Group Protests Mariano's Over Allowing Guns in Suburban Stores

About a dozen protesters displayed signs advising motorists and pedestrians on Skokie Boulevard in Northbrook Tuesday morning that the newly opened Mariano’s grocery store allows customers to carry guns inside.

The protest, the first one planned in Peaceful Communities’ “Shop Safer” campaign, went “beautifully,” according to Lee Goodman, president of Peaceful Communities and organizer of the protest that drew residents from surrounding communities.

“We got a lot of attention from the motorists, so I would say it was successful,” said Goodman, who led the protest from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Goodman said a number of Mariano’s customers noticed their presence, as did some employees, who he said saw their signs and “were a little surprised themselves, to hear that Mariano’s allowed guns.”

“And they weren’t too happy about it.”

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Goodman, a Northbrook resident and native of nearby Glencoe, also said that having armed customers at venues such as grocery stores may be supported in other areas of the United States, but the trend locally is not so.

“We are hoping that grocery store management, not just at Mariano’s but everywhere, can start thinking about any reason they would have to allow guns in the stores. It seems like an issue they don’t want to think about and are hoping it will just go away.

“Anytime we talk to people, there are very strong feelings from people that you shouldn’t be able to carry while shopping,” he added, suggesting Mariano’s adopt a policy similar to one in place at Whole Foods Market and the nearby Garden Fresh Markets, where signs are posted disallowing firearms on the property.

Although in compliance with the law at their suburban locations, Mariano’s “can post signs if they don’t want guns,” according to Goodman.

While Goodman says he has not heard personally from Mariano’s officials, parent company Roundy’s issued the following statement on Monday, when the planned protest had been announced.

Roundy’s abides by all local firearm laws in the states in which we operate. In Illinois, concealed carry is allowed under the Illinois Firearm Concealed Carry Act, and unless otherwise limited in local ordinances, an individual in compliance with that Act is allowed in our stores. ... We respect that there are strong feelings on both sides of this issue and believe that our customers can be respectful to one another when shopping at our stores.”

Goodman is asking others opposed to carrying concealed weapons in grocery stores to ask store managers about their policies, and, “congratulate them if they have signs posted, and ask them to post signs if they do not.”