Willow Grove Park Mall bans unsupervised teens after 5 p.m.

Willow Grove Park Mall is the latest shopping center to impose restrictions on minors during certain hours.

Starting Oct. 1, visitors under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian after 5 p.m., and after 3 p.m. on Sundays. The Montgomery County mall, owned by PREIT, joins other regional malls in limiting teens’ access in the evenings. These include Center City’s Fashion District, the Deptford Mall, and PREIT’s Cherry Hill Mall. Several Jersey Shore towns have also enacted teen curfews and restrictions in recent years.

“Willow Grove Park is committed to maintaining a secure, welcoming, and family-friendly environment for all of our guests,” said Romaine Crawford, general manager of Willow Grove Park Mall. “This policy not only ensures that our guests can enjoy their shopping experience, but also fosters a secure environment for mall employees and visitors.”

The new permanent rule, according to a press release, responds to concerns from shoppers and local authorities about large gatherings of teens that occasionally disrupt a mall’s decorum.

“There wasn’t a single incident that led to the implementation of this policy, but we’ve seen broader trends across malls and public spaces where large groups of unsupervised minors can sometimes cause disruptions,” Crawford said. “This policy is a proactive measure aimed at ensuring a secure, family-friendly environment for all our visitors.”

Those who violate the rule and refuse to leave could be charged with trespassing, according to the new policy. Under the policy, minors unaccompanied by an adult after curfew will be asked to leave by security or wait until a parent or guardian over 21 arrives. Parents and legal guardians may be required to show identification.

Violators who refuse to comply could face trespassing charges.

Mall employees under 18 are exempt from the policy while working, but must go directly to their place of employment upon entry and leave immediately after their shift.

In recent years, teens in the Philadelphia area have faced increasing scrutiny because of large gatherings that have led to fights and vandalism, including incidents at the Jersey Shore, the Fashion District, and other community events across the Philadelphia suburbs.

In a 2023 Inquier op-ed, then 17-year-old Philadelphian Harper Leary argued that teens are being unfairly targeted by these restrictions. Leary pointed to “mall culture” of the past, as depicted in shows like Stranger Things, which romanticizes the 1980s obsession with malls. She wrote that the growing number of teen hangouts becoming off-limits, like malls and the Jersey Shore, is further isolating young people.

“We understand that malls have historically been a popular gathering place for teens, offering them a space to socialize and enjoy themselves,” Crawford said. “We value our teen shoppers and want to continue providing a welcoming environment for them. This policy aims to ensure that all guests — teens, families, and adults — can have a positive experience.”