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Piedmont area - OC reports

Regular_Joe

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Aug 24, 2009
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Culpeper, Virginia, USA
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In the last week I have OC'd in Martins (Grocery), Wal-Mart, Target, Starbucks, Wal-Mart, China Inn, Pancho Villa (Culpeper OC Dinner - Wahoo!), and Wal-Mart (waaay too much time in Wal-Mart lately...).

Also, as a fairly new OC'er, I finally decided to try out a Bianchi belt - makes a *huge* difference in the way the gun&holster is supported. Tighter against the body - prevents most of the 'wiggle' factor. Great investment! Next: mag holder.
 

user

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And I wish they weren't always on Thursdays - I have a recurring Thursday evening obligation.
 

Regular_Joe

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SouthernBoy wrote:
In your original post about scheduling dinners, you had mentioned doing them in Warrenton as well. When do you think you might be doing one there? I would enjoy joining the group.
How about March? Do you have some other Warrenton OC folks that might like to attend? Where in Warrenton? My daughter serves/bartends in Molly's, but I don't know if they could handle a larger dinner party...
 

SouthernBoy

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Regular_Joe wrote:
SouthernBoy wrote:
In your original post about scheduling dinners, you had mentioned doing them in Warrenton as well. When do you think you might be doing one there? I would enjoy joining the group.
How about March? Do you have some other Warrenton OC folks that might like to attend? Where in Warrenton? My daughter serves/bartends in Molly's, but I don't know if they could handle a larger dinner party...
I'm not real familiar with Warrenton restaurants so I am open to suggestions. You had mentioned that Warrenton would probably be as far north as you would want to take this, and Warrenton works for me. I really don't know what's good for an OC dinner in that area.
 

Regular_Joe

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SouthernBoy wrote:
I'm not real familiar with Warrenton restaurants so I am open to suggestions. You had mentioned that Warrenton would probably be as far north as you would want to take this, and Warrenton works for me. I really don't know what's good for an OC dinner in that area.
Can any Warrenton/Opal/Bealton folks recommend a place in Warrenton for an OC dinner? I know there are a few chains, like Ruby Tuesday and Applebees, but I am not sure what the other local restaurants are.
 

SouthernBoy

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Regular_Joe wrote:
SouthernBoy wrote:
I'm not real familiar with Warrenton restaurants so I am open to suggestions. You had mentioned that Warrenton would probably be as far north as you would want to take this, and Warrenton works for me. I really don't know what's good for an OC dinner in that area.
Can any Warrenton/Opal/Bealton folks recommend a place in Warrenton for an OC dinner? I know there are a few chains, like Ruby Tuesday and Applebees, but I am not sure what the other local restaurants are.
I just did a little looking around and found these that looked interesting and they are within a casual price range for a group get together.

o Red, Hot & Blue
o Yen Cheng
o Foster's Grille (a favorite for OC'ers)
o Black Bear Bistro (looks interesting


Any input for folks who live in that area is welcome.
 

Regular_Joe

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SouthernBoy wrot
I just did a little looking around and found these that looked interesting and they are within a casual price range for a group get together.

o Red, Hot & Blue
o Yen Cheng
o Foster's Grille (a favorite for OC'ers)
o Black Bear Bistro (looks interesting


Any input for folks who live in that area is welcome.
The Warrenton Foster's is a little on the small side - a 'little diner' environment.
http://www.fostersgrille.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=70

I have heard good things about the Red, Hot & Blue.

Haven't been to the Black Bear - sounds like a nice place! Prices tend to hang around $18 for entrees...
 

Regular_Joe

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Culpeper, Virginia, USA
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Regular_Joe wrote:
SouthernBoy wrot
I just did a little looking around and found these that looked interesting and they are within a casual price range for a group get together.

o Red, Hot & Blue
o Yen Cheng
o Foster's Grille (a favorite for OC'ers)
o Black Bear Bistro (looks interesting


Any input for folks who live in that area is welcome.
The Warrenton Foster's is a little on the small side - a 'little diner' environment.
http://www.fostersgrille.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=70

I have heard good things about the Red, Hot & Blue.

