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

I have worked at malls for years before, and have been a teenager in a mall before. Teenagers are loud, unruley and scare away customers that really do want to purchase something. The only thing they want to do at the mall is socialize, boy shop, and loiter. I think their business will actually grow due to this. I will actually go out of my way to shop here now.

Personally, I cant wait till all these teenagers get arrested at the sit-in.

a nineteen-year old mother of a 6 month old child now has to get a sitter? Technically, that would be a violation. McArthur will now have to define the lower end of the child spectrum. A six month old baby has to be with someone over 21. If they don't enforce the exact provisions of the law, it will lead to case by case enforcement, and inevitably discrimination cases.

Let's have an adult take some kids to the mall and see what constitutes being with the kids. In the store next to them? within eyesight? within hearing distance? twenty feet away? thirty feet away? thirty-one feet away? In the food court while they watch a movie? In the food court while they drink coffee at barnes and nobles? In the second floor of B&N while they are in the first floor? Can the parent drop them off then go park? Let's test this and see what McArthur Center does? They will have to exactly define what counts as chaperoning.

If teens [or anyone] wants to protest, they should buy an airline ticket and buy their goodies from the source.....China!

I can't stand going to the mall because of all teenagers. Hopefully Lynnhaven and Greenbrier will follow. Maybe now we can get some higher end department stores.

I'm still in favor of the ban, but I do think the organizers of the Facebook group "Protest MacArthur Mall Age Restriction!" deserve credit for their efforts. They articulated their cause calmly and succinctly, backing it up with research. Their reason for no longer supporting a sit-in demonstrates a lot of maturity. Nice job!

Since there are teens who ARE mature, shopping, spending, going to the movies on a date and etc, why can't they just put up a policy against too many grouped together, or, perhaps under 16, where you don't drive. I'd say let the mall suffer for the loss of those who are responsible. I personally don't shop that mall anymore because the only store I went for, closed. SO.....I really don't care. Just looking from my own life experiences. I am a leftover from the 70's if you will!

I have lived in other cities with similar policies. I guess people are under the impression that there will be Bouncers at the Mall doors checking ID's. This is not the case; if you are a teenager in the Mall Shopping and acting like you have some sense and home training then you would be able to come and go as you please. However, if you are being disorderly, Security would immediately request to speak to the adult chaperone. If there is no one to take responsibility for the person or group, Security will be allowed to immediately escort the disorderly person or group out the Mall and off the property. It actually gives the Mall more leeway in policing bad behavior instead of filling out reports and calling police only to have the culprits walk off only to return later causing more problems I personally; go to the mall with my children or rotate as a chaperone between the parents of their friends. I have personally seen Malls go from Trashy to Classy once the word is out that nonsense will not be tolerated. I think it will work

You can't build a mall in the middle of a major city and not expect kids to hang out. The problem is not kids under 18 years of age, it is groups of kids under 18 years of age. If the mall was to ban the groups, than the ACLU and Jesse Jackson would be attending the protest. However, by stating that anyone under the age of 18 cannot go to the mall without a parent is an out and poor judgement. Why 5pm, why not 4pm, or 3pm or why not at all times? Chesapeake Square ran out the kids about 10 years ago and they were quick to realize that they had a tremendous loss of revenue. Now they have the elderly running track through an empty mall and drinking coffee at McDonalds all afternoon. However, we can complain about their actions, but what about solutions. I believe that the kids need to behave and any kid not behaving should be asked to leave. Take the kids name and after being removed three times, charge the kid for disturbing the peace and place a restraining order on the youth. Don't make properly raised kids suffer for the actions of those who don't have any manners. And, don't build malls in the middle of large cities and neighborhoods.

Note to Teeagers: Malls are for $hopping...NOT for "hanging out" (i.e. Loitering). Here's what bothers me, "We lose a place to hang out. We lose the ability to watch movies with friends." Go to FRIENDS houses. Problem is when unproductive teenagers "hang out" they cause trouble and do STUPID behavior and then start fights. Parents: Keep an EYE on your teenagers and MALLS are not for hanging out. Be a parent and keep your children at home doing productive stuff (i.e., studying). If they're under 21, they need to be SUPERVISED by an adult. I'm sure teenagers won't affect the mall's economic issues. Teenagers don't have stable jobs TO spend money in the malls...in that case...they can't go to malls unless they have mommy and daddy's money. GET A JOB. It's that simple. Business owners don't like "hang outs" and non productivity. Hang out elsewhere...not the mall.

