Have you driven a Mike Pruitt Ford lately?

Although OFCC volunteers have been successful at getting many dealerships to remove their discriminatory signs, others have resisted initial education efforts.

Following is a response received by an OFCC supporter from Mike Pruitt Ford in Lima when he expressed interest in purchasing two vehicles from the dealership:

----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Stimmel
Sent: Friday, July 09, 2004 1:36 PM
Subject: No concealed carry

Yes, we at Mike Pruitt Ford have it clearly posted on all entrance doors that we do not allow concealed weapons to be carried on our property. This is simply for the safety of our customers and employees. We are not against the concealed carry law and do not wish to debate it.

You stated that you were in the market for two vehicles this summer and if these signs were indeed posted you would have to take your business elsewhere; if your decision on where to purchase your vehicles will be made solely on who allows and does not allow concealed carry in their buildings, you will have a hard time doing business anywhere. Of the 15 dealers I called after receiving your email all 15 stated they do not allow concealed carry either.

If you wish to purchase a vehicle based on fair and honest pricing, great service and professional staff then Mike Pruitt Ford is where you should do business.

Sincerely,

Mike Stimmel
General Sales Manager
Mike Pruitt Ford
419-224-3673
800-589-5462
[email protected]

Upon receipt of this email, we opened the phone book, and began calling car dealerships in Lima. NOT ONE of the dealerships we called have posted these signs.

More than one dealer we spoke with mentioned an incident last year in which a Lima car saleswoman was robbed and stuffed the trunk of a car at the dealership as influencing their decision not to post these signs.

Did Mr. Stimmel ever make the calls he claims to have made? If so, to whom?

Mike Pruitt Ford is joined only by Tom Ahl dealerships in Lima on the Do Not Patronize While Armed list. While it is possible that others have signs, the 15 Stimmel claims to have called have proven quite difficult to track down.

When asked recently why they were banning CHL-holders, another Ohio dealer with discriminatory signs told an inquirer that "we get a lot of angry customers in here."

Perhaps there's a lesson in that...

FLASHBACK:
Christmas Day, 2003 - Akron car salesman found bound, gagged
General Manager Derrick Harris said the salesman's wife called around 10 a.m. Wednesday to say the man had disappeared.

"It was amazing. I mean, it was just like on TV,'' Harris said. "His hands were duct-taped to the chair, he had a rag stuffed in his mouth, and it was taped.''

The employee did not want to comment, his wife said when reached at home.

Harris said employees were shaken by the incident. He also said, however, that this type of event isn't unusual to the auto sales industry.

"Car dealerships get robbed a lot,'' Harris said, adding that some dealerships don't always check for identification before allowing employees and vehicles to go out on test drives. "He (the employee) didn't get a chance to get an ID or anything like that.''