Toledo convenience store owners anxiously await April 8

While Toledo police officials held a public seminar for carryout owners, and offered a few (very passive) tips on self-protection, it is clear that these business-people were not convinced that simply improving their security cameras would deter future crimes.

In a March 22 report, WTVG 13 ABC quotes police sources as saying that "probably 40 percent of those in [CCW] training are people in convenience stores or quick convenience businesses."

This won't come as a surprise to frequent readers of this website. In a December 2002 post, we highlighted a Columbus Business First news story which revealed that the Ohio Association of Convenience Stores supports concealed carry reform.

"The group is represented by the 3,300-member Ohio Council of Retail Merchants, and Josh Sanders, legislative affairs director for the group, said mom-and-pop owners like the idea of being able to conceal a weapon.

'They would like to see it pass and feel it would give those coming into stores with bad intentions some major thought,' Sanders said."

Everything won't be perfect in Glass City carryouts come April 8, however. Carryout owner Nabil Shaheen told 13ABC that while he already has a gun in his store, he isn't applying for the concealed carry permit. In fact, he plans to put up a sign barring CHL-holders from his business.

Still, it's great news that convenience store owners are obtaining CHLs en-masse. The more they "shout it from the rooftops", the more of a deterrent to robbery this effort will prove to be. We're only left to wonder if, when these vicious robberies become less frequent, the Toledo police bureaucrats will try to claim credit for it.

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