CEO asks Levi’s clientele to keep guns out of stores

Levi’s jeans might remind you of cowboys — that is, after all, one of the company’s signature cuts of denim — but you probably won’t find anyone with a six-shooter in one of the company’s stores.

Levi Strauss & Co. Chief Executive Chip Bergh posted an open letter Wednesday requesting that shoppers not carry guns, even with a permit, into any Levi’s location.

The CEO of the San Francisco company said a customer recently carried a firearm into one of its stores, where it inadvertently fired, injuring its carrier. He did not specify where this occurred.

“So, while we understand the heartfelt and strongly held opinions on both sides of the gun debate, it is with the safety and security of our employees and customers in mind that we respectfully ask people not to bring firearms into our stores, offices or facilities, even in states where it’s permitted by law,” Bergh’s letter said. “Of course, authorized members of law enforcement are an exception.”

“We sincerely hope responsible gun owners will respect our position,” he said.

The note was posted as 2016 wraps up en route to surpass last year’s record number of checks on prospective gun buyers by the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which can be used as a proxy for gun sales. According to the FBI, there were 22,206,233 background checks this year through October, compared with 23,141,970 for all of 2015.

Levi’s isn’t the first large company to ask customers to leave their guns at home. Whataburger, Chipotle, Panera and notably, Starbucks, have all made similar requests.

Bergh said he knows Levi’s could lose some customers, but he was seeking to be respectful to all.

That hasn’t stopped people from voicing their anger on Twitter. Several users made references to masculinity to insult the brand.