Haven't been to the Black Bear - sounds like a nice place! Prices tend to hang around $18 for entrees...
Check the thread @ http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum54/39761.html for details!
 

streetdoc

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Dec 23, 2007
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Unionville, Virginia, USA
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The wife and I went shopping today in Culpeper, it was the first time in a long time that anybody has asked me about my openly carried pistol. We were in Lowe's and I was getting a couple of keys made, another clerk walked up and asked if it would be ok for him to ask about my gun (wow, asking permission to ask about my gun). He wanted to know if I was ever worried about anybody walking up behind me and trying to take my gun out, I explained about how the holster works and that it would be very difficult to do. I also told him about the Supra holster and how it works but unfortunately they don't make it for my gun yet. The clerk that was making my keys then chimes in and says that he uses the Supra for his gun and that he also has an ankle holster for a 357 revolver that he carries. What a great conversation and interaction but it wasn't over yet! My keys were done and my wife was getting some paint so I told her I would be down in tools for when she finished. Now, for the second interaction, another clerk came up to me and started a conversation in which he stated that he has seen me several times in that store and noticed that I always had a gun on. He asked if I was a cop, no I always carry where ever I legally can was my response. He told me that he had always wanted to ask but had never had the opportunity. We actually had a long conversation about firearms and carrying them. A young lady walked up during this and started listening, found out the she also work there but was on her break, the conversation continued but drifted to other topics. Then my wife walked up with her openly carried Beretta. What a day!
 

Regular_Joe

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Culpeper, Virginia, USA
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Streetdoc - sounds like a great opportunity for 2A training!!!

OC'd at Culpeper Walmart and Dairy Queen yesterday.

Today, wife and I OC'd at Culpeper's new Millstone restaurant (staff still training, but the food is good and the manager took great care of any issues we had), then to Starbucks (funny, in support of recent Starbucks media attention we decided to go CC!), than to Clark Brother's in Warrenton.
 

gis

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Jul 5, 2009
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Prince William County, Virginia, USA
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Stopped on the way home from work at the Gainesville Wegmans. Temperature was in the 70's, so my suit coat was in the car. Was OCing a Glock 23 IWB at 4 o'clock as usual. Had a long chat with the dairy manager about getting some new flavors of yougurt. Got a lot of friendly attention from the lady in the bakery section as I was getting bagels. The saw the gun and gave me a nice smile. As I got into the fast lane to pay, and older couple (60's) got behind me. A few seconds later I heard some whispering (the only word I made out was "gun".) Then I saw them get in the slow lane at the next register over. They also avoided any eye contact. I guess standing 10 feet away made them feel safer. Adter all, those Glocks have a mid of their own.:)
 

SouthernBoy

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gis wrote:
Stopped on the way home from work at the Gainesville Wegmans. Temperature was in the 70's, so my suit coat was in the car. Was OCing a Glock 23 IWB at 4 o'clock as usual. Had a long chat with the dairy manager about getting some new flavors of yougurt. Got a lot of friendly attention from the lady in the bakery section as I was getting bagels. The saw the gun and gave me a nice smile. As I got into the fast lane to pay, and older couple (60's) got behind me. A few seconds later I heard some whispering (the only word I made out was "gun".) Then I saw them get in the slow lane at the next register over. They also avoided any eye contact. I guess standing 10 feet away made them feel safer. Adter all, those Glocks have a mid of their own.:)
Interesting. Since you were in suit attire and carrying a Glock, I would have thought those people would have taken you for an LEO or agent of some kind. When I go to that Wegman's, I am generally in either jeans and a rugby or golf shirt, or shorts and a golf shirt.. both cases with my OWB Glock 23 visible. I did once go through a line one time there and the checkout lady was most likely from Nigeria or Uganda. She said several times that she was scared of my gun to her manager who was called over to help me with something. He pretty much ignored her. See, this is what I don't like. People coming here from other states or countries and not adopting Virginia ways.
 

