Well, disturbing new development for this locally owned Arizona chain, probably doomed the moment they started expanding into California, but I've been patronizing them once or twice a week for the last 9 years and for the first time today saw the No Weapons stickers with x's through knives and guns in the doors. This is at their stand alone theater in Prescott Valley, AZ, I had only seen stickers before on their in-mall locations where it was mall policy and not the theater's. Anyhow, asked the manager and they said that it wasn't a new policy but they just started putting the stickers up. I find it strange that it's not new because I've been carrying every time I have visited the theater in the last 6 years that I've been old enough to carry, both concealed and openly depending on the day and what else I was doing. I was asked to leave after talking to the manager because I was carrying at the time (well, he told me to put it in the car before I came back). They said it was because they want to promote a 'family environment', as if that has any meaning. I'm sure the Theater in Aurora was a family environment too considering the babies that were shot at their midnight showing of an R rated movie.
Anyhow, I wrote an email to their customer service department, copied below, not sure what else there is to say about it.
I am writing today because I am disappointed with a new development at one (or perhaps all?) of your theaters, Prescott Valley in particular. I have been a patron of this theater and your other locations since I first moved to Arizona in 2004 and I and my family have been attending movies at Harkins about once or twice per week during that time. But today was the first time that I saw the 'No Weapons' stickers at the door, I asked the manager of this location about them and was told that the stickers were just recently placed there, and I was asked to leave with my firearm as I was carrying a firearm at the time and I have been doing on every visit in the last 6 years that I have been old enough to do so legally. Normally I carry concealed however this is certainly not the first time I have carried openly (particularly on a weekend or when I plan to go shooting before or after the trip to the movies) into this location but I was told by the manager that this is because Harkins is a 'Family Environment'. I'm not sure how that has anything to do with a person carrying a firearm legally for the defense of themselves and their family, and a public location that does not allow the average law abiding citizen to carry a firearm does certainly not become a safe haven. Nearly every mass shooting site in recent history has been a legal 'gun free zone' and we can see how well that has worked for them. I am afraid because of this change and the denial of a lawful person's right to defend themselves, a right which the state of Arizona in particular has a long history of embracing, I can no longer justify bringing myself or my family to your theaters. I guess it is good that there is another theater opening in the Prescott area soon and hopefully they will have a more pragmatic point of view. I will also be sure to make my friends and fellow lawful carriers of firearms know of this change in policy so that they too can evaluate for themselves what their priorities are.
Anyhow, I wrote an email to their customer service department, copied below, not sure what else there is to say about it.
I am writing today because I am disappointed with a new development at one (or perhaps all?) of your theaters, Prescott Valley in particular. I have been a patron of this theater and your other locations since I first moved to Arizona in 2004 and I and my family have been attending movies at Harkins about once or twice per week during that time. But today was the first time that I saw the 'No Weapons' stickers at the door, I asked the manager of this location about them and was told that the stickers were just recently placed there, and I was asked to leave with my firearm as I was carrying a firearm at the time and I have been doing on every visit in the last 6 years that I have been old enough to do so legally. Normally I carry concealed however this is certainly not the first time I have carried openly (particularly on a weekend or when I plan to go shooting before or after the trip to the movies) into this location but I was told by the manager that this is because Harkins is a 'Family Environment'. I'm not sure how that has anything to do with a person carrying a firearm legally for the defense of themselves and their family, and a public location that does not allow the average law abiding citizen to carry a firearm does certainly not become a safe haven. Nearly every mass shooting site in recent history has been a legal 'gun free zone' and we can see how well that has worked for them. I am afraid because of this change and the denial of a lawful person's right to defend themselves, a right which the state of Arizona in particular has a long history of embracing, I can no longer justify bringing myself or my family to your theaters. I guess it is good that there is another theater opening in the Prescott area soon and hopefully they will have a more pragmatic point of view. I will also be sure to make my friends and fellow lawful carriers of firearms know of this change in policy so that they too can evaluate for themselves what their priorities are.
