I wonder if all of the businesses are on-board with the Beale Street Merchants Association plan? Are there any businesses that do not sell alcoholic beverages, and see no benefits for themselves?
Certainly, equipment will have to be purchased, and people will have to be hired to conduct the checks. Will the Merchants Association assess a fee on businesses for the cost of the equipment, and a monthly assessment for labor costs?
Add to that the impression that people will get: that this must really be a dangerous place, if metal detectors are necessary. Maybe they will find that business drops off because of it. As a handgun licensee, I certainly wouldn’t go there. Why would I support businesses that don’t trust me.
The three previous commenters beat me to it – not being from Memphis, I do not know the answer: is Beale Street a public, city-maintained street, or not? If so, how can they legally execute this prohibition, given Tennessee’s preemption laws?
June 18th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Linkee brokee
June 18th, 2009 at 10:36 am
d’oh fixed. the clipboard is always loaded.
June 18th, 2009 at 10:48 am
Ha! Careful where you point that thing.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:31 am
How can property owners prohibit the carrying of handguns on a city sidewalk or street?
I spend a good bit of time there, and never, ever go to Beale Street – in large part because I don’t think it (including its parking lots) is safe.
I can’t stand Elvis and am ambivalent about the blues.
June 18th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Maybe they should ban drinking too, since that’s the start of the problems many times.
June 18th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
I wonder if all of the businesses are on-board with the Beale Street Merchants Association plan? Are there any businesses that do not sell alcoholic beverages, and see no benefits for themselves?
Certainly, equipment will have to be purchased, and people will have to be hired to conduct the checks. Will the Merchants Association assess a fee on businesses for the cost of the equipment, and a monthly assessment for labor costs?
Add to that the impression that people will get: that this must really be a dangerous place, if metal detectors are necessary. Maybe they will find that business drops off because of it. As a handgun licensee, I certainly wouldn’t go there. Why would I support businesses that don’t trust me.
June 18th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Anyone know how they can ban carry there anyway? Is Beale a privately owned street and sidewalk?
June 18th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
I don’t think they can. The street is a standard city owned street.
June 18th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
The street is public and merchants can not do this legally. Plus violate search and seizure on public property.
June 18th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
The three previous commenters beat me to it – not being from Memphis, I do not know the answer: is Beale Street a public, city-maintained street, or not? If so, how can they legally execute this prohibition, given Tennessee’s preemption laws?