B. STATUTES BROAD ENOUGH TO COVER RETAIL STORES

      Sixteen states have public accommodation statutes that do not specifically include the words “store” or “retail,” but that are nonetheless broad enough in language to cover retail stores. These states vary in the language used. California provides the broadest protection, stating simply that all citizens “are entitled to the full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, or services in all business establishments of every kind whatsoever.” This all-inclusive phrase, “all business establishments of every kind whatsoever” --though not specifically listing retail stores--could not reasonably or otherwise be interpreted to exclude retail establishments. Utah has a similarly broad statute. Though defining “place of public accommodation” as “every place, establishment, or facility of whatever kind, nature, or class that caters or offers its services, facilities, or goods to the general public for a fee or charge,” Utah's actual anti-discrimination statute states that all persons are entitled ““to full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, goods and services in all business establishments and in all places of public accommodation” Thus, even if a court could find that a retail store is not a place of public accommodation under the Utah definitions section, the actual anti-discriminations statute provides the broadness necessary to include retail establishments under “all business establishments.”

      The other states do not have as expansive statutes as California or Utah, but they still contain broad language that could not reasonably be interpreted to exclude retail stores. Most of the other remaining states define place of public accommodation as “any establishment that caters or offers its services or facilities or goods to the general public.” Some states add a non-exclusive list of specific places after the general definition. Montana and Alaska also include at the end of their lists the phrase “and all other public amusement and business establishments.”