'Buns not Guns': Anti-Gun Group Wants Mariano's to Ban Firearms in Stores

Anti-gun protesters presented a petition with more than 600 signatures to the Mariano’s grocery store in Northbrook last week asking the chain to post signs prohibiting customers from bringing guns into their 33 Chicagoland stores.

“Guns in grocery stores are a real and unnecessary danger to children,” said Lee Goodman, an organizer of the protest. “Shopping carts have child-seats built into them. The grocery stores encourage parents to bring their children along when they shop for their families’ food. No parent we have heard from wants people carrying guns in those grocery stores.”

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According to Goodman, if Mariano’s posts the signs prohibiting guns in their stores, nearly 120,000 Illinois residents with concealed carry permits will know they are not allowed to bring the guns into the stores.

“It’s simple, and it wouldn’t cost Mariano’s a penny,” Goodman said.

Signs from the two dozen or so protesters included sayings such as “Lox not Glocks,” Halvah not Revolvah,” and “Pretzels not Pistols.”

Some others: Burgers not Rugers; Cokes not Colts; Briskets not Muskets; Bagels not Bullets; Bananas not Berettas; Buns not Guns; Wesson Oil not Smith & Wesson; Signs Up, Guns Out; and Signs Save Lives.

Mariano’s has been in line with local ordinances in either allowing or not allowing guns in their various Chicagoland stores. But Goodman says they should take a more proactive role against them.

“Illinois law allows all stores to post signs that prohibit the carrying of guns. Mariano’s refuses to post the signs, and they won’t even tell us why,” he said.