Bi-Lo Grocery Chain Open Carry and Firearms Policy

[XaqFixx]

A few months back I was open carrying at Bi-Lo Grocery Store and missed their no weapons sign. The manager was very supportive and said she supports open carry but that a customer had complained. I apologized and took my gun to the truck where I unloaded, disassembled, and locked part of it up, keeping the slide with me. After meeting back up with my wonderful wife back in the store, finishing our shopping, and heading out I took a few pictures of their sign and had my wife try to fine the No Weapons sign as well - she finally found it.

The real excitement came when I looked at the signage requirements in North Carolina (Open Carry state) and South Carolina (Concealed Carry state where I live and hold my permit). I wrote a letter to Bi-Lo's HQ and recieved a response saying that their policy is pro-safety and "This is the same policy adopted by all other major retail chains of which we are aware." but that they would review their signs in order to comply with state law.

I replied with several examples of local, regional, and national chains that explicitly allow carry in their stores (along with links to verification of those policies) but never heard back. It has been over 3 months since I contacted them the first time and their signs have not been updated - I fear things will get worse as they have now bought Winn Dixie and are likely spreading their bad policy, disregard for facts, and signage that fails both common sense and legal standards to that chain as well.

Full details of the my chronicles with Bi-Lo can be followed Link Removed on my site.
Link Removed
p.s. - I have not had an issue with Open Carry at the Harris Teeter or Target both within walking distance of the nearest Bi-Lo.

 

[Andrew17]

Wow, that is microscopic. It's sad to see this policy in so many places, but if they actually want law-abiders to leave their guns in the truck, then they need to be a little more obvious.

 

[eagleeyes]

lolz i wouldn't have seen that no guns permitted sign either!
i really liked this idea '' keeping the slide with me.''! now that is something i may use being i don't have a vehicle safe yet and if i ever need to leave my gun in my vehicle that is a very smart thing to do!

i just came back from running errands the first time out carrying concealed no problems no one even gave me an evil eye so i'm good to go ..went to the liquor store for some smokes and had to get my raspberry fix so i went to our local grocer 'winn dixie' and got my raspberries already ate a package and fixin' to eat the other one very very soon.....but a cop was standing with radar on me as i was going five miles over the speed limit on the way home......i hope i don't get a ticket in the mail........

 

[CLM1911]

In S.C. those signs are not compliant with S.L.E.D./CWP regulations.

SECTION 23-31-235. Sign requirements.

(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, any requirement of or allowance for the posting of signs prohibiting the carrying of a concealable weapon upon any premises shall only be satisfied by a sign expressing the prohibition in both written language interdict and universal sign language.

(B) All signs must be posted at each entrance into a building where a concealable weapon permit holder is prohibited from carrying a concealable weapon and must be:

(1) clearly visible from outside the building;

(2) eight inches wide by twelve inches tall in size;

(3) contain the words “NO CONCEALABLE WEAPONS ALLOWED” in black one inch tall uppercase type at the bottom of the sign and centered between the lateral edges of the sign;

(4) contain a black silhouette of a handgun inside a circle seven inches in diameter with a diagonal line that runs from the lower left to the upper right at a forty five degree angle from the horizontal;

(5) a diameter of a circle; and

(6) placed not less than forty inches and not more than sixty inches from the bottom of the building’s entrance door.

(C) If the premises where concealable weapons are prohibited does not have doors, then the signs contained in subsection (A) must be:

(1) thirty six inches wide by forty eight inches tall in size;

(2) contain the words “NO CONCEALABLE WEAPONS ALLOWED” in black three inch tall uppercase type at the bottom of the sign and centered between the lateral edges of the sign;

(3) contain a black silhouette of a handgun inside a circle thirty four inches in diameter with a diagonal line that is two inches wide and runs from the lower left to the upper right at a forty five degree angle from the horizontal and must be a diameter of a circle whose circumference is two inches wide;

(4) placed not less than forty inches and not more than ninety six inches above the ground;

(5) posted in sufficient quantities to be clearly visible from any point of entry onto the premises.

Bi-Lo (and all of their sister stores, conglomerates, etc.) are erroneous in their attitude toward the carrying of legal firearms by their customers, and their mealy mouthed attempt to prevent people from carrying in their stores. If they are serious, then they should post the proper signs, and lose a large customer base while they are at it. I generally don't shop there, but certainly would avoid them one-hundred percent if they were to do so with their signs.