Dear Lancaster Community,
Since its inception, the Central Market Trust has strived to make Market a welcoming, safe place for our community to gather. Community is one of the core values of the Trust, and our commitment to community will not change. Recently, Lancaster Central Market has found itself pushed into the ongoing conversation about gun rights. As a public, city-owned building, we respect everyone’s legal rights as well as their personal right to individual opinion. Above all, we value the safety of our staff, standholders, and patrons.
While we request that patrons leave their firearms at home, we understand that “open carry” laws in the state of Pennsylvania allow firearms in public spaces. When individuals exercise their “open carry” right in Market, our policy is to notify police of the situation to ensure that everyone within Market feels a sense of security. We never want customers or employees to feel unsafe in Market.
In Market, we take care of each other. If you ever have a concern or question while shopping at Market, please contact a staff member or employee. This weekend and as needed in the future, we will have additional security staff available to assist you and preserve our family-friendly atmosphere. We will respond to any situation that concerns you immediately, involving public safety officers if needed.
We understand that some may not feel this solution is enough. This is a policy issue that creates strong feelings and passionate debate. We encourage everyone to share your views on state firearm policies with your state representatives.
We hope that everyone will continue to support Market, show your appreciation for our 65 independent business owners, and respect the concerns of your fellow community members
