Charleston Crab House hates Gun Owners

John Canuck · Feb 21, 2013

http://www.abcnews4.com/story/21255906/ ... with-a-gun

With regard to S 308 Restaurant Carry:

(John) Keener says no matter what, he has already made his decision in the matter. If the measure is passed, he says he fears backlash.

"I would say absolutely no guns in my restaurant at all, but then they would probably boycott you because you're a no-gun restaurant," he said.

What? That is about the dumbest thing ever written by a business owner. You tell people you don't want them in your restaurant, then blame them when they don't come?

I'll be sending him an e-mail informing him my business goes elsewhere... nicely of course

[email protected]

04ctd · Feb 21, 2013

you oughta post this all over Craigslist:

"Save money on those ridiculous ATM fees, free money for the taking: come by late at night with a ski mask and make a withdrawal from our Cash Drawer at Charleston Crab house........"

P-1 · Feb 21, 2013

04ctd said:
you oughta post this all over Craigslist:

"Save money on those ridiculous ATM fees, free money for the taking: come by late at night with a ski mask and make a withdrawal from our Cash Drawer at Charleston Crab house........"

Well you might as well get some food to go while your there. Not like it would cost anything.

John Canuck · Feb 21, 2013

I don't want him to get robbed (any more or less than anyone else, or any more than they already have been) but I do want him to hear from many polite responsible gun owners who will be dining elsewhere.

MCA · Feb 21, 2013

For what it is worth I sent him a very polite email and this is what I received back:

Mike
I am a gum owner ? have my CWP- and have been I the restaurant business 30 years-owned over 15 restaurants - never had a incident with guns other than being robbed 2 times but I invite you to come down and walk a week in my shoes.
I am not worried about the normal guys like you with CWP and are responsible citizens but I am worried about the ones that are not worthy of having a permit yet still have CWP. Why mix alcohol and guns? I have seen what problems it causes in bars and restaurants ? have you?
I have heard from some CWP holders over the last few days- very alarming/threaten emails- also have been approached by the others that are gun owners and understand our position on this matter. I ask that you don?t get so one sided until you see how we have to deal with it daily. Come visit ? you don?t have to buy anything- I will buy lunch

John Keener
"IT'S FUN TO BE CRABBY"
843-762-4507
Watch our Crab House video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCLv0zS0xxE

Personally I only rent "gum" but hey, I like that he replied. So...I guess if you are in the area and want a free lunch drop him a line regarding this bill. I responded by thanking him for the reply and asking him that since he was a CWP holder does he carry at work and/or have any guns at work for protection, especially since he has been robbed twice? I'll let you know if he sends a reply. Not that it surprises me but it is discouraging to hear him say that he has received threatening emails. That does no one any good.

Thanks for all of the great updates John.

armaborealis · Feb 22, 2013

Hit.

Sounds like a Fudd: "Freedom for me but not for you." After all, he can carry in the Charleston Crab House, so why does he give a elephant dung about your safety?

The "I'm a gun owner, but..." people are huge limfacs. :evil:

11B3XCIB · Feb 22, 2013

I'd tell him it's still going to be illegal to CONSUME alcohol while carrying with your CWP. What's being made legal is you can be in an establishment that serves it. His phrase "mixing guns and alcohol" is totally baseless and is merely an excuse. If he's been robbed ONCE and didn't do anything about it, I can't say I feel sympathy for the 2nd time. The man has been robbed twice, yet more than likely doesn't carry at work (haven't seen an owner/manager NOT drink at a restaurant) and will refuse to allow law abiding citizens to do so. Also, it's not up to him to decide who's "worthy" of carrying a firearm. That's the point of the permit. He reminds me of the hunters that don't care about 30 round magazines and ARs because their hunting rifles aren't on the chopping block.

Charleston's got much better restaurants, anyhow.

Avtomat-Acolyte · Feb 22, 2013

His restaurant sells alcohol.

His restaurant has a parking lot.

His restaurant promotes drunk driving.

Seriously, though. I don't live my life based on the whims of this guy or others. Nothing he says changes my life and clearly he's a bigoted piece of sheisse.

John Canuck · Feb 22, 2013

I got the same reply, including the gum (cut and paste?). I declined his offer for free lunch and reminded him that I've already been through this in Virginia. In 2009 and in 2010, when the bill passed, I spoke in committee about restaurant carry. I've heard ALL of the arguments about blood running in the isles, shootouts over bar tabs, massacres at Applebees. None of those predictions has come true in Virginia, nor will they.

As a side note, I was openly carrying a 1911 both times I spoke in committee in Virginia. There were at least 15 or 20 other people openly carrying firearms in the room, yet, professional restaurant types would get up and proclaim gun owners to be a bunch of hot headed cowboys who couldn't be trusted. Now, if you really believed that gun carriers were a group of crazy, murderous lunatics, would you go into a room of them and insult them? These people make these arguments up to be inflammatory. We just need to keep hitting them with the facts.

I also asked him that since according to him, some gun carriers could not be trusted, how he knew there weren't one or more getting drunk at his bar right now in violation of the law. No answer yet.

PCShogun · Feb 22, 2013

Guys,

I am one of the converts. When the issue of concealed carry came to South Carolina, I was one of those who feared "Blood in the streets" and "Shootouts on the corners". But I am also one of those who am swayed by facts, and the fact was, it didn't happen. In fact, I felt I began to feel safer knowing I had friends around me who had a firearm in the event it were ever necessary. Thankfully, it has never been. I now car carry my own weapon and will likely conceal carry if this law passes as currently too many places deny that right.

