Teens organize on Web, plan sit-in over MacArthur rules

NORFOLK

MacArthur Center's plan to implement new restrictions on teenagers at the downtown mall has prompted a groundswell of protest from young shoppers, their parents and others.

At least a half-dozen Facebook groups have popped up on the social networking Web site since Monday under such titles as "MacArthur is not being fair!" and "Boycott MacArthur Mall Teen-Chaperone Policy." One of the groups has scheduled a sit-in at 5 p.m. Oct. 18 - 24 hours before the new mall policy takes effect.

MacArthur Center officials announced Monday that the mall would start requiring shoppers younger than 18 to have a "supervising adult" 21 or older with them if they come to the mall after 5 p.m. It's the first mall in the region to implement such a policy.

Quint Guvernator and the 940 or so members of his Facebook group "MacArthur is not being fair!" aren't happy about the change. Quint, a 14-year-old who attends Norfolk Academy, started the group and is organizing the sit-in to stop MacArthur Center from going forward with the policy - or at least reconsider it, he said.

As of Wednesday evening, 100 "confirmed guests" had signed up for the event.

"They're going to lose a lot of money," Quint said. "We lose a place to hang out. We lose the ability to watch movies with friends."

A government teacher at Norfolk Collegiate School encouraged her class to discuss the issue Tuesday, said Alanna Miller, a 17-year-old senior in the class. She and fellow classmates formed the Facebook group "Protest MacArthur Mall Age Restriction!" and scheduled a meeting during their school lunch break Wednesday to find other interested students.

About 15 to 20 teens came to the meeting, Alanna said. They agreed to start a petition and get as many signatures as possible.

"At 17, you're allowed to go to an R-rated movie by yourself," Alanna said. "We're definitely hoping that they'll change" the policy.

Jim Wofford, the mall's general manager, did not return a call Wednesday.

The teens behind the protest groups recognize their value as consumers. Teenage Research Unlimited, a Chicago market research company that specializes in young consumers, estimates that shoppers ages 12 to 19 will spend $85 billion in 2009.

"By doing this, they are preventing teenagers who are more than willing to support the mall by purchasing merchandise, food and movie tickets, from using the mall when it's most convenient," reads the mission statement of the "Boycott the MacArthur Center" group on Facebook. "If MacArthur wants to cut down on its customer base, we will help them."

Quint and Alanna said they cannot easily adhere to the new policy. Asking their parents or another adult to accompany them after 5 p.m. is impractical, they said.

"It's going to be hard for my parents to come with me," said Alanna, explaining that they have other things to do. "And I can drive. If I can drive myself to the mall, why do I need someone to come with me?"

Shopping within the hours that don't require a chaperone also is difficult, they said.

Sports and other activities often keep them busy as late as 6 p.m. on weekdays, and they tend to go to the movies after dark on weekends.

So, once the new policy starts, they plan to shop elsewhere.

"A lot of my friends are going to Lynnhaven Mall," Alanna said.

Quint, who spends much of his time at MacArthur Center in the Apple store, said he and his friends could frequent the Apple kiosk within Best Buy stores instead. "We'll just find another way to do it."

Carolyn Shapiro, (757) 446-2270, carolyn.shapiro@pilotonline.com