2008 Woodie Awards
Local Nashville-area mall requires IDs for evening entry
Tiffany Williams
Copy Desk Chief
Issue date: 1/28/08 Section: Campus News
Most college students are accustomed to presenting identification at some point during their college career; however, some may have to start showing an ID just to shop.
Hickory Hollow Mall, a shopping center located at 5252 Hickory Hollow Parkway in Antioch, Tenn., is requiring youths under the age of 18 be accompanied by an adult after 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
According to Nathan Thomas, the mall's marketing director, the Youth Escort Policy, commonly referred to as Y.E.P., was started on Aug. 18, 2006 in efforts to improve mall security.
"We implemented the policy to reduce the large number of loitering, which increases the risk of shoplifting and other security incidents," Thomas said.
Some TSU students have been carded while trying to enter the mall including Jordan Deloach, a freshman computer sciences major from Detroit, Mich.
"I've been carded while at Hickory Hollow before, but didn't have my ID. I was 18 at the time and they went ahead and let me in anyway," Deloach said.
Hickory Hollow Mall is the only mall near the Nashville area that has this program in place.
When asked if there have been any problems with the program Thomas said, "With any new program there's always some resistance to it. However, now it requires less effort."
Although some are growing familiar with the policy, others disagree with the idea of a restricted time they are allowed to shop.
"I think it's stupid because there are a lot of people under18 year olds that have jobs and their own cars and have money to spend, so why can't they be allowed to shop by themselves?" said Marquita Adams, a freshman psychology major from Covington, Tenn. "What about the people under 18 who work at the mall? What are they supposed to do?"
According to the mall's Web site, "youth under 18 years of age working on property will be allowed access without a parent or guardian.
"Proof of work status will be required, and youth employees must go directly to the place of employment and must leave the property at the conclusion of their work shift if after 6 p.m. on Friday and/or Saturday evenings," the Web site stated.
Hickory Hollow Mall, a shopping center located at 5252 Hickory Hollow Parkway in Antioch, Tenn., is requiring youths under the age of 18 be accompanied by an adult after 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
According to Nathan Thomas, the mall's marketing director, the Youth Escort Policy, commonly referred to as Y.E.P., was started on Aug. 18, 2006 in efforts to improve mall security.
"We implemented the policy to reduce the large number of loitering, which increases the risk of shoplifting and other security incidents," Thomas said.
Some TSU students have been carded while trying to enter the mall including Jordan Deloach, a freshman computer sciences major from Detroit, Mich.
"I've been carded while at Hickory Hollow before, but didn't have my ID. I was 18 at the time and they went ahead and let me in anyway," Deloach said.
Hickory Hollow Mall is the only mall near the Nashville area that has this program in place.
When asked if there have been any problems with the program Thomas said, "With any new program there's always some resistance to it. However, now it requires less effort."
Although some are growing familiar with the policy, others disagree with the idea of a restricted time they are allowed to shop.
"I think it's stupid because there are a lot of people under18 year olds that have jobs and their own cars and have money to spend, so why can't they be allowed to shop by themselves?" said Marquita Adams, a freshman psychology major from Covington, Tenn. "What about the people under 18 who work at the mall? What are they supposed to do?"
According to the mall's Web site, "youth under 18 years of age working on property will be allowed access without a parent or guardian.
"Proof of work status will be required, and youth employees must go directly to the place of employment and must leave the property at the conclusion of their work shift if after 6 p.m. on Friday and/or Saturday evenings," the Web site stated.
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