Floridians “Appalled” at People Openly Carrying Guns in Grocery Stores

Floridians are suddenly seeing holstered pistols next to pineapples and peanut butter.

After a court decision cleared the way for open carry in the state, Publix said it would follow the law and allow customers to openly carry firearms in its Florida stores. The response has been loud, emotional, and split down the middle.

Some shoppers say visible firearms make them feel safer. Others say it shatters the family-friendly vibe that’s part of Publix’s brand.

This is a culture clash playing out right there in Aisle 5.

What Changed on Sept. 25?

Publix confirmed that “as of Sept. 25, Florida law allows the open carry of firearms,” and the chain will “follow all federal, state and local laws,” according to a company spokesperson quoted in NewsNation’s coverage by Ryan Bass.

That same guidance notes an important caveat: private businesses can still tell people to leave their premises if they’re carrying. 

So, yes – open carry is now legal, but store owners are allowed to opt out and enforce their own rules.

Publix also emphasized that if anyone – armed or not – creates a “threatening, erratic or dangerous” situation, staff will call law enforcement. That’s the line the company is drawing as it aligns policy with the law while trying to maintain a safe shopping environment.

In the Aisles: “I Hated Having to Hide It”

Gulf Coast News reporter Samantha Romero found the new reality already on display.

Her story followed shopper Andy Pla, who has openly carried his .45 inside a Fort Myers Publix “three or four times” in the past week. “I hated having to hide it,” Pla told Romero. “Now I can put it happily and pridefully on my side.”

Romero also spoke with customer Linda Bigelow, who reacted very differently. “People are unpredictable,” she said, admitting that seeing a firearm in a grocery aisle makes her uneasy.

Publix managers wouldn’t expand on the policy for Romero, but corporate reiterated to media that stores would contact police if someone behaves dangerously. That’s the operational bottom line: lawful carry is okay; threatening behavior is not.

Split Down the Middle

NewsNation’s Ryan Bass reported from inside a Florida Publix and heard both relief and worry from shoppers.

Supporters frame it as a responsibility issue. “As long as it’s held with responsibility… and we take accountability for ourselves,” said Carlos Insignares.

Others say the vibe has changed. Tampa resident Ashley Butler described Publix as “that warm, welcoming place where you bring your kids to get cookies at the bakery.” 

The idea of strolling past someone with a visible pistol “is a little wild and a little strange,” she said.

Online sentiment is equally polarized. Bass captured comments ranging from “another reason not to shop at Publix” to “I cannot wait to bring my business there now.” In other words: choose-your-own-reality, brought to you by the comments section.

Not Every Retailer Is On Board

This isn’t a blanket shift across retail.

Bass reported that Home Depot is aligned with Publix and allows customers to carry. But Winn-Dixie and Harveys say no. Walmart and Target are asking shoppers to leave firearms in the car. And Disney’s stance is unsurprising: no firearms, period.

That patchwork shows up inside retirement-community life, too. In a letter to Villages News, resident Marsha Shearer said Publix confirmed open carry is allowed in its Florida locations, but “every other major grocery store in The Villages area (Costco, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Aldi/Winn-Dixie, Target, Sprouts, BJ’s) does NOT allow open carry.”

Shearer also pointed out a paradox that many readers flagged: neither The Villages nor Publix allow their employees to open carry – only customers can. 

It’s not uncommon for companies to impose different workplace policies for staff, but it fuels the broader “why here, why now?” debate when the setting is a neighborhood supermarket.

The “Appalled” Camp Finds Its Voice

The backlash isn’t just social-media noise; it’s organized and personal.

Ken Rollins, a former Lakeland arts executive with deep ties to the Jenkins family (Publix’s founders), wrote an open letter to Publix leadership in the Lakeland Ledger. 

“I am appalled that you have embraced the ‘open carry’ law for all Publix Super Markets,” he wrote, adding that he’s confident “Mr. George would not want Publix customers to carry guns in his stores.”

Rollins said his extended family, longtime Publix loyalists, will take their business elsewhere until the policy changes. That’s a real-world boycott pledge, not just an angry comment.

You can argue that Publix isn’t “embracing” open carry so much as following state law. But brand perception isn’t decided in a legal brief. It lives or dies on how customers feel at the bakery case and the checkout line.

What Open Carry Means for Everyday Shoppers

Love it or hate it, this is the new baseline in Florida: legal open carry plus retailer-by-retailer rules.

Here’s the practical reality for shoppers:

If you’re carrying, know the policy before you walk in. Respect store requests and posted signage. If an employee or manager asks you to leave – or to cover up – comply and take it up with corporate later.

If you’re uncomfortable around firearms, pick retailers that have publicly opted out. 

As Bass documented, plenty have. Florida’s attorney general guidance underscores that property owners can “compel” individuals to leave if they’re armed; that clarity empowers companies and consumers to sort themselves without 911 calls.

If you’re Publix, communication is now a core safety feature. The company’s existing statement is lawyer-clean. It probably needs a softer, customer-facing version at the door: what’s allowed, what’s not, and what happens if anyone behaves recklessly. 

Calm, consistent signage can lower the temperature for everyone.

And for all of us: de-escalation first. If you see behavior that worries you—gun or no gun—alert staff and step away. Let the professionals handle it. That’s exactly what Publix told Bass and Romero it will do when things get dicey.

Policy Meets Identity in the Bread Aisle

Publix didn’t create this flashpoint. The court ruling did, and the company responded by aligning its policy with state law while reserving the right to call the cops on bad actors. On paper, that’s a careful middle.

But Publix isn’t just any grocer. It’s Florida’s hometown brand, the “where shopping is a pleasure” place that hands your kid a free cookie. 

That brand identity runs on comfort, routine, and community norms. Visible firearms collide with that mental picture for a lot of people, especially parents and retirees, no matter what the statute says.

At the same time, many lawful gun owners see visibility as normal and even reassuring. Samantha Romero’s interview with Andy Pla captured that pride and the desire not to “hide” a legal tool. Bass’s conversation with Carlos Insignares shows how strongly responsibility and training figure into the pro-carry mindset.

Those two worldviews can share a state. Can they share a supermarket? Only if the rules are clear, behavior stays boring, and everyone resists the urge to treat aisle-side interactions like a referendum on American identity.

In the near term, expect a patchwork map of “yes here, no there.” Expect some shoppers to vote with their feet. Expect a lot of local managers to play referee until the new normal stops feeling new.

Florida changed the law. Publix changed the sign.

Now the real test is whether shopping can still feel like a pleasure when policy meets identity between the cereal and the salad kits.