2004 – 2012
- founded in 2004
- created by John Pierce and Mike Stollenwerk
- focused on the right to openly carry properly holstered handguns in daily American life
About OpenCarry.org
OpenCarry.org was an online community and advocacy site launched in 2004 by Virginia gun rights activists John Pierce and Mike Stollenwerk. At a time when most carry advocacy centered on concealed carry permits, the site focused on the right to openly carry a properly holstered handgun in daily life, which was already lawful without a permit in many states. It served as a social networking hub where gun owners compared state laws, shared encounters with police and businesses, and organized informal gatherings, and by March 2010 it claimed at least 26,000 members.
The group gained national attention during the 2010 debate over open carry in Starbucks stores. When gun control advocates petitioned the chain to ban firearms, Starbucks responded that it would follow local, state and federal laws, and OpenCarry.org publicly applauded the decision to serve all lawful gun owners. For gun owners, OpenCarry.org is an important chapter in the modern carry movement: its members helped bring open carry, and the state laws that govern it, into the national conversation.
Key Facts
- 2004: OpenCarry.org launched by John Pierce and Mike Stollenwerk of Virginia
- February 2010: Applauds Starbucks’ policy of following local laws on lawful carry
- March 2010: Claims at least 26,000 members, according to ABC News
Sources
- Understanding the Guy With the Gun – ABC News
- OpenCarry.org Applauds Starbucks’ Policy to Serve All Lawful Gun Owners – AmmoLand
- Open Carry Gun Laws Vex Starbucks, Again – Christian Science Monitor
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