Ben Schumin Photography Portfolio

Sign at Southpark Mall informing would-be shoppers about the facility's "Youth Escort Policy". Under this policy, customers under age 18 are not permitted in the mall unless escorted by a parent or guardian aged 21 or older. Additionally, anyone who looks like they might be under 18 is subject to being carded to verify that they are of age. Additionally, proof of employment is required for store employees who are underage, and they are required to go directly to their jobs upon arrival and leave immediately upon finishing work.

When it comes to discussing why people don’t go to shopping malls anymore, I usually point to policies like this. The idea is that the malls have made their own bed, having invested so much effort into making younger shoppers feel unwelcome in their facilities. And now that those younger shoppers are of prime shopping age, they’re taking their business elsewhere and leaving shopping malls behind. They like to blame online shopping for their declining fortunes, without ever considering that they may have played a significant role in driving their customers away with hostile policies such as this one.

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Ben Schumin is a professional photographer who captures the intricacies of daily life. This image is all rights reserved. Contact me directly for licensing information.