Wegmans and Walgreens ask customers not to openly carry guns in its stores

by: John Lynch and CNN

Posted: Sep 5, 2019 / 04:15 PM EDT / Updated: Sep 5, 2019 / 04:49 PM EDT

Wheeling, W.VA (WTRF) – Walgreens and supermarket chain Wegmans Food Markets Inc said on Thursday they would start asking customers to not openly carry firearms in their stores

“There’s nothing more important than the safety of our customers & employees. The sight of someone with a gun can be alarming and we don’t want anyone to feel that way at Wegmans. For this reason, we prefer that customers not openly carry firearms into our stores.” @Wegmans

Walgreens announced a statement Thursday on its website, saying:

“We are joining other retailers in asking our customers to no longer openly carry firearms into our stores other than authorized law enforcement officials.”

Unlike Walmart and Kroger, Walgreens did not say in its Thursday announcement that it plans to pressure elected officials gun reform legislation. However, the company did tweet at advocacy group Moms Demand Action and its leader Shannon Watts thanking them for their work on this issue. Watts said Moms Demand had been pushing Walmart and Kroger to stop allowing open carry since 2014, and Walgreens since 2015.

It joins fellow retailers Walmart and Kroger, which announced similar policies the day before.