I checked today and the 30.06 "no CCW" signs have been removed! A big thanks
to everyone that took the time to contact the Lake Creek location!
On December 16th 2007, my wife and I went to
Alamo Drafthouse Lake Creek to see I am Legend
and I saw a 30.06 sign posted on the box office. This sign relates to
Texas Penal Code 30.06 and prevents a person licensed to
carry a concealed handgun from carrying
concealed at a business that has the sign posted. I sent the general manager
the following e-mail and CCed all their locations.
I've been a fan of Alamo Draft House since moving here a few years ago. The combination of great food, mainstream and off-beat movies makes it my first choice when picking a theater. However, my recent trip to the Lake Creek location made me feel like an unwelcome customer.
As I was purchasing tickets, I saw a Texas Penal Code 30.06 sign on the box office which states, "PURSUANT TO SECTION 30.06, PENAL CODE (TRESPASS BY HOLDER OF A LICENSE TO CARRY A CONCEALED HANDGUN) A PERSON LICENSED UNDER SUBCHAPTER H, CHAPTER 411, GOVERNMENT CODE (CONCEALED HANDGUN LAW), MAY NOT ENTER THIS PROPERTY WITH A CONCEALED HANDGUN." I was actually a bit insulted to see this. Getting a concealed handgun license involves fingerprinting, background checks and a mandatory ten-hour training class with a licensed instructor. It's extremely rare for a licensee to ever need to use their handgun. It's also extremely rare to have a licensee convicted of any crime. Police are generally more at-ease if they encounter a licensee during a routine traffic stop. They know that we've done the training, fingerprinting, background checks and have jumped through the hoops to obey the law and we're on their side.
Is disheartening to see such a good business that enjoys the protection of the 1st Amendment by offering a wide variety of movies and entertainment treat those that enjoy the protection of the 2nd as unwelcome customers. If Alamo Draft House truly does not want law-abiding concealed handgun licensees as their customers, then I will take my business elsewhere.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to your reply.
I received the following reply the next morning.
Hi Pete and thanks for writing. I have enclosed a link passed along
from another member of my management team that lists many commonly
asked questions and the appropriate answers from the Texas Department
of Public Safety Division of Handgun Licensing. There are several
answers to these questions that would qualify our choice to prevent
licensed handguns from being on the premise, however, the point most
applicable in this question and answer series is below:
"Q: Where can I not take my handgun? A: Handguns and other weapons can not be
carried at schools or on school buses, at polling places, in courts and court
offices, at racetracks and at secured airport areas. The law also specifically
prohibits handguns from businesses where alcohol is sold if more than half of
their revenue is from the sale of alcohol for on-premises consumption, and from
locations where high school, college or professional sporting events are taking
place. You may not carry handguns in hospitals or nursing homes, amusement
parks, places of worship or at government meetings if signs are posted
prohibiting them. Businesses also may post signs prohibiting handguns on their
premises based on criminal trespass laws."
Below is the link...
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/crime_records/chl/faq.htm
Ultimately, I most likely will not be able to make you feel better about our
choice. However, it is our choice. The same constitution that permits you to
carry a concealed handgun, supports our right as a business to not want the
handguns in our private business. While there are probably many responsible
members of society licensed to carry handguns, and you no doubt are one of them,
being the employer of 100 plus non-armed employees, I do support my businesses
decision to post that signage. Please feel free to contact me directly at
lauren@drafthouse.com
with further comments or concerns. Where this topic is concerned, however, I
do not have much else to say.
Yours,
Lauren S. Rogers
General Manager
Alamo Drafthouse Lake Creek
512.219.7803
by
GeoJAP on Mon Dec 17, 2007 2:28 pm
I have posted this as well on The High Road.
I actually just got off the phone with managers at all the locations in Austin.
I explained to them why I was calling. None of them except the manager at the
downtown/Ritz location knew what a 30.06 sign is. The downtown manager only knew
because of today's events. I explained to them what the sign was and why I was
calling.
South Lamar, The Ritz/downtown and The Village location do NOT have 30.06 signs
posted.
The Lake Creek location DOES have a 30.06 sign.
The manager at the Ritz/downtown location was very helpful and told me that the
Lake Creek location is a franchise, and the TABC had told her that she should
put the sign up, because the Lake Creek owner thought that more than 50% of
their sales were from alcohol. (This begs the question that a TABC 51% sign is
more appropriate, even if the basis for it is probably inaccurate.)
The manager of the downtown location continued and asked me if there had been
something happen on the internet where some group got a hold of some information
or something, because their offices had received a steady stream of calls and
emails all day. For her edification, I told her about the High Road and
TexasCHLForum.com, explaining we were law-abiding Second Amendment supporters
and firearms collectors/enthusiasts who think the right to self defense is very
important, and that it had been posted there. She asked if I could tell everyone
that they (the rest of the Alamo theaters and especially hers) have no issue at
all with licensed individuals carrying on their property.
I thanked her for her time and told her that, of course, it is her property and
she can do as she likes, but we all very much appreciated her choice. She was a
very nice woman and it was a nice chat.
It sounds to me like the manager at Lake Creek might not understand all the
details of the penal code regarding concealed carry in Texas. I bet if she had
an open mind to understanding the few extra things that she needs to learn about
CHLs, she would probably take down that 30.06 sign. I believe that she thinks
that she possibly gets greater than 50% of her revenue from alcohol (which is
unlikely), so she needs a 30.06 sign. It is probably a misunderstanding that
could be cleared up.
Please pass along this info to friends, family and fellow shooters in the Austin
area. Let them know that Alamo Drafthouse Lake Creek does not allow legal
carry of concealed handguns and does not deserve our business, and please let
Ms. Rogers know about your position on this matter. Thank you.