Watch CBS News

Gun Owners Organize Boycotts Of Shops That Ban Firearms

CHICAGO (CBS) -- In a growing movement on social media, many gun owners are making it known they won't spend their money in shops where they're not allowed to carry their firearms.

WBBM Newsradio's Mike Krauser reports the boycott movement is called "No Guns = No Money."

Terre Haute, Indiana, gun shop owner Steve Ellis started the "No Guns = No Money" community page on Facebook on Aug. 22, and as of Tuesday morning, it had more than 1,700 likes. A "No Guns = No Money Illinois" group on Facebook has 83 members, and has posts dating back to April 2013.

The pages list businesses that don't allow firearms on the premises.

"What we're basically saying is 'Look, if the people who are pro-firearms now don't make a statement with their money, then eventually we may see more and more establishments that are putting these signs up,'" Ellis said.

Podcast

Ellis said he and other supporters of the movement don't believe guns should be allowed everywhere, but said if some businesses elect not to allow guns on their premises, they should know some gun owners are willing to boycott.

"When we go and choose to spend our money at these establishments, it's basically we're voting every single day, and we're voting with our money. What we're doing, is we're telling this establishment that we're okay with you saying you don't want guns in your establishment. So, if we are going to do that, that's going to cause more and more establishments to feel comfortable putting up those same signs," he added.

He told the story of a local restaurant which is part of a national chain that doesn't allow guns, and was the subject of a boycott by gun owners before the Facebook campaign began.

"We told them that we're going to oblige them. We're not going to spend our money there, but not only that, but we were going to educate other people if they want to have their firearm, that they weren't welcome in their establishment," Ellis said.

He said, about 30 days later, the no guns sign came down.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.