ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Open carry is now permitted, allowing gun owners to openly carry their firearms in many public places across Florida.
Firearms instructor Joe Yagar, owner of Executive Gun, is ready for the change but knows not everyone is.
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“It’s going to be an adjustment period. Like anything else,” he told Tampa Bay 28 in a Sept. 10 interview.
Florida businesses will be a key part of the adjustment. Although open carry isn’t allowed in places like bars, schools, and police stations, it is permitted in businesses such as grocery stores, shops, and some restaurants. However, the owners of those establishments have a right to prohibit firearms, whether they are carried concealed or openly.
Chris Steinocher, the President and CEO of the St. Pete Area Chamber of Commerce, is urging businesses to prepare now.
“I really believe it’s going to create an opportunity for dialogue that’s probably been needed,” Steinocher said Thursday.
His advice to business owners? Be aware that open carry has arrived. You might see people in public places carrying handguns, rifles, and shotguns. Business owners also need to decide whether or not they will allow guns inside their businesses.
The St. Pete Chamber, in partnership with the St. Pete Police Department, is offering free stickers to member businesses that want to prohibit firearms. The stickers can be adhered to a business’s entrance as a clear notice to visitors.
Though business owners can ask a gun carrier to leave even without a sticker or sign, Steinocher believes the effort will help prevent unnecessary confrontations.
“Quite frankly, it’s a felony if someone comes into an establishment that says no trespassing with a gun. That’s a third-degree felony, so I don’t think people want to get themselves into that kind of trouble,” he said.
Stickers can be picked up at the St. Pete Store & Visitors Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Steinocher pointed out that most other states already allow open carry.
“Somehow, we’re going to get through this together,” he said.
“For me, it’s about equal rights on both sides,” Steinocher continued. “Let’s understand the new rules, and let’s make sure that we keep the peace in St. Pete and keep the cash registers flowing.”
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