Local restaurant offering discount to legal gun carriers

An Indianapolis restaurant owner is offering a 25 percent discount to concealed-carry permit holders after his business was robbed.

Restaurateur Art Bouvier announced the discount Saturday night on Facebook shortly after the robbery at his Cajun eatery, Papa Roux. It's unclear how much money was taken, but no one was injured.

The robber entered the restaurant, 8950 E. 10th St., about 7:30 p.m. and told employees he had a gun, but he did not show it.

Bouvier told The Indianapolis Star that his employees handled the situation like pros and none of his customers knew the restaurant was being robbed until the thief left.

Bouvier said he doesn't want his 8-year-old restaurant to "turn into the O.K. Corral," but he also doesn't want it to "be an easy target."

He said legal gun owners with concealed carry permits will be offered the discount until further notice.

Some longtime customers have told Bouvier they're upset with his decision. He said that's "a little disheartening."

"They'll go out to eat with the possibility that a criminal will bring a gun in, but they'll stay away if they think customers might be carrying," Bouvier said. "That's weird to me."

Indianapolis police said about a half-dozen city restaurants and bars have been robbed this month.

"This case appears to be an isolated event, and there is nothing indicating at this time that this is related to the other business robberies," said Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Officer Rafael Diaz Jr.