MN: Buck's Unpainted Furniture posted

[Andrew Rothman]

First the short version: They're posted, even after a polite letter.

If you want to let them know what you think of that, you could email co-owner JACKIE BUCK at [email protected], or call
[edit] THEIR CORPORATE OFFICE AT 952-881-3945 [/edit]

[Thanks, ChillyW!]

The long version:

I thought these were almost a thing of the past, but there it was.

I spoke to an owner on the phone, and he said he thought that the law MADE him post the sign.

I explained that it did not, and he asked me to send him a letter.

I did...

I was disappointed to find a sign up at your Chanhassen showroom, showing that you have decided to forbid law-abiding permit holders from carrying on your premises.

I was there looking at a very nice Arthur W. Brown cabinet to hold my new 50-inch Sony LCD projection TV.

Like me, all 27,000-plus Minnesota permit holders have passed criminal, drug and mental health background checks administered by our county sheriffs.

We have also received certified training, including "instruction in the fundamentals of pistol use; successful completion of an actual shooting qualification exercise; and instruction in the fundamental legal aspects of pistol possession, carry, and use, including self-defense and the restrictions on the use of deadly force" as required by Minnesota law.

You told me on the phone that you believed that you were required by law to post such a sign; you are not.

A business owner in Minnesota may decide to post a sign like yours, but is it really a good idea?

Do you and your co-owners believe that a criminal carrying a gun will be deterred by the sign?

The profile of a typical Minnesota permit holder is this: white, male, suburban, above-average income, self-sufficient and handy.

Doesn't this profile look a lot like your ideal customer?

I would strongly encourage you to re-examine this policy, and to consider make your store welcoming to all customers, including those who choose to provide for their own protection.

One related note: The Carver County Sheriff's Department patrols 357 square miles of the county with a staffing of 22 full-time deputies, 10 part-time deputies, and 7 supervisors.

If, heaven forbid, some criminal intent on violence entered your Chanhassen store, how fast do you think the Sheriff's department could respond?

Carry permit classes are always available; I'll probably be teaching a couple myself in September. Let me know if I can set up a group rate for you and your employees.

Sincerely...

...and after two weeks of no response, sent a reminder.

I got the following back:

Thank you for your email. We have reviewed your information and under the circumstances will continue with our current policy.

Sincerely,

Buck's Unpainted Furniture Owners

Well, that's clear.

I replied with this:

Thank you for your reply. Although you are not gaining anything in safety (criminals really don't mind carrying a gun past your sign), and you are losing a customer, that is definitely your right.

I will be sharing your decision (via email and web site postings) with the thousands of members of the various carry-oriented organizations to which I belong -- sites like The High Road (www.thehighroad.org, with over 12,000 members), www.packing.org, www.twincitiescarry.com, and www.gunfreezones.com.

As part of each of these messages, I will be sure to mention Woody's Unfinished Furniture at 5217 Excelsior Blvd. in St. Louis Park as a viable alternative, as they do NOT have such a sign.

Please don't be too surprised if you see a few more emails like mine.

Best of luck with your policy of trusting criminals more than your customers.

 

[foghornl]

Great way to "blast their buns off" without firng a shot....

Too bad so many companies do not realize how many customers they lose through shoddy business practices like this.

 

[Flyboy]

I sent her a nice note. I'm not a customer, but at least she now knows you followed up with your promise to post your story.

 

[Andrew Rothman]

When y'all tell [them] you'll be avoiding [their] shop for your furniture needs, you don't actually have to mention that you are 2000 miles away...

 

[bulbboy]

Just sent him off an email!! Didn't tell I was from Oklahoma though - Good luck - we have some ignorant ones here to & we are supposed to be in cowboy country!

 

[ChillyW]

I just talked to a nice man at the Maplewood store who told me that this is apparently a corporate policy, set by the corporate office in Bloomington.

The corporate number is 952-881-3945, for anyone who's interested.

I haven't been able to get to a person there yet, but I'll keep trying. I just tried now, and got transferred into the voicemail of the Director of HR.