Regular_Joe

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Wife and I OC weekly at Warrenton's Fauquier Co. Roller Hockey rink area - no issues, except maybe for the odd look from older teens/young adults having fun at the adjoining public skateboard park!

OC'd at the nearby Fosters Grill several times - great service and great food!
 

gis

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Prince William County, Virginia, USA
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I had an interesting encounter with a "soccer mom" at the Gainesville Wegman's. I wasn't working Thursday, so I was there in the middle of the day. AsI am picking out bread rolls, a 30-something woman in designer clothes with two kids (about 2 and 4) stuffed in the same cart stops next to me. A few moments later I hear "Mommy what is that?" I look to the side and see the 4 year old pointing to my Glock. The woman looks up from whatever she was doing, her eyes become as big as the rest of her face and says "How dare you carry that with kids around?" I go "Well maam, it's legal ... and what do you have against protecting kids?" She didn't care for my joke and goes "Would you jump offa bridge just because it's legal?" I respond "That actually wouldn't be legal as far as I know". She rambled a bit longer and in conclusion said "I never want my kids to see THAT" and then just took off. I continued shopping for another 10-15 minutes. When I walked outside, the PWC scout car was rolling by slowly. I waved as I was walking over to my vehicle. I suspect that the woman may have called in a "man with a gun", but could also be a coincidence. All my weird encounters seem to happen at Wegmans. It must be the lib store of choice, since I never had any negative comments at Target, Giant or Shoppers. Even today OCed at several other places without a problem.
 

SouthernBoy

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gis wrote:
I had an interesting encounter with a "soccer mom" at the Gainesville Wegman's. I wasn't working Thursday, so I was there in the middle of the day. AsI am picking out bread rolls, a 30-something woman in designer clothes with two kids (about 2 and 4) stuffed in the same cart stops next to me. A few moments later I hear "Mommy what is that?" I look to the side and see the 4 year old pointing to my Glock. The woman looks up from whatever she was doing, her eyes become as big as the rest of her face and says "How dare you carry that with kids around?" I go "Well maam, it's legal ... and what do you have against protecting kids?" She didn't care for my joke and goes "Would you jump offa bridge just because it's legal?" I respond "That actually wouldn't be legal as far as I know". She rambled a bit longer and in conclusion said "I never want my kids to see THAT" and then just took off. I continued shopping for another 10-15 minutes. When I walked outside, the PWC scout car was rolling by slowly. I waved as I was walking over to my vehicle. I suspect that the woman may have called in a "man with a gun", but could also be a coincidence. All my weird encounters seem to happen at Wegmans. It must be the lib store of choice, since I never had any negative comments at Target, Giant or Shoppers. Even today OCed at several other places without a problem.
Wegman's seems to attract a lot of yuppie types and non-native Virginians. I liked your answer, ".. and what do you have against protecting kids". Kinda throws it back in her face. Was it obvious to you that she was not from this area by chance?

You might have also said something like, "guess you really hate to see police around".

When that Wegman's first opened, I visited it just like a lot of people around here. That day, there were quite a few PWC police in the parking lot and some also in Wegman's. One of the motor LEO's saw me and passed close by for what I suspect was a better look/see. None ever said a word to me, however and neither did any of the staff or customers present that day.


You handled her well.
 

gis

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SouthernBoy wrote:
Wegman's seems to attract a lot of yuppie types and non-native Virginians. I liked your answer, ".. and what do you have against protecting kids". Kinda throws it back in her face. Was it obvious to you that she was not from this area by chance?


I couldn't tell if she was local. I would say no if I had to guess. Her clothes, purse, jewelry looked pretty upscale. I moved into the area myself (from Michigan) less than a year ago and bought a horse farm north of I66. All my neighbors are locals, and she didn't dress or behave like any of them. South if I66 in Gainesville is where all the new subs are, and there are lots of newcomers from all over. Just like in your case, I've never had anything negative said by any Wegmans employee, and I have had several chats with the store manager and the dairy manager in the past about their product offering while open carrying.
 
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