Bye-Bye Mall Rats: Shopping Centers Restrict Teens

[FishTail]

June 16, 2006 — At the Fairlane Shopping Center in Dearborn, Mich., retailers believe one of the best ways to bring business in … is to kick some people out.

Everyday just before 5 p.m., a message blares over the loudpeakers saying, "Any one of our guests that is under 18 years of age should be prepared to leave the center at 5 p.m."

Kicking teenagers out of malls? Can they be serious? They might as well take away their oxygen.

Immortalized in films such as "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," malls have been a mecca for teens for generations. The problem is that at many malls too many teens make the pilgrimage.

"On any evening we would see numbers anywhere from 2,000 to 2,500 youngsters that would come into the center," said Catherine O'Malley, the general manager of the Fairlane Town Center.


Making Room for Mall Walkers and Bigger Spenders

Retailers complained of problems with shoplifting and security. And for many older shoppers — who are the bigger spenders — the teens created an atmosphere they did not want to be around.

"There was a lot of noisemaking and profanities," said Sherrita Wright, who works at the store Forever 21. "It was a bother to a lot of older couples, mall walkers, just people who want to shop."

At Fairlane the number of seniors walking the mall has doubled since the curfew, and the mall reports better sales all around. So does the Galleria in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., which implemented a similar policy.

"Instead of kids coming in unattended and maybe spending $15 or $20," said Joe Castaldo, the general manager of the Galleria Mall in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., "they are now coming with the parents into the same stores and spending $70 or $80. So it has been a win-win situation."


More Angst for Mall-Less Teens

There are already more than 100 shopping malls with some kind of curfew in place, and the number is growing.

But we found one group conspicuously and unsurprisingly opposed to the policy — teenagers.

"It pisses me off," said Keli Leterksy, a 17-year-old who was out shopping for a spring dress.

ABC News

[Beans]

Hmm, that seems a bit odd. But if it curtails problems then I see nothing wrong with it.

[Hannibal]

This might not be the best answer, but it is an attempt for improvement. There have been multiple problems involving gang affiliated assaults, and plenty of other crimes to speak of. The curfew doesn't say that teens are unwelcome, only that a responsible adult party must accompany them.

People tend to have a feeling of entitlement to be there, forgetting the mall is private property. The management of the property is trying to limit liability and improve its draw to paying customers. As of now, sales are surely low especially on the weekend evenings, because people avoid the area due to not wanting to deal with the mall rats and gang bangers.

FTC has "Security Police" patrolling its common areas and parking lots. This group of officers has police authority to enforce all laws and city ordinances while on duty and on the premises. Dearborn PD also has officers assigned as liaison officers to assist the Security Police.

I can tell you first hand that these guys have their hands full. And in the Summer months, it can and would otherwise get out of control.

[cntryboy0531]

I'm all for it. We have a strict curfew in place countywide for all teens. We arrest on it all the time. Keeps the crime rate relatively low.

[AgentParsons]

Rhode Island Mall (RIM) in Warwick RI was virtually killed off and is nearly bankrupt with many store leaving and anchors pulling out and crossing the street to Warwick Mall because of the problems with teens.

It’s sad to because RIM or MIDLAND MALL as it was once known was a great place. I hung out there every weekend as a kid myself and in fact that is where I met my late wife Rachael.

But people stopped wanting to come in; myself included, because of the amount of teens hanging out. I have personally witnessed 2 people tossed off the second floor railing and prevented a Security Guard; from being thrown over the railing when trying to break up one on the many weekend fights there.

Cars getting stolen, robbed or vandalized in the lots along with fights and muggings in the malls killed it. No one wants to shop at a place they can get mugged while standing in line at.

Then we have the Silver City Gallery Mall in Taunton MA. This place has been shut down many times do to would be gang members rioting in the stores and parking lots. Leading to recent shootings, stabbings and murder a murder.

Implementing a curfew is a sad thing to do; but it’s a necessary evil to protect the public and financial stability of the mall.

It’s sad that so many must suffer because of a few.

[ida40dj]

the problem is parents drop the kids off and they are unsupervised, worked off duty providing security at a local mall for two yrs. only problems we ever had were the teenagers, a couple bad ones ruined it for the decent kids.

[Ducky]

I know of two malls locally that house police substations. Not a bad idea, IMHO.