Target Corp. on Wednesday became the latest chain to enter the gun-debate fray and take a stance on whether or not to allow guns in stores, the Washington Post reported.

And Target's stance? No guns, please. The company said that it would "respectfully request" that customers not carry guns insides its stores, saying that the presence of firearms causes a disconnect from the company's image.

"This is a complicated issues, but it boils down to a simple belief: Bringing firearms to Target creates an environment that is at odds with the family-friendly shopping and work experience we strive to create," John Mulligan, Target's interim CEO, wrote in a memo posted on the company's website.

The new policy will affect all Target stores, even those in U.S. states in which it is legal to carry an unconcealed gun, according to the Post.

Target's new policy was likely caused in part by photos that have come out recently showing gun-rights activists in Texas carrying guns inside the company's stores. Those photos ignited a protest from gun-control group Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

"We've listened carefully to the nuances of this debate and respect the protected rights of everyone involved. In return, we are asking for help in fulfilling our goal to create an atmosphere that is safe and inviting for our guests and team members," Mulligan said in the memo.

Target is not the first corporation to ask customers to keep guns out of stores, though. Chipotle restaurants made a similar decision in May, USA Today reported, adding that Starbucks, Jack in the Box, Chili's and Sonic all have undertaken measures to keep guns out of their stores.

The president of Open Carry Texas, C.J. Grisham, told USA Today in an email that he was disappointed in Target's decision.

"While this is not a ban on legally possessed firearms in its stores, we will continue to honor our months long policy of not taking long arms into Target stores or any other business," Grisham wrote, warning that "time and time again, businesses that have asked guests not to bring legally possessed, self defense firearms into their establishments have seen their employees and customers victimized by criminals preying on the openly defenseless."