Kind of intimidating dudes at my local stores?

ANTVGM64

Hi there, just had a curious "Is this what I think it is" question.

I live in a not too decent part of Chicago, and in a lot of the stores I go to, especially at night, they typically have a fellow hanging out in the store not doing much of anything, but sitting and watching the door.

I assume this is for protection? Are these people Paid by the stores? Do they have gang ties? Sell Drugs?

mooshoepork

You'll need to be way more fucking specific than that

billwill

We're supposed to know if they sell drugs or have gang ties just with our intuition? I'm a little confused as to what you're asking.

Improvolone

It is not uncommon for gangs to suggest that stores pay them a bit to make sure nothing happens on the East Side. Doesn't mean thats what it is of course.

Lail

What kind of stores are these?

Maybe they've just been robbed one to many times so they've hired a security guard type person.

If you are regular at one of these stores and they know who you are, you could also just ask.

ANTVGM64

billwill wrote: »

We're supposed to know if they sell drugs or have gang ties just with our intuition? I'm a little confused as to what you're asking.

I wasn't sure if these people were hired for protection against robbery, or are there to ensure stores are "paying" protection, or what not.

From what I've seen their African American guys, sitting on folding chairs near the check out counter, doing much of nothing.

Liqour Stores, 24-7 stores, chinese food places, I'm just curious if this is a common thing or not.

Sentry

Improvolone wrote: »

It is not uncommon for gangs to suggest that stores pay them a bit to make sure nothing happens on the East Side. Doesn't mean thats what it is of course.

Yeah, they pay for the gang not to destroy their store, they don't pay for some guy to sit outside and drive away customers.

This question is incredibly stupid. People loiter outside of gas stations and drug stores. It's just what some people do.

FyreWulff

If they're sitting in a chair in the store they're usually friends of the clerk there to keep them from working alone or security guards (not all stores have fancy uniforms for their guards)

LadyM

Are they inside the stores or outside? If they're outside, they're probably just hanging around. If they're inside, it's more likely they work for the store in some capacity . . . I don't think most stores would let some random guy walk in with a folding chair and set up camp.

Monoxide

What part of Chicago?

I'm in West Town/East Village and I've never seen anyone doing that that looked suspicious

VisionOfClarity

FyreWulff wrote: »

If they're sitting in a chair in the store they're usually friends of the clerk there to keep them from working alone or security guards (not all stores have fancy uniforms for their guards)

This happens all the time at my corner store.

ANTVGM64

Well I would assume their friends but I've never seen them to get along.

I'm in Uptown Chicago. There's a lot of violecne/shooting/homeless/gangs around here, so I was just generallly curious about this situation I've witnessed in EVERY STORE here.

Sorry if it's a dumb question.

NotYou

the whole protection racket thing doesn't actually have a guy who just waits in the store all day. They just stop by every few weeks for money or else they trash it.

Cervetus

ANTVGM64 wrote: »

From what I've seen their African American guys

Oh, well in that case they're clearly gang members. Thanks for the pertinent information.

Metalbourne

Cervetus wrote: »

ANTVGM64 wrote: »

From what I've seen their African American guys

Oh, well in that case they're clearly gang members. Thanks for the pertinent information.

I'm waiting for him to mention that they're wearing blue uniforms with patches on the sleeves and badges on the chest.

Rent

Metalbourne wrote: »

Cervetus wrote: »

ANTVGM64 wrote: »

From what I've seen their African American guys

Oh, well in that case they're clearly gang members. Thanks for the pertinent information.

I'm waiting for him to mention that they're wearing blue uniforms with patches on the sleeves and badges on the chest.

Then they're definitely gang members

JohnnyCache

traditionally if you pay protection to somebody they do, as a courtesy, run off the riff raff a bit. Not to the point of, say, defending it with their lives, but they'll run off vagrants and stuff.

Sometimes.

Dinosaur Equals Gas

Eh, I've been in uptown and haven't seen this at night. Of course I've seen in other stores people just hanging out at night with the clerks who seemed to be friends. So it could just be that. Maybe just ask the clerk one day during the day when they aren't there?

Zombiemambo

We have people everywhere.

Monoxide

I think you're overthinking how "not decent" of an area Uptown is

it isn't the safest neighborhood on the north side, but it's not like you live in Englewood. I've got friends there and have spent a lot of time in the area, and it's not bad. honestly the worst part are the homeless and junkies, and they obviously have nothing to do with what you're describing.

gang violence in the area had been on the rise (as it always does in the summer) but things seem to have died down after people responded to the trend of street fights over on Sheridan & Leland

psycojester

NotYou wrote: »

the whole protection racket thing doesn't actually have a guy who just waits in the store all day. They just stop by every few weeks for money or else they trash it.

Well in these harsh economic times gangs are having to compete harder against other gangs for their protection rackets, sometimes they'll even wash your car and pick up your dry cleaning in addition to not breaking your legs and burning down your store.

MindLib

In some parts of Albany I've seen people just chill in chairs by the register or by the door of a convenient store. Usually pan handling or drinking from a paper-bag. Is it the same dude day-in day-out? Maybe it is an informal method of security. Whatever works right?

Sir Carcass

Next time you see one, ask them.

jamesra

Really, what part of town are you in? It would tell us a lot. Or, at least, it would tell me and the other Chicagoans a great deal.

I've seen guys like you're describing around from time to time; they mostly fall into two categories. First you have your security dudes, of varying levels of formality. And a lot of the time you'll have a dude who's pretty clearly just a friend of the proprietor, because working a retail counter at 3 in the morning is a dull and lonely job, typically preformed by immigrants, often with fairly close support networks.

Iceman.USAF

Lots of liquor stores hire off-duty cops/law enforcement agents to just hang out and be a calm head in a tight situation.

Metal Gear Solid 2 Demo

"Oh no black people outside a store...PA are they selling drugs?? Maybe they are gang members!"

Iceman.USAF

Metal Gear Solid 2 Demo wrote: »

"Oh no black people outside a store...PA are they selling drugs?? Maybe they are gang members!"

We really need a sticky with one line questions and answers like this.

Pheezer

Yeah I don't really see the point of this thread so I'm gonna lock it.

But a certain someone who will remain nameless reported a post that was so obviously sarcastic that I'm beginning to wonder if maybe sarcasm should be taught in basic computer usage classes in school nowadays.