I don't go to malls to shop around. If I go, I go to the store I need to go to and go in/out the store itself (i.e., Sears, Pennys, etc). Try going to Greenbrier Mall (to name just one) - you can barely get through the groups hanging out.....I would be more inclined to go shopping in the other stores in the mall if I didn't have to go around these groups. Exactly how much money are they spending anyway? Are they buying stuff every single day? NO...they are just hanging out. Parents, become real parents and find something else for your teens to do other than hang around. Have them over to your house.

Of course it's not just because they are kids. There are many reasons. I mean, have you looked at some of these crowds? I go to this mall. I see them. But I am not them - I am a responsible, self-employed man - one who lives downtown and is able to spend a lot of money at MacArthur Center. But I will purposely avoid stores when I see derelict punks hanging around inside, outside, or in the general vicinity. Any store catering to that crowd is not catering to me. I don't tolerate that kind of company. So let the mall decide; which kind of clientele do you seek? Your call. Whatever you do, please ignore the ridiculous, politically correct excuses.

This new mall policy is a bad idea, especially in this economy when stores are trying to keep their profits up. I think stores like Forever 21, Hot Topic, Vans, and others that cater to customers under 18 and up, will see a significant drop in sales. What about the few adults who act inappropriately? Will they be punished? So, are these teenagers being punished simply on the basis of their age? This just doesn't sit well with me. I think there's some other motivation behind it.

Does the "supervising adult" have to stay with these young people? How close exactly is 'with' defined? I took a small group of 14 year old girls to MacArthur for an afternoon of shopping and movie recently. I was in the mall doing my shopping (not keen on shopping at the same stores, really) but I didn't follow them around. They kept in contact by cell so I knew where they were but I suppose they could have been up to random acts of vandalizing shops or moving Pottery Barn pillows and terrorizing people that are afraid of kids because of their funny hair or clothes or sinister piercings. Or kids that laugh too loud or talk too loud or carry skateboards or have baggy clothes. I have been going to 'the mall' since the mall was invented and I find many of the adults ‘way scarier’ than the kids.
Next time we’ll go where freedom rings and cash registers too.

I find it funny that the one comment that nevers gets an answer, is the one about the underage serviceman and women (ages 17, 18 & 19 year olds). I bring this up because i graduated highschool at 17, joined the navy at 17 went to bootcamp and was in "A" school at 18 at Damn Neck then stationed in Cuba at 19. Do these men and women now have to find a 21 year old friend to go to the mall or are they not allowed to get some privacy and alone time to go shopping.

I do have a problem with the having to be insight of the adult at all times. what happens at Xmas when you have teenagers that want to surprisetheir parents with gifts. I do allow my son who is 14 that little bit of freedom every year where i give him money and sit at the middle of the mall in the seats and let him go shopping for me and my husband so that he can have that little bit of control and be able to surprise us with something he chose himself. He is able to see me and comes straight to me when his shopping is done and if not he checks in to say he is still looking.

I grew up in an the age of the 80's early 90's, where we went to the malls on Fri & Sat nights after school, working or sports to go the arcades, g

The mall should file a suit tortious interference with business against anyone that prevents commerce to the mall. Most people won't complain if they have to pay to do so.

Parents, don't worry your children are responsible for their own torts.

I think a lot of you folks are misunderstanding exactly what ages are being banned here. They are not just talking about preteens, whom I do agree should not be 'dropped off' without proper parental oversight. We are talking about people who are NOT of an age to NEED babysitters, people who are of an age where they can legally own and operate a vehicle, people who are old enough to have jobs and be tax paying citizens and (unfortunately) consumers. Many of you assume these kids are using their parents money, it's not your business, but even if they are: did your parents/grandparents NEVER give you money for allowance, side jobs, good grades, holiday shopping etc?
Everyone needs to stop punishing all kids because most of you are afraid of a handful of them. Sure MacMall needs to do something about the troublemakers, but not at the expense of all the rest. When I was a 16 yr old employed student if I had been banned from the mall that I drove to and paid parking fee to and spent MY money in, I would have boycotted it.

Why dont they permit the underage thugs...children to just occupy the upstairs floor with the food and theater? Or make it where two can hang but not more than that?.This is a prime example of a shotgun approach rather than a pistol. Get the ones who are casuing problems not the masses.
Maybe issue ID cards like public recreation deparments.Scan cards as they pass?? I dont know.

I am sick of taking my family to Mac mall and getting checked out from every punk who wants to eyeball a pretty bunch of girls.I love the Mac Arthur Mall, fact is, its the best one in our area right now. Greenbriar is geting worse by the week, Lynnhaven is flat out scary and Military has been gone for a long time. Mac Mall is the last survivor. I guess we could go to Shortpump???