ORANGE PARK, Fla. — A new policy at the Orange Park Mall is now in effect, changing who can shop on weekend nights, and it’s getting mixed reactions from businesses and teens.
Starting Friday, anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a guardian 21 or older to shop at the mall on Fridays and Saturdays. Teens must also pass through security checkpoints and wear color-coded armbands while inside.
Mall officials say the Youth Supervision Policy is intended to improve safety and restore a welcoming shopping experience. But not everyone is on board.
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“I don’t think it’s that serious. I think that it’s stupid and I don’t think that it should be that way,” said teen Riley Wynn.
Many teens are voicing frustration over the new rules, arguing they’re being restricted because of the behavior of a few.
“Personally, I just come to the mall a lot before the whole entire thing happened. I really think it’s not fair,” said teen Nazier Davis. “I understand all the commotions and stuff that be happening on weekends in the mall, but I don’t know if I really feel like they should take that back.”
Mall General Manager Randy Bowman announced the policy on Wednesday and said he doesn’t expect it to hurt business.
Some store owners said the policy is overdue and could help reverse declining foot traffic, which they blame on large, unsupervised teen crowds in recent months.
“I really want everyone wants to feel safe—family to feel safe—to start shopping again and without having to worry about teenagers walking around causing chaos,” said Mina Ray, owner of Empress Energy.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Joel Bryan, owner of Swag Tees. “Actually, you have a lot of unsupervised teenagers these days, and without any kind of direction or sense of guidance, it’ll allow so many possibilities.”
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Bryan says the shift in mall culture has impacted business.
“Before takeovers, and you know these groups of teens became a thing, there was a lot more shoppers. I would say the mall became more busier,” he said.
“Now it’s just whenever you see a group of teens or male teens, they want to turn to the other direction—or even, you know, get in their car and leave.”
With help from mall security and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, enforcement of the policy is already underway. Business owners are hopeful.
“I believe that it will actually bring more business,” Bryan added.
Mall officials said they’ll continue to monitor how the policy affects both shoppers and sales, and whether it truly creates a safer environment for everyone.
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