A restaurant owner in Indiana is offering a discount to customers who bring concealed firearms into his establishment after a robbery that occurred Saturday.
Papa Roux owner Art Bouvier announced on Facebook Saturday night that an armed robber had walked in, threatened his employees and stolen money.
“I have a gun; I’m gonna need all the money out of your registers,” the robber said, according to Bouvier.
After the thief had made off with the money, Bouvier took to Facebook to announce that “until further notice, your concealed carry license earns you 25% off your meal when you dine in.”
“These folks are our extended family, and I do not take kindly to them being harassed in this manner,” Bouvier said of his employees.
The restaurant owner of eight years said he was proud his staff handled the robbery in a safe and calm manner.
“I’ve told my employees that money is replaceable, your lives are not,” Bouvier told the Indianapolis Star. “Everyone is a little shaken up today; my manager can’t shake the feeling of helplessness, but I don’t want her to fear this happening again.”
Hoping to thwart future robberies, Bouvier stated he would “use every trick” he knows to protect his “extended family,” and reiterated the decision is his to make.
“If thugs are going to come in and threaten OUR extended family with guns, you’d better believe I will use every trick I know to protect (our family).”
“MY RESTAURANT. MY WALL. MY BUSINESS. I can give discounts to whomever I please,” he said.
The cajun eatery’s owner says he’s faced a small amount of criticism from gun-wary customers, but nothing compared to the amount of support he’s received.
“A few loyal customers have said they’ll be avoiding Papa Roux because of my stance, and that’s a little disheartening. But it’s minuscule compared to the overwhelming support,” Bouvier said. “It’s a shame that some people feel they need to stay away. They’ll go out to eat with the possibility that a criminal will bring a gun in, but they’ll stay away if they think customers might be carrying. That’s weird to me.”
The owner says he isn’t asking people to reveal their firearms, just show their license.
“We’re not saying, ‘Show us your gun.’ But if you’re a legal and stable carrier of a concealed carry license, I’m going to reward that,” he says.
“I don’t want Papa Roux to turn into the O.K. Corral, but I don’t want to be an easy target.”
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