CEO of Starbucks speaks out

Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, speaks out about his company being "thrust unwillingly" into the middle of the gun debate issue.

Most of this started when he stated that Starbucks would not ban weapons on the premises as many private companies have done. A lot of people took this to mean Starbucks was a Pro-gun company but in reality Starbucks is just a law abiding company.

We should have seen this coming as recently stores and their business has been getting interrupted by both Pro and Anti gun people use them as a stage.

Keeping this thread about this decision specifically may be tough but I'm wondering what your thoughts are about a business owner being pro or anti, Does it affect where you choose to spend your money? It doesn't for me and honestly I don't blame him. It was beginning to interrupt what is Starbucks number 1 job. Serving people coffee in a 3rd home environment. People from both sides seemed to want to use it as a staging ground for making a point.

I wonder how quickly the "I love guns and coffee" business dries up ..?

So my questions are:

1) Will you stop buying Starbucks product?
2) What are your thoughts about a business owner making this kind of a statement?

Here is his letter:

Dear Fellow Americans,

Few topics in America generate a more polarized and emotional debate than guns. In recent months, Starbucks stores and our partners (employees) who work in our stores have been thrust unwillingly into the middle of this debate. That’s why I am writing today with a respectful request that customers no longer bring firearms into our stores or outdoor seating areas.

From the beginning, our vision at Starbucks has been to create a “third place” between home and work where people can come together to enjoy the peace and pleasure of coffee and community. Our values have always centered on building community rather than dividing people, and our stores exist to give every customer a safe and comfortable respite from the concerns of daily life.

We appreciate that there is a highly sensitive balance of rights and responsibilities surrounding America’s gun laws, and we recognize the deep passion for and against the “open carry” laws adopted by many states. (In the United States, “open carry” is the term used for openly carrying a firearm in public.) For years we have listened carefully to input from our customers, partners, community leaders and voices on both sides of this complicated, highly charged issue.

Our company’s longstanding approach to “open carry” has been to follow local laws: we permit it in states where allowed and we prohibit it in states where these laws don’t exist. We have chosen this approach because we believe our store partners should not be put in the uncomfortable position of requiring customers to disarm or leave our stores. We believe that gun policy should be addressed by government and law enforcement — not by Starbucks and our store partners.

Recently, however, we’ve seen the “open carry” debate become increasingly uncivil and, in some cases, even threatening. Pro-gun activists have used our stores as a political stage for media events misleadingly called “Starbucks Appreciation Days” that disingenuously portray Starbucks as a champion of “open carry.” To be clear: we do not want these events in our stores. Some anti-gun activists have also played a role in ratcheting up the rhetoric and friction, including soliciting and confronting our customers and partners.

For these reasons, today we are respectfully requesting that customers no longer bring firearms into our stores or outdoor seating areas — even in states where “open carry” is permitted — unless they are authorized law enforcement personnel.

I would like to clarify two points. First, this is a request and not an outright ban. Why? Because we want to give responsible gun owners the chance to respect our request — and also because enforcing a ban would potentially require our partners to confront armed customers, and that is not a role I am comfortable asking Starbucks partners to take on. Second, we know we cannot satisfy everyone. For those who oppose “open carry,” we believe the legislative and policy-making process is the proper arena for this debate, not our stores. For those who champion “open carry,” please respect that Starbucks stores are places where everyone should feel relaxed and comfortable. The presence of a weapon in our stores is unsettling and upsetting for many of our customers.

I am proud of our country and our heritage of civil discourse and debate. It is in this spirit that we make today’s request. Whatever your view, I encourage you to be responsible and respectful of each other as citizens and neighbors.

Sincerely,

Howard Schultz

http://news.yahoo.com/starbucks-guns-in-stores-letter-140015379.html

 

it’s his right to believe/think what he wants. I don’t really care if a place if pro gun or not. but if a place is anti gun, and a place just like it is (neutral grounds or pro gun) than i may go to the other place instead. like panera bread, i kinda like their stuff better than Starbucks anyways. so if they are within sight of each other i go to panera bread anyways, but starbucks being like they are is not going to stop me from going there if i am traveling and want something. i don’t go to with place very much anyways so don’t really care either way.

