Lenox Square in Buckhead to require youths be accompanied by adults
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Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In the wake of several shootings, including one involving two teens, Lenox Square will begin requiring visitors under 18 to be accompanied at all times by an adult.
A Wednesday afternoon news release detailed the new policy, which is called the youth supervision program. Any youth will have to be accompanied by their parent or an adult who is 21 or older after 3 p.m. each day, starting September 21.
The change comes after a violent two years for the mall, a premier retail destination in the heart of Buckhead. Lenox has struggled to maintain its reputation for posh shopping despite a string of headline-grabbing shootings and assaults.
Two shootings took place on Lenox Square property over the summer after 3 p.m., one of which involved two 15-year-olds. Rising crime in Atlantas richest neighborhood has reinvigorated an effort to make Buckhead its own city.
...
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who has faced criticisms over the citys rising crime rate since 2020, lauded the malls actions in a statement.
The engagement and care of young people remains a top priority for our Administration. We welcome responsible efforts by the business community to ensure the wellbeing of Atlantas residents and visitors especially our young people, Bottoms said.
Read more: https://www.ajc.com/neighborhoods/dekalb/breaking-lenox-square-in-buckhead-to-require-youths-be-accompanied-by-adults-after-3-pm/U5GLNXGIAFDKHO6UMQSKPIIKUE/
Not sure how I feel about this, and I don't think it'll stop Buckhead seceding from Atlanta next year.
Haggard Celine
(16,820 posts)used to complain all the time about the "mallrats." It wasn't just him, virtually all of the people who worked in the mall had problems with those kids, although I never heard of them having any shootings over there. I would imagine they would love to have a rule like that, keeping children out unless they are with an adult. We really don't have enough decent places for kids to hang out unless they're involved in some extracurricular activity at school. So many parents let the world babysit their unwanted kids. It's a shame.
Demsrule86
(68,347 posts)closing everywhere these days. The mall near me welcomes kids...and they are one of the most profitable malls anywhere.
hlthe2b
(101,698 posts)I felt reasonably safe doing so--especially at Phipp's with its underground parking security station. Certainly more so than walking alone at night outdoors.
From what I've heard about how things have changed, I'd certainly not feel safe doing so now.
So, if this can help, I'm all in. Kids getting in trouble is hardly a new thing, but the different influences, easy access to guns, and frequently unstable home environments have made things considerably different.
So, no, I would not oppose their trying this. I frankly can't imagine most parents wanting their kids at Lennox after dark by themselves.
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)There will be push-back from parents who believe that their angels are not part of the problem... but it's still a good policy, in my opinion.
Demsrule86
(68,347 posts)NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)... or "the mall with punk teenagers" or "the mall with turf-wars" (and that probably ends up keeping even more people away.)
see: Owings Mills Mall
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)It's ALREADY difficult for malls & shopping centers, but if they get a reputation for being UNSAFE, then things start to spiral out of control. --- Here in Maryland, this once-busy and once-popular mall died a slow death...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owings_Mills_Mall#Christina_Brown_murder
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owings_Mills_Mall#Decline_and_closure
malthaussen
(17,065 posts)How exactly is this supposed to help? The adults are expected to return fire?
-- Mal
Steelrolled
(2,022 posts)Parents and kids don't hang out much together in public.
forgotmylogin
(7,496 posts)I expect the mall doesn't care if they don't cause trouble, but this gives them a rule to ask them to leave if they get complaints and are not shopping with parents.
Steelrolled
(2,022 posts)a part of American culture a few decades back. From the stores' point of view I think there was both good (advertising to future consumers) and bad (annoying current consumers). It is a shame they have to enact these rules - but it started a long time ago, at least where I have lived.
Stuart G
(38,357 posts)Mawspam2
(703 posts)TNNurse
(6,911 posts)Norcross, GA was a tiny place just close enough to get to Atlanta quickly. Now, you have probably have heard of it. It grew out of control.
When I turned 16 and could drive, my escape to independence was to drive to Lenox Square. I did not always have money to spend, but I could window shop, I could dream. It was a transition to moving on to a bigger life.
This makes me sad, not surprised but sad.
Bo Zarts
(25,370 posts)It was one of our go-to places in Atlanta when I was in HS and college. We would drive 45 miles to Atlanta to go to Lenox Square. I can't remember why, but maybe it was the good movies back then.
I do remember going up to Lenox Square in '66 or '67 to see the movie The Blue Max. I already had my private pilot's license, and my friend, who drove us in his 1965 Austin Healy 3000 Mk-2, was learning how to fly. After the matinee we strolled around Lenox with ice cream cones, just gawking.
We were really fired up by the low-flying scenes with the WW-1 airplanes in the movie. That's all we talked about as we strolled around inside the mall. It was late afternoon when we walked outside to find his car in the parking lot.
There in the northwest corner of Lenox Square parking (Peachtree Rd & Lenox Rd) sat a USAF McDonnell-Douglas F-4. With the canopy open!
We made a beeline for the F-4. There were USAF recruiters there, including two captains, in their flight suits, who had flown the F-4 in Vietnam. SHIT-HOT! We crawled all over the F-4, sat in the seats, and asked a thousand questions of the two F-4 jocks. Sign me up!
Think there might be any coincidence with USAF recruiters setting up shop near a theater showing such a testosterone-filled flying movie? Naw.
Omaha Steve
(99,054 posts)This is a LOCAL story in nature.