Protest Planned as Mariano's Opens New Northbrook Store

Anti-firearm protesters are planning to protest against Mariano’s allowing guns in their suburban stores Tuesday morning during a grand opening ceremony of the chain’s newest location in Northbrook.

“Mariano’s doesn’t let people carry guns in its Chicago stores,” said Lee Goodman of Peaceful Communities, an organizer of the protest, “Why should people in the suburbs shop in a store that isn’t even trying to keep its customers safe? Why shouldn’t we have the same protection that people in Chicago do?”

The protest is set to begin around 8:30 a.m. just north of the corner of Dundee Road and Skokie Boulevard.

According to a media advisory, the protest is in connection to the store’s police to allow guns at locations in which it is legal to do so.

“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,” according to a statement released by Mariano’s on Monday. “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.”

The store at 748 Skokie Boulevard will open its doors to the public for the first time at 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

Goodman said that he has asked Mariano’s corporate office to post “no guns” signs at the new store, as allowed by Illinois law, but that the company has refused.