Bad Business

Mid-Rivers Mall has a policy that kids under the age of 18 can't hang-out at the mall on weekend evenings.  I think this is a big mistake.

During the school year, kids aren't filling the mall.  They don't have time with all of their activities and school work.

The weekends are the only time kids have to visit the mall and spend their allowance money, birthday money or babysitting money.  

In addition, parents give their kids money to buy things like new clothing after a growth spurt or right before a new school year begins.

Mid-Rivers Mall is making a grave mistake.  My daughter, who is 19 years old was stopped three times last weekend and asked to show her ID.  Once would be fine.  But three times?  That's so absurd my daughter went to Chesterfield Mall where they don't have these rules.

She had three of her friends with her so that's four teens who had purses full of money that were hassled so much, the stores at Mid-Rivers lost the business.  

This policy was put into effect because parents were dropping their kids off on weekend evenings and using the mall as a free baby-sitting service.  Also, it cuts down on shoplifting as well.  

So if Chesterfield Mall can figure out a way to deal with young kids at the mall on weekends and not lose a ton of business, Mid-Rivers Mall can do the same.  They are just not trying hard enough.