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Duluth News-Tribune
June 2, 2003 Monday
SECTION: LOC
LENGTH: 1037 words
HEADLINE: Signs of the times;
BUSINESS:Managers post prohibitions and write policies to handle challenges posed by new concealed-weapons law.
BYLINE: BY EMILY JOHNS; NEWS TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
BODY:
igns alerting people of gun restrictions at local businesses may soon be a common reminder of Minnesota's new concealed weapons policy.
So far, local business owners are showing varying degrees of concern about implications the new law may have on the safety and security of their businesses.
Philip Warmanen, co-owner and general manager of the Duluth Athletic Club, said his bar and grill will post signs forbidding concealed weapons in the building.
He believes that allowing people to bring guns to an establishment where people are drinking and socializing could cause a lot of problems, even though permit holders are supposed to be responsible citizens.
"The danger of mixing large groups of people, alcohol and weapons could be a recipe for trouble," Warmanen said.
But many local business owners are just starting to realize the meaning of the law, said Andy Peterson, public policy director for the Duluth Chamber of Commerce, even though it was approved more than a month ago.
"Some are very concerned, and I think at this point, they're just starting to go, 'Oh my God, this is really happening,' " he said.
Business owners will wait and see how many people apply for permits and how society reacts to these guns before making any major decisions, he believes.
Those who want to prohibit guns must post a sign letting customers know weapons are not welcome in their building. The sign must be at least 187 square inches, and the lettering must be in black Arial typeface at least 1.5 inches high. But if business owners want to have legal standing against customers who still bring weapons inside, they must personally inform every customer of their gun policy.
The Duluth Athletic Club, Warmanen said, does not plan to take that step.
"It's not realistic to think that we're going to be able to talk to every one of our customers about whether they have a gun," he said.
Warmanen isn't sure what he will do if people bring firearms onto the premises despite his requests to keep them out. If a gun is seen, he said, a manager will probably talk to the customer and request that the weapon be left in the car.
"Hopefully, they'll politely accept our wishes," he said.
Business owners with more valuable inventories who deal with the threat of robbery daily, Warmanen said, would probably be more worried about the new gun law than he is. Rick Heimbach, owner of Bagley & Company Jewelers, disagrees.
Heimbach said his store is not going to forbid guns on the premises.
"These are good people getting guns, right? Why are good people going to come in and disrupt me?" he asked.
Despite predictions that the number of gun permit applications will increase in the next several weeks, Heimbach doesn't anticipate more guns will be on the streets.
"I think most people interested in carrying guns already have them. I don't see society at any more of a risk."
INSURANCE IMPLICATIONS
State Farm Insurance agent Rolf Flaig doesn't see society facing additional risk because of the new policy. Nor does he anticipate changes in liability insurance. Whether guns will increase problems for businesses, he said, remains to be seen.
"I really don't think that it will be that big of an issue from an insurance standpoint. The losses that will come from the conceal and carry law, if there are any, won't require increased premiums," Flaig said.
Premiums are typically set based on the amount of exposure a business has to liability, whether it is measured by the square footage of the store or the volume of sales, according to Flaig. Their tolerance of guns on the premises won't play a part, he said, at least not yet.
"It is so new on the radar scope that I haven't even given it thought. Oftentimes, we don't think of things as an issue until after something happens," he said.
FOLLOWING A LEAD
Many Duluth businesses trying to decide whether to allow guns are taking the lead from similar businesses in states that already allow concealed weapons, like Texas, Peterson said.
"The businesses are going to mimic what their businesses in other states are doing, and are going to wait and see how it goes," he said.
Stephen Bianchi, president of Wells Fargo Duluth, said a decision is in the making. Because the bank has offices in states having similar laws, the company has precedents to follow.
Wells Fargo has never allowed employees to carry weapons on company property or at company-sponsored events, Bianchi said, because it wants to maintain a safe and nonconfrontational work environment.
The same motives affect what policy to enact for customers.
"Our assessment of the conceal-and-carry law is really to formulate a policy that will help create a safe environment for our customers to take care of their personal financial business while in a Wells Fargo store location," Bianchi said.
ENFORCEMENT DIFFICULT
Although Flaig believes insurance policy will not change with the new law, there may be exceptions. If businesses post signs forbidding guns but don't enforce their own rules, they could possibly be held liable if a gun incident occurs.
Some business owners are frustrated because they aren't sure they could enforce gun restrictions if they wanted to.
Dean Cox, owner of Good Times Liquor and Tobacco, 32 W. First St., said he won't forbid people from bringing guns into his store because he can't guarantee they won't get through.
"I don't know how I'd stop them. I could say 'no guns allowed,' but in this neighborhood, nobody pays attention to the existing laws anyways," he said.
Peterson said the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce has been answering questions from concerned business owners. The Duluth Chamber has faxed information from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce to all member businesses addressing the finer points of the Minnesota Personal Protection Act.
"I think there is an element of the unknown here. I don't think anybody wants to allow guns in their places of business," Peterson said.
"There are a lot of sign shops that will probably be very, very busy once businesses start realizing what's happening."
