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ALDI, Meijer ask customers not to openly carry guns in stores

The two grocery chains are joining a list of other stores like Walmart and Kroger who've asked customers not to openly carry guns in their stores.
Credit: WBIR
Aldi in Bearden

Retailers ALDI and Meijer announced Monday they do not want customers to openly carry firearms in their grocery stores.

ALDI, which has locations in East Tennessee and Kentucky, tweeted Monday evening asking customers who are not law enforcement to refrain from openly displaying firearms in any of its stores.

"At ALDI, the safety of our employees, customers and the community is our highest priority. Alongside many other businesses, we are asking that our customers refrain from openly displaying firearms in any of our stores, except for authorized law enforcement personnel," it said.

The Midwest grocery store chain Meijer, which has several locations in Kentucky, also evaluated its policies after Walmart said last week it would stop selling handgun and short-barrel rifle ammunition and requested customers not openly carry firearms in its stores, even where state laws allow it. 

Walmart came to the decision on the heels of several mass shootings, including one in El Paso that occurred at a Walmart store. Twenty-two people were killed and 24 were injured in that shooting. 

RELATED: CVS, Walgreens urge against openly carrying guns in stores

RELATED: NRA fires back at Walmart's decision to stop selling certain ammunition

Meijer said in a tweet "The safety of our customers and team members is our top priority, so we respectfully request that our customers do not open carry firearms at Meijer."

Kentucky is an open carry state. Tennessee is not a traditional open carry state, but does allow open carry for those who've obtained Tennessee's enhanced handgun carry permit. The state's separate concealed handgun carry permit does not apply to open carry.

ALDI has more than 1,900 stores across 36 states, and Meijer has 242 stores across the Midwest. 

Walmart, Kroger, CVS, Walgreens, and others have also urged customers to refrain from openly carrying firearms in stores.

The National Rifle Association posted a tweet criticizing Walmart's announcement. 

"It is shameful to see Walmart succumb to the pressure of the anti-gun elites. Lines at Walmart will soon be replaced by lines at other retailers who are more supportive of America's fundamental freedoms," it said.

The Associated Press contributed to this reporting.  

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