In what could be described as a Michelin Restaurant Guide for concealed carry weapon owners, a new pro-gun group is setting up a registry of restaurants where firearms are welcome.

2Amendment.org, going by the name 2AO, was created by restauranteur Bryan Crosswhite, according to The Washington Times.

“We want to make it something for business owners who are pro-Second Amendment,” Crosswhite told The Times. “A sticker on the door, just like Zagat [Survey], and that way people who want to do business with pro-Second Amendment companies will automatically connect with those Second Amendment companies.”

In addition to a notice on the door, patrons will be able to find gun-friendly restaurants on the website’s registry, by entering their location on a computer or smart phone. The registry is expected to be up and running sometime this month.

Crosswhite’s own establishment, Cajun Experience in Leesburg, Va., holds what it calls “Open Carry Wednesdays,” in which patrons on those days who possess a concealed or open carry permit get a 10 percent discount.

Crosswhite’s move came after country singer Toby Keith drew national attention after a franchise with his name, “Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill,” posted a “no guns permitted” notice at the door. However, 2AO wasn’t necessarily started in response to that event — it was more out of customer demand.

“People were always asking me: How do we find other Second Amendment supporting businesses?” Crosswhite told TheBlaze. “I was tired of people asking me who they are. I thought it was sad there isn’t a way to locate these businesses.”

However, he still condemns the country star’s eatery chain’s decision.

“It is wrong,” Crosswhite said. “It’s a matter of discrimination. The ban discriminates against people who want to protect their families.”

Both Keith and Crosswhite’s establishments are located in gun-friendly Virginia. According to The Times:

Virginia law states that private property owners also have the right to prohibit guns in their businesses. The law is frequently associated with a statute that took effect in 2010 that allowed Virginia gun owners to carry concealed weapons into businesses where alcohol is served, as long as they don’t drink.

The same year the Virginia law went into effect, Tennessee enacted a law allowing a person carrying a gun to enter a restaurant that serves alcohol unless the owner prohibits that person.

Crosswhite’s intention and guiding principles in establishing 2AO are clearly stated in its website.

“2AO is an organization developed by Second Amendment advocates,” the website states. “The organization supports business owners that support the Second Amendment. The organization puts people together with like minded business owners.”

Related post:
Fans turn on country superstar Toby Keith for banning guns in new restaurant

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