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Oh yea, I'm not giving up on this just yet. See the way I see it is I have a lot of free time right now at work as I'm in the car business and it is slow. I figure I have at least 20 companies with a long list of executives that need to receive an email from me. Also working hard to get my friends/relatives/people around here with CHL's to do the same. I'm not gonna pester the same people over and over with it, but I'm going to let the issue be known to as many people that could have influence on the situation as possible.

I've emailed the Mall management company twice. No response.

Response from Bealls.

Thank you for your comments regarding the Longview Mall store. We take your comments seriously. It has always been the policy of Bealls to make our stores as safe as possible for everyone, and we are committed to excellence in customer service for all of our patrons.

It is our understanding that it is within the rights of our landlord to establish a policy regarding the prohibition of concealed handguns in the mall. As a tenant, we are obligated contractually to comply with mall regulations. As our customer, your concerns are our concerns. We strive to create an atmosphere where all of our customers are comfortable, and I am disappointed and concerned that you no longer feel safe visiting our store due to the mall’s new policy.

We urge you to contact mall management to express your concerns regarding their new policy. Per your request, we will also follow up with Simon regarding this new policy. Thank you for contacting us.

Sincerely,
Ernie Cruse
Executive Vice President, Store Operations

If anyone is in the Longview, Tyler area that reads this I would encourage you to write the mall and every business in it. It doesn't take very long and the results I have gotten so far are far more positive than I expected. If these places are bombarded with letters / emails from the concerned public and they realize that they might lose customers over this it could have an effect. If I don't have a response from the mall or certain other businesses at the mall in a week, I will be resending the email. Persistence can pay off.

I received a response from the District Manager for Dillards. Looks like it is at least making the rounds.

I am in receipt of your letter as I supervise the group of stores to which
the Longview store belongs. Thank you for taking the time to write. I
have forwarded your email to our Real Estate office so that they can take
a look at the information you have provided. I do not know if there is
anything we can do, but it is now in their hands.

Sincerely,
Mark Gastman
Vice President
District Manager

Here is sears response:



Thank you for your recent correspondence. We are always interested in
hearing from our customers, and regret it was this type of situation
that prompted you to contact us. Please accept our apology for any
inconvenience you may have encountered with the Mall's concealed handgun
policy.

By sharing your concerns, you have enabled us to address the issues and
provide feedback to the appropriate person. Truly, your remarks provide
forthright feedback that will enable Sears to achieve excellence in
everything we do.

Once again, we apologize for the situation with the Mall's concealed
handgun policy, and thank you for contacting us.


Sincerely,
Miguel G,
Retail Customer Care
Sears Holdings Corporation

Just checked my email and received a response from Dillards....

Your letter is being forwarded to the District Manager for assistance.
Thank you for taking the time to e-mail us.

Monica
questions@dillards.com


At least it might be getting into the right persons hands!

roberts wrote:

bobbyb0322 wrote:I have now contacted every business that is in the mall that I could find an email address for and I may end up sending letters to the ones that don't have websites. I'm sure I am wasting my time but it does feel good to voice my displeasure with the situation. Will let you all know if I get anything back.

Interested if you get any reply except form letters from the big anchor stores.

Thats kinda what I am thinking. I am sure these letters go to some customer service at their main location. I'm thinking about sending actual letters to the stores addressed to the store manager as well. Also I'm getting all of my friends who have CHL's to do the same. I'm even thinking about writing a letter to our local newspaper. I have some free time, might as well use it constructively.

I have now contacted every business that is in the mall that I could find an email address for and I may end up sending letters to the ones that don't have websites. I'm sure I am wasting my time but it does feel good to voice my displeasure with the situation. Will let you all know if I get anything back.

austinrealtor wrote:

bobbyb0322 wrote:

boomerang wrote:

Oldgringo wrote:Is that the only place to shop in Longview?

Legal issues aside, I'd rather give my money to people who aren't antigun.