 

[Old Dog]

Matt, your letters are stellar examples of reasoned, tactful and intelligent communications to a business owner. Shame on the owners/management for not understanding the issues, or even the stakes there. At any rate, looks like a good enough cause to open up a new (non-location specific) Hotmail account ...

 

[landon74]

Good job, both of your letters were well written, clear and to the point, if they decide they'd rather not have your business and that of those like yourself, so be it, but you've made your position known.

 

[mnrivrat]

Thanks for the heads up Matt,

I just sent them an e-mail letting them know that I will adhere to their policy and shop somewhere else.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Best of luck with your policy of trusting criminals more than your customers.

That's very well said!

 

[Bobo]

EXCELLENT response to the situation!!!
Hope their bottom line changes dramatically for the worst and they know why!
Thanks for the post.

 

[Andrew Rothman]

Best of luck with your policy of trusting criminals more than your customers.

That's very well said!

"If I have seen further it is by standing on ye shoulders of Giants."
--Isaac Newton

 

[Andrew Rothman]

I am pleased that there have been over 675 views here, at packing.org, and at twincitiescarry.com.

I hope a few people do call or email. I want them to FEEL it.

 

[Oleg Volk]

THR is closer to 20 thousand now than to 12 ;-)

 

[Janitor]

THR is closer to 20 thousand now than to 12 ;-)

Well ... in Matt's defense, he did say more than 12,000. I'd say that's true.

 

[Andrew Rothman]

Whoops. Has it been two years already I've been here?

I'll remember that.

 

[SteveS]

I hope a few people do call or email. I want them to FEEL it.

I'll give them a call later today. My Aunt lives in St. Louis Park. Next time I talk to her, I'll mention that this store is not a place she should shop.

 

[shooterIII]

I sent them an email and said I saw their sign and purchased elsewhere.

 

[GunGoBoom]

Good jobs guys....when I hear unpainted furniture, I can't help but thing of quotable quotes from one Mr. Nathan Arizona:

"Table & chairs, you got a dinette set; no chairs, you got d**k!"
"I'm gonna be down there at precisely 8:45 in the a.m., and I'm gonna kick me some butt! I ain't runnin' a damned daisy farm!"
"He was wearing a g*d***ned dinner jacket, whaddya think? He was wearing diapers!"
"I don't know, it had yodas & s**t on it!"
"That's your for-te, ain't it? Tracking down microbes & s**t!?"

 

[Andrew Rothman]

Anybody get a reply from them?

 

[mnrivrat]

I haven't heard back from them - I have a feeling the forum folks didn't give this the attention it deserved .

I would have liked to see a couple hundred e-mails sent to this business folks , and that should have been easy to do.

Doesn't make any difference wether you shop there or not - which place is it that is next to post ? If it's the place you go and you gave no support to objecting here, then don't whine !

 

[akodo]

i live right across from a different bucks unpainted, the one in falcon heights, even though it claims it is in roseville. they hung their signs the MINUTE the law came into effect.

Side note, how was the MN state fair regarding CCW? last year there was a little bit of a stink about people carrying, but i didn't hear anything this year

 

[Flyboy]

I sent them one, didn't get anything in reply. Guess they don't even care about our money enough to send out a mass e-mail.

So...anybody in the area want to stand outside their stores handing out flyers?

 

[PowderBurn]

Here's my contribution, emailed to [email protected] a few moments ago:

I am a long-time Minneapolis area resident and have shopped at Buck's on at least a dozen occasions. However, I recently learned of your corporate policy that prohibits legal handgun carry permit holders from doing so while visiting your store. I cannot understand why you believe this restriction is wise or necessary, unless of course you have taken other measures to ensure my personal security while on your property. But absent any assurances of that, I will choose to shop elsewhere from now on.

The state of Minnesota has recognized my right to defend myself and my family with a firearm if necessary. I have accepted all of the responsibility that entails, and fulfilled the requirements of the statute. I cannot support any business that strips that right from me with reactionary placards.

Sincerely,

xxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxx, MN

 

[sturmruger]

Thanks for the heads up Matt I shot them and email to update them to the fact that they are loosing business all around.