Across the country, the number of shopping malls implementing curfew policies for teenagers is on the rise. Noisy and disruptive groups of adolescents draw complaints from retailers and customers, and mall security either kicks them out, or requires adult supervision. But in the D.C. area, only a few malls have opted for this measure, although plans to limit teen access are in the works for some venues.
It’s usually done as a “last resort,” and with “great consideration” taken, said Malachy Kavanagh, spokesman for the International Council of Shopping Centers. Only about 40 malls, out of 1,200 in the ICSC database, choose this option; but the trend is spreading, Kavanagh said. Curfew policies typically require teens to have an adult with them after about 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, he said.
At the Springfield Mall in Springfield, people younger than 18 can’t walk around in groups of more than three unless they are accompanied by an adult at least 25 years old. Security officer Sydney Williams said the mall is working on a parental policy and examining policies from other malls.
At Laurel Commons in Laurel, teens aren’t allowed in the malls until 3 p.m. during school months unless they’re with a parent, Officer A. Avery said. Otherwise, there are no restrictions. Teens may “get a little rowdy at times,” but overall they’re not disruptive, Avery said.
Gaithersburg’s Lakeforest Mall also has a policy mandating that 13-year-olds be accompanied by a parent. In other places around the country, stricter policies are enforced.
At the Galleria Crystal Run in Middletown, N.Y., teens under 18 have to be escorted by a parent or guardian 21 or older from 4 p.m. to close on Fridays and Saturdays, and there is a limit of five teens per parent or guardian. The movie theatre, however, is not subject to these regulations.
One security officer, Archie Roberts, said there were a lot of complaints by retail tenants prior to the curfew.
Since the policy was implemented in 2005, Director Mike Rogan said, the situation has improved for everyone.
Some malls, especially those that lack popular teen hangouts such as movie theaters or arcades, don’t attract many teens.
InThe Shops at Georgetown Park in Washington, which doesn’t have either attraction, marketing director Kathy Arvis said that the location isn’t a “traditional gathering place” for teens, but a courtesy code is enforced.
Other malls in the area simply don’t have a problem with troublesome teenagers. The Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda is one of them, marketing director Louise Gordon said, and it doesn’t have a curfew policy. Other shopping areas in the region that don’t have policies include the White Flint Mall in Bethesda, the Manassas Mall in Manassas, the Ballston Common Mall and the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City in Arlington and the Reston Town Center in Reston.
The Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax also doesn’t have a policy, and in fact it views teenagers in an almost praiseworthy light and “welcomes teens,” according to general manager Chris Poleto.
“Teens are a critical part of our shopping base and our work force,” he said.
This may be true, Kavanagh said, but retail sales increase when curfew policies are instituted.