I have already emailed the company that owns the mall and stated my opinion on the matter and let them know that my business was lost. I know it won't change anything but I am letting all my friends with CHL's know and I am sure they will email the mall as well and not shop there anymore. Anything that is sold there I can get elsewhere so there is no need to return.1

***edited to note that it appears Steve beat me to the same point about 10 minutes before I posted this***

IANAL, but it seems you have shot yourself in the proverbial foot twice now regarding your ability to ever carry at this mall while 30.06 is posted at ANY entrance.

1. as stated previously, your posting on a public board that you know that 30.06 is posted at some entrances ... so the "it wasn't posted at Sears and I didn't see it at the main mall entrance" argument won't fly if you ever had to go to trial.

2. you've written to the mall to voice your displeasure with their 30.06 decision. Thus now THEY know that YOU know. You have effectively given up ANY chance of carrying legally inside that mall regardless of any loophole, perceived or otherwise.

I am not planning on going back to this mall, ever. When I publicly stated that I entered through Sears I also stated that I was unarmed which I was unarmed. I wanted to see if the signs were there. I was more or less posing this question to see what everyones thoughts on the subject were. I am very careful about what I do and where I carry. If there is even a question as to whether I am allowed to or not I err on the side of caution and leave it in the car or find somewhere else to take my business. I want them to know I know and I want them to know that they have lost my business as I will not support a business who isn't gun friendly.

I wish that were the case, not so many options here in Longview. If I want a new pair of Oakleys, the mall is the only place around that sells them. If I want tools from sears, thats the only one. I hate the mall to begin with, but occasionally I have the need to go there. I'll figure something else out now.

Oldgringo wrote:

bobbyb0322 wrote:

boomerang wrote:

Oldgringo wrote:Is that the only place to shop in Longview?

Legal issues aside, I'd rather give my money to people who aren't antigun.

I have already emailed the company that owns the mall and stated my opinion on the matter and let them know that my business was lost. I know it won't change anything but I am letting all my friends with CHL's know and I am sure they will email the mall as well and not shop there anymore. Anything that is sold there I can get elsewhere so there is no need to return.1

Letters to the anchor stores; e.g., Sears, Penny's, Macy's, Dillards, etc. will carry more weight because their rent is what keeps the mall open.

I thought about that after I sent the email to the mall. I'm going to send every company within the mall an email as well.

boomerang wrote:

Oldgringo wrote:Is that the only place to shop in Longview?

Legal issues aside, I'd rather give my money to people who aren't antigun.

I have already emailed the company that owns the mall and stated my opinion on the matter and let them know that my business was lost. I know it won't change anything but I am letting all my friends with CHL's know and I am sure they will email the mall as well and not shop there anymore. Anything that is sold there I can get elsewhere so there is no need to return.1

I agree that you would have to prove it in court. The problem with it being a seperate premesis is I went inside, unarmed, and looked to see if there was a sign at the entrance to the mall from within sears and there is not.

nitrogen wrote:

bobbyb0322 wrote:I drove around the mall and best I can tell there are 3 posted entrances to the mall itself that are direct into the main portion of the mall. There are 4 major retailers with multiple entrances on their stores that are not posted. The majority of entrances here are not even posted. I realize that I know I cannot carry into the mall. However, if someone who goes into the mall through Sears everytime I don't believe they have received proper notice that they are not to carry on the property.

It's an argument for the lawyers, basically.
The law says is displayed in a conspicuous manner clearly visible to the public."

I'm not a lawyer and don't know of any case law, but all I'll say is that if you get arrested, charged, and convicted of a 30.06 violation, even in the manner described above, you've made multiple errs:

1) Missed a conspicuous 30.06 sign meeting legal requirements
2) failed to conceal
3) failed to conceal in such a way that someone called the police, and not just asked you to leave

I agree completely on 2 and 3, this should never be an issue unless you have to pull your firearm in self defense. I'm not a lawyer either but I do have some educational background in CJ. I don't believe that it is in a conspicious manner if the majority of the places you can enter the building do not have the warning or for that matter a warning in view of said entrance or anywhere near it.