June 2, 2003 Monday
SECTION: LOC
LENGTH: 1037 words
HEADLINE: Signs of the times;
BUSINESS:Managers post prohibitions and write policies to handle challenges posed by new concealed-weapons law.
BYLINE: BY EMILY JOHNS; NEWS TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
BODY:
igns alerting people of gun restrictions at local businesses may soon be a common reminder of Minnesota's new concealed weapons policy.
So far, local business owners are showing varying degrees of concern about implications the new law may have on the safety and security of their businesses.
Philip Warmanen, co-owner and general manager of the Duluth Athletic Club, said his bar and grill will post signs forbidding concealed weapons in the building.
He believes that allowing people to bring guns to an establishment where people are drinking and socializing could cause a lot of problems, even though permit holders are supposed to be responsible citizens.
"The danger of mixing large groups of people, alcohol and weapons could be a recipe for trouble," Warmanen said.
But many local business owners are just starting to realize the meaning of the law, said Andy Peterson, public policy director for the Duluth Chamber of Commerce, even though it was approved more than a month ago.
"Some are very concerned, and I think at this point, they're just starting to go, 'Oh my God, this is really happening,' " he said.
Business owners will wait and see how many people apply for permits and how society reacts to these guns before making any major decisions, he believes.
Those who want to prohibit guns must post a sign letting customers know weapons are not welcome in their building. The sign must be at least 187 square inches, and the lettering must be in black Arial typeface at least 1.5 inches high. But if business owners want to have legal standing against customers who still bring weapons inside, they must personally inform every customer of their gun policy.
The Duluth Athletic Club, Warmanen said, does not plan to take that step.
"It's not realistic to think that we're going to be able to talk to every one of our customers about whether they have a gun," he said.
Warmanen isn't sure what he will do if people bring firearms onto the premises despite his requests to keep them out. If a gun is seen, he said, a manager will probably talk to the customer and request that the weapon be left in the car.
"Hopefully, they'll politely accept our wishes," he said.
Business owners with more valuable inventories who deal with the threat of robbery daily, Warmanen said, would probably be more worried about the new gun law than he is. Rick Heimbach, owner of Bagley & Company Jewelers, disagrees.
Heimbach said his store is not going to forbid guns on the premises.
"These are good people getting guns, right? Why are good people going to come in and disrupt me?" he asked.
Despite predictions that the number of gun permit applications will increase in the next several weeks, Heimbach doesn't anticipate more guns will be on the streets.
"I think most people interested in carrying guns already have them. I don't see society at any more of a risk."
INSURANCE IMPLICATIONS
State Farm Insurance agent Rolf Flaig doesn't see society facing additional risk because of the new policy. Nor does he anticipate changes in liability insurance. Whether guns will increase problems for businesses, he said, remains to be seen.
"I really don't think that it will be that big of an issue from an insurance standpoint. The losses that will come from the conceal and carry law, if there are any, won't require increased premiums," Flaig said.
Premiums are typically set based on the amount of exposure a business has to liability, whether it is measured by the square footage of the store or the volume of sales, according to Flaig. Their tolerance of guns on the premises won't play a part, he said, at least not yet.
"It is so new on the radar scope that I haven't even given it thought. Oftentimes, we don't think of things as an issue until after something happens," he said.
FOLLOWING A LEAD
Many Duluth businesses trying to decide whether to allow guns are taking the lead from similar businesses in states that already allow concealed weapons, like Texas, Peterson said.
"The businesses are going to mimic what their businesses in other states are doing, and are going to wait and see how it goes," he said.
Stephen Bianchi, president of Wells Fargo Duluth, said a decision is in the making. Because the bank has offices in states having similar laws, the company has precedents to follow.
Wells Fargo has never allowed employees to carry weapons on company property or at company-sponsored events, Bianchi said, because it wants to maintain a safe and nonconfrontational work environment.
The same motives affect what policy to enact for customers.
"Our assessment of the conceal-and-carry law is really to formulate a policy that will help create a safe environment for our customers to take care of their personal financial business while in a Wells Fargo store location," Bianchi said.
ENFORCEMENT DIFFICULT
Although Flaig believes insurance policy will not change with the new law, there may be exceptions. If businesses post signs forbidding guns but don't enforce their own rules, they could possibly be held liable if a gun incident occurs.
Some business owners are frustrated because they aren't sure they could enforce gun restrictions if they wanted to.
Dean Cox, owner of Good Times Liquor and Tobacco, 32 W. First St., said he won't forbid people from bringing guns into his store because he can't guarantee they won't get through.
"I don't know how I'd stop them. I could say 'no guns allowed,' but in this neighborhood, nobody pays attention to the existing laws anyways," he said.
Peterson said the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce has been answering questions from concerned business owners. The Duluth Chamber has faxed information from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce to all member businesses addressing the finer points of the Minnesota Personal Protection Act.
"I think there is an element of the unknown here. I don't think anybody wants to allow guns in their places of business," Peterson said.
"There are a lot of sign shops that will probably be very, very busy once businesses start realizing what's happening."
