Also about posting, If I'm somewhere and a sign says no guns, in Florida (while Ive actually never seen a sign except at gun stores) it has no legal weight. They can ask me to leave(with or without reason) but I'm not excluded for carrying regardless of the persons views. How is this like up there?
I would like to address this. Don't let the issue rest on whether or not it has legal weight, but rather whether it has moral and ethical weight. If you come to my house, and I have a sign that says "No Smoking", the request itself has no legal weight, but it would be immoral and unethical for you to violate my wishes on my private property and smoke anyways. Likewise, if a private business owner posts a sign that says "No Guns" you should feel a moral and ethical obligation to respect his rights to set the rules on his private property. Personally, I would hold no ill-will toward such a person, but I would not patronize his business. My money would go to someone who had greater respect for the need for self-defense in society.
I have to disagree to an extent. If you can easily avoid these businesses, then I would. However, it may be highly inconvenient to do so (such as driving to the next town to get a hair cut).
There is some difference between inviting me to your house and inviting the general public into your business. Your home is not open to the public. If you asked me to leave my gun in the car, I would probably feel safe in the knowledge that only people you know/trust are in your home. A business that is open to the public has much more potential to create a situation that requires self-defense.
I also would draw a distinction between smoking and carrying a gun. I'm asthmatic, and second-hand smoke makes it very hard for me to breath. Therefore, I would have a legitimate reason to request you not smoke in my house/business. I fail to see a way that carrying a gun interferes with the property owner's rights.
Further, if the business owner wants to enforce their request, they can simply ask you to leave. As long as you are willing to politely and respectfully comply with this request, I think it's OK. If they value that policy more than your patronage, then find another place to shop.
What I plan to do: get a CCW and then they won't be bothered with the knowledge that you're not complying with their request.