If I can be won over, I know others can be won over as well. The biggest obstacle is the media who sensationalize the issue by giving only half the information. They say the law will allow concealed carry at bars but neglect to say that consumption of alcohol will be illegal while carrying a weapon. I believe sitting at the bar itself will be illegal while carrying. Many of the comments I have read already are along the line of, "Oh Great idea, armed AND drunk". People are ignorant of the facts and the expect the media to inform them. That is not happening.

John Canuck · Feb 22, 2013

I'm glad you came over from the dark side.

Yeah, the media is not on our side. We just get the word out one by one. I learned a long time ago that while it is somewhat important to rebut the bad info in the comment section of the news sites, most of those commenters are too lazy to bother emailing or calling their representatives. The real battle is in getting the on the fence types to vote right, and to make those voting wrong aware that their are consequences.

armaborealis · Feb 23, 2013

I have previously lived in a state where you could carry -- openly or concealed -- and drink alcohol. You just could not possess a firearm while intoxicated, and the legal definition referenced the DUI law (0.08 in that state I believe).

Somehow I managed to go to dinner, have a glass of wine with a nice steak, and not shoot anyone. I was also able to drive home without incident. I could even go to a bar and have a beer or two over the course of a 3-hr football game without shooting up the place. Go figure.

The same laws that apply to driving should apply to carrying a gun: if I can legally get behind the wheel of a 2000-lb death machine flying at 70 MPH delivering 32,500+ ft-lbs of energy onto a target, I am also capable of carrying a sidearm capable of putting a measly 570 ft-lbs of energy onto a target.

Now, I wouldn't want to have to explain to a jury why I had any alcohol in my system if I had a defensive gun usage, but a good shoot is still a good shot.

South Carolina's views on firearms are pretty restrictive. I'd say that SC is probably among the worst of the "shall issue" states. It was among the last of the states to adopt "shall issue," open carry/permitless carry is still prohibited, there are a ton of places off-limits, gunbuster signs carry the force of law and there's no restaurant carry. The only positive is decent pre-emption and pretty good castle doctrine. Yet people who live in SC think their state's gun laws are awesome. I don't get it.

Avtomat-Acolyte · Feb 23, 2013

armaborealis said:
Yet people who live in SC think their state's gun laws are awesome. I don't get it.

Awesome when compared to this state a few years ago.

Draconian and oppressive when compared to the US Constitution.

V65Magnafan · Feb 23, 2013

Any chance that by publicizing, he hopes to attract New Jersey-New York-Massachusetts-tourists who don't want to be near anyone with a gun?
I have New Jersey relatives. They really think that way.

Maybe I need another cup of coffee.

urbancommandox · Feb 23, 2013

Their prices are horrible anyway.

Chili · Feb 24, 2013

To me the quality of their food is not comparable to the high menu prices. When it comes to food, there are much better options than Charlesto Crab House.

Avtomat-Acolyte · Feb 24, 2013

Chili said:
To me the quality of their food is not comparable to the high menu prices. When it comes to food, there are much better options than Charlesto Crab House.

A couple weeks ago I ate there for the first time. They had advertised "All You Can Eat Crab Legs" for a while... when I showed up they informed me that it was only for the month of January. I missed it by a couple of days. Great.

After the wife and I finished our meals we agreed that we would only be dining at Gilligan's and Hyman's from now on.

As an aside, none of the three restaurants I mentioned have metal detectors and their staff are not psychic, nor do they frisk search you.

Lupinus · Feb 24, 2013

Avtomat-Acolyte said:
Chili said:

To me the quality of their food is not comparable to the high menu prices. When it comes to food, there are much better options than Charlesto Crab House.

Click to expand...

A couple weeks ago I ate there for the first time. They had advertised "All You Can Eat Crab Legs" for a while... when I showed up they informed me that it was only for the month of January. I missed it by a couple of days. Great.

After the wife and I finished our meals we agreed that we would only be dining at Gilligan's and Hyman's from now on.

As an aside, none of the three restaurants I mentioned have metal detectors and their staff are not psychic, nor do they frisk search you.

First time I went, the food actually wasn't to bad.

I gave them two more chances in two different locations, one of which was one of the few times in my life I have left a penny tip, the other was the one next to the market (the one we had went to the first time where the food was OK). We'll not be going back.

TheSwampFox · Feb 24, 2013

+1 on Gilligan's

I also like Bowen's Island Restaurant

I have only been to the Crab Shack on James Island and was not impressed. I would say the owners ignorant comments would cause me to take my business elsewhere but I already do that.

The Crab Shacks are tourist traps meant to fool Yankees used to eating at Captain D's into thinking they are eating good seafood.

Chili · Feb 24, 2013

Avtomat-Acolyte said:
Chili said:

To me the quality of their food is not comparable to the high menu prices. When it comes to food, there are much better options than Charlesto Crab House.

Click to expand...

A couple weeks ago I ate there for the first time. They had advertised "All You Can Eat Crab Legs" for a while... when I showed up they informed me that it was only for the month of January. I missed it by a couple of days. Great.

After the wife and I finished our meals we agreed that we would only be dining at Gilligan's and Hyman's from now on.

As an aside, none of the three restaurants I mentioned have metal detectors and their staff are not psychic, nor do they frisk search you.

Unfortunately i am not surprised at the quality of food you had there. So far I have received great food and service at Fleet Landing. It might be an option.