by Marty Green ·
Friday, March 28, 2025
Anyone stopping by the General Store for a scone or a cup of coffee recently may have noticed a new sign in the window by the door. The sign reads, “No Firearms Allowed. Violators will be considered trespassing!” The sign was posted in a response to an incident earlier this month.
On Wednesday, March 12, a man openly carrying a handgun came into the store. When owner Scott Hayward saw the gun, he immediately called the police. But the man did not stay long. He was gone before an officer arrived.
Massachusetts law allows both open and concealed carry, but only with a valid Massachusetts license to carry and a firearm identification card, according to police. Out-of-state licenses are not honored in Massachusetts.
In a brief interview with the Press, Hayward said the police had advised him that the only legal way to prevent someone from bringing a gun into the store was to post a sign saying that doing so would constitute trespassing.
“The safety of everyone here is my responsibility,” Hayward said.