 

Except law abiding gun owners.

They caved to the libs.

No more of my money will ever see the inside of a cash register at a Starbucks.

 

I won't go to Starbucks because it sucks this just gives me a better treason haha

 

I don't go to Starbucks because I don't drink coffee and don't really eat breakfast items.

 

Seems civil enough but it will get completely twisted by the polar sides of this issue

 

Funny how you fat fingered and typed treason...pretty fitting IMHO.

Most of these gun control measures are acts of treason against the law-abiding citizens of this country and the Constitution!

 

I don't go to Starbucks because I don't/can't/wouldn't pay $5 for coffee, and I'm allergic to it anyway... I prefer to support our local mom & pop coffee shops anyway...

Personally I don't care what their stance on the gun issue is, I'm totally pro-gun and as long as the government doesn't try to take them away, I'm happy...

 

headline news starbucks bans all guns except for LEO, and next shooting is at a starbucks.

sorry just seams like most the shooting are at gun free zones, where it is already illegal to carry a gun. but thats suppose to stop everyone......

 

It's ridiculous how people think that LEO's have different rights than the normal man.

Same constitution...same laws.

As much as I hate to even think the thought, maybe it will take a Starbucks getting shot up for this duesh to wake up and...wait for it...





























SMELL THE COFFEE

 

If they are "requesting" that we not bring in firearms, then that is one thing. But if any establishment that has the PC30.06 on it's window, I got back to my truck to leave, not to disarm.

 

I meat reason but some of their customers from what I have read on pretty much feel its treason.

 

I knew that Starbucks would eventually do this. It was only a matter of time. They can't piss off their leftist customers.
I typically try to avoid the left-leaning businesses, but sometimes it's not possible. For example, I always go to Chick Fil-A when I can instead of McDonalds. And I almost never go to Starbucks because it's expensive/overrated/extremely liberal. I also like to stay away from companies that are part of worker's unions, but that's not always easy either. However, the company I work for is somewhat liberal as well and I just put up with it.

If a company has good prices, good service, etc., then it ultimately doesn't matter.

 

He is free to do with his business as he sees fit,

as an ardent supporter of the 2nd amendment am free to spend my money elsewhere.

 

Corporate stance definitely makes me either patronize their business or not. Like, Chick-Fil-A is no place I would ever give my business. Walmart and their horrible living wages, the same thing - I will not give my money to them. Some I strongly disagree with, some I mildly disagree with, and some I support.

 

Would you be trading in your tacoma if this was Toyota saying this....I doubt it.

i'll still drink my coffee.

 

I don't Toyota would because they would lose a lot of customers and besides Toyota markets the Tacoma to outdoor loving people, hunters, and people who need a smaller truck with good capabilities

 

That's actually a good point. I don't know what corporate stance would make me change my vehicle. Mercedes made vehicles for the Third Reich, and it kind of tweaks me out (now that the cars are beautiful again), but I understand they rather had to. If Toyota said "F---Fukushima, let the reactor bleed into the ocean" then I'd begin looking at a new truck. Some corporations are too big to dole out opinions. Sounds like the Starbucks CEO made a tough decision he wanted no part of. For that, I definitely respect him as a leader.

 

My wife works at Starbucks so I won't stop going there but I don't agree with statement. He shouldn't have gone to requesting that people don't bring their weapons to the stores. Instead the letter should have reinforced the fact that Starbucks will abide by state laws for open carry and not on any side when it comes to firearms. Going back on his word for that makes it seem as if he switched sides on the issue.

 

Did anyone catch the part about it being a request and not an outright ban so as to not put their employees in a potentially harmful situation? I fail to see it as 'caving' at all but rather protecting their business from demonstrations by either side of the issue. Seems to me he's standing by the original policy of local laws with an asterisk of "be respectful".

As for LEOs being "above the law", I comprehend it as being on duty not elevating them above everyone else.