Gun signs posted outside restaurants typically include a red circle and slash. But the sign at Shooter’s Grill reads, “Guns Are Welcome on Premises.”
Shooter’s is located in Rifle, Colo., a city on the Colorado River boasting a large number of hunters and outdoorsmen. It began in 2013 as a typical eatery, but when a man was murdered in the restaurant’s alley a month after it opened, owner Lauren Boebert decided to start carrying—and encouraged her employees and customers to follow suit.
Today, patrons can choose from items like the “Shotgun Burrito” or the “Locked-and-Loaded Nachos,”—all delivered by waitresses with holstered, loaded guns. (All staff complete weapons training courses prior to carrying on the job.)
The decision to allow guns has proved a popular one: Armed townspeople, visitors and even celebrities are flocking to the restaurant. Of course, those who disagree are free to take their business—and their chances—elsewhere.
