues is that they are well, polarizing... Two sides, both feel passionately. It's bad that private businesses get stuck in the middle.

[Tracker]

Don't you just love community activism. Reminds me of when O was first running for office and groups like ACORN were flooding/spamming popular message boards in an attempt to discredit anyone who made points against O.

I'm getting the impression that your wife's business is something a lot of men wouldn't normally shop at such as a boutique. It that's correct what are the odds than anyone would open carrying into her business, anyway? She could simply say she has the option to ask the person who is carrying to leave which is as effective as the ugly signs.

[The Annoyed Man]

OK..... I'm done being flippant. Here's my attempt at a reply for your wife:

Dear XXXX,

I appreciate your concerns, and I sincerely hope you can appreciate mine. I am a small business owner who tries not to alienate any of my customers. I do not want my business to be dragged into any one customer's political issues, as being either for or against that issue. It is not my place as a business owner, and I am sure that you will agree that Business already plays too large a part in Politics. If I agree to be your voice, I will alienate a certain percentage of my customer base. If I agree to be the other side's voice, I will alienate you and other like-minded customers. Your demand places me in an untenable position, and frankly, it is an intrusion into my business affairs over which you have no right to intrude, as I will be the one who suffers any financial consequences of a decision to take sides in a political debate which can only harm my business, and not you. I cannot afford to make that stand one way or the other. Consequently, I will obey the laws of the state of Texas, but my business will not be proactive in pursuing any particular political agenda. My customers' safety is important to me. If it becomes evident that my place of business is a dangerous place, I will either move to a more secure location, OR I will hire professional security to safeguard my customers. It goes without saying that such a move will force me to raise my prices significantly to cover the cost.

I very much appreciate your past business, and I would be grateful for your continued patronage, but I cannot afford and will not be bullied into taking a stand by either side to this particular debate. I just want to be left alone to run my business. If you cannot understand and accept my refusal to get involved, and you choose to take your business elsewhere, I will miss your cheerful visits to my business, but I will understand and wish you well in your future endeavors.

Very best regards,

So and So

[Tracker]

I would tell her to get a life, and not to worry about how I run my business.

Your customer service is superior to mine. Would you respond the same way if someone asked you to take down a sign in your store?
The issue with polarizing issues is that they are well, polarizing... Two sides, both feel passionately. It's bad that private businesses get stuck in the middle.

The irony is, by this time next year it'll all be forgotten and the organizers will have a new agenda and many of these (30.06) signs will quietly come down and nobody will notice.

[RHenriksen]

The irony is, by this time next year it'll all be forgotten and the organizers will have a new agenda and many of these (30.06) signs will quietly come down and nobody will notice.

I'm putting my money on this.

[Richbirdhunter]

I would thank her for her continued business and then I would ask her when has a gun free zone made law abiding citizens safer? Then I would follow up with reminders of mass killings in gun free zones.

[zero4o3]

OK..... I'm done being flippant. Here's my attempt at a reply for your wife:

Dear XXXX,

I appreciate your concerns, and I sincerely hope you can appreciate mine. I am a small business owner who tries not to alienate any of my customers. I do not want my business to be dragged into any one customer's political issues, as being either for or against that issue. It is not my place as a business owner, and I am sure that you will agree that Business already plays too large a part in Politics. If I agree to be your voice, I will alienate a certain percentage of my customer base. If I agree to be the other side's voice, I will alienate you and other like-minded customers. Your demand places me in an untenable position, and frankly, it is an intrusion into my business affairs over which you have no right to intrude, as I will be the one who suffers any financial consequences of a decision to take sides in a political debate which can only harm my business, and not you. I cannot afford to make that stand one way or the other. Consequently, I will obey the laws of the state of Texas, but my business will not be proactive in pursuing any particular political agenda. My customers' safety is important to me. If it becomes evident that my place of business is a dangerous place, I will either move to a more secure location, OR I will hire professional security to safeguard my customers. It goes without saying that such a move will force me to raise my prices significantly to cover the cost.

I very much appreciate your past business, and I would be grateful for your continued patronage, but I cannot afford and will not be bullied into taking a stand by either side to this particular debate. I just want to be left alone to run my business. If you cannot understand and accept my refusal to get involved, and you choose to take your business elsewhere, I will miss your cheerful visits to my business, but I will understand and wish you well in your future endeavors.

Very best regards,

So and So

Well said TAM