Boycott malls owned by Simon Prop. - dress code prohibits peace symbol

[lindisfarne]

smiley faces, flowers, and/or bandanas (they refuse to clarify exactly what the problem was).
Go to simon.com or http://www.simon.com/find_mall/ to find out which malls near you are owned by Simon properties. According to the article, they have 285 malls in 39 states and the dress code applies to them all.

Also, go to https://www.simon.com/about_simon/contact_spg/default.aspx and inform them you're avoiding their malls until the dress code is changed to an acceptable one.
http://archive.columbiatribune.com/2006/jun/20060622news031.asp
or
http://rawstory.com/showarticle.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.showmenews.com%2F2006%2FJun%
2F20060622News031.asp
Bandanna banned in Springfield mall
Officials won’t explain how headgear is offensive.

Published Thursday, June 22, 2006
SPRINGFIELD (AP) - A southwest Missouri mall defended its dress code after a security guard told a 10-year-old girl her bandanna decorated with peace signs, smiley faces and flowers violated the mall’s code of conduct.
<snip>
Lydia had violated No. 10 on the list of 17 offenses: "failing to be fully clothed or wearing apparel which is likely to provide a disturbance or embroil other groups or the general public in open conflict."
<snip>
Under the code, people who don’t comply with the code can be asked to leave. If they don’t leave, they can be arrested for trespassing.

"The bottom line is we want to have an environment (conducive) to shopping. Offensive apparel does not fit in with that environment," she said, although she could not say how the bandanna was offensive.

Similar policies are in place at 285 Simon properties in 39 states and Puerto Rico.
==============
added:
"The code of conduct is pretty clear, and, you know, I think common sense should prevail," said Les Morris, spokesman for Simon Property Group Inc., which owns the mall.

[jobycom]

1. Who can afford to shop at malls these days? nt

[pnwmom]

8. Two of the ones in my area were outlet malls.

The third was Northgate mall in north Seattle.

[xmas74]

2. Interesting

since I believe that my nearest mall is a Simon mall. I guess that means that you can buy the t shirts from Spencers but can't actually wear them in the mall.

[Kutjara]

3. Nothing must trouble the herd's mind...

...while it grazes. Nothing must distract the herd from its sacred duty to shop. All public spaces must be bland, unthreatening, homogenous, calming. We must all sleep...sleeeeep...sleeeeeeeeeep.

[novalib]

4. Boycott ALL Malls!!

Jeeze, Boycott ALL Malls!!!

Malls are little more than monuments to run-away capitalism.

They just encourage people to BUY BUY BUY!!

They encourage people to spend money they do not have on over-priced stuff they do NOT need -- stuff that is made by underpaid children working under terrible conditions in countries that are ruled by oligarchical butchers!

Shopping at malls merely enriches people who hire children and underpay workers!

[pnwmom]

13. So what are you suggesting? Making your own (not for me), buying

used (sorry), buying from catalogues (need to try things on), or buying from boutiques (no bargain)?

[SmokingJacket]

21. Believe it or not -- I've hardly ever bought clothes in malls.

Not for political reasons, either -- I just prefer to get my clothes elsewhere. Yep, I get stuff used (we have an awesome second hand store here), from from catalogs (my inlaws have learned to give me gift certificates), and other places.

Mall clothes seem designed for young kids, and they fall apart right away, and they're always about two seasons ahead!

[novalib]

33. Here's What I'm Suggesting

I'm suggesting that we (each one of us) begin to wean ourselves away from the worst excesses of the capitalistic system --- a system that exploits small children in places like Bangladesh and Guatemala and instead enriches parasitic fatcats in New York and Los Angeles.

And it starts with refusing to shop at Malls.

Believe it or not, people actually bought quality clothes before Malls came into existance.

Believe it or not, Macy's, Abercromie and Fitch, XXI, and Norstroms are not the only places to buy clothes.

Malls sell overpriced goods -- not just clothes, but other "must haves" such as candles, cosmetics, knickknacks of all sorts, and other junk. People buy that stuff because they are victims of marketing. They don't need any of it.

Try going one month without going to a mall. You'll find it is not the hard to do.

[pnwmom]

34. "Trying going one month without going to a mall." That's not hard.

I probably only go every few months.

But when I need clothes, I need to go somewhere where I can try things on -- sizes in women's clothes are completely unpredictable. And in my area, little shops are just as expensive as malls.

And stores like Target, Walmart, etc. are just as likely to sell clothes made by exploited people.

[Cobalt Violet]

45. But I work in a mall, a Simon mall at that.

[Quantess]

47. I occasionally walk around in malls

but I almost never buy anything.

On days when there are no crowds, the ambiance is pleasant and soothing. I like to window-shop and people-watch.
I appreciate a nice atmosphere, which is why I won't set foot in a WalMart.

I prefer to buy things used/pre-owned when possible. People give away some really nice things to thrift stores. Craislist.org is pretty great, too.

[pnwmom]

52. Someone has to buy the stuff new, or you can't buy it used.

[Quantess]

56. ....LOL

Thanks for informing me of that.:spray:

I hope other people keep on buying stuff and giving it away, so that I don't have to spend a lot of money on brand new stuff!

[pnwmom]

54. I used to like them when I was pushing a stroller. They were the

only place my colicky baby didn't cry. She'd just stare. And then she'd go home and sleep.

(Don't worry. Now she spends her time in a lab, not in a mall.)

[tavalon]

57. What is so awful about thrift shopping?

It is the ultimate in recycling. I haven't bought any new clothes in about 10 years and I have lots of fun clothes. Thrift shopping is fun and rests lightly on the soul.

[B3Nut]

86. Thrift stores ROCK!

I shop at Goodwill, St. Vinnie's, and Sally Ann (Salvation Army) all the time. Sometimes I run into a cool piece of vintage stereo gear (I collect 70's hi-fi), I buy most of my polo shirts there, comforters, blankets and towels for the dog kennels, used scrubs to bum around the house in, records, records, and more records, all kinds of stuff. The thrill of the hunt is part of the fun, too. I hit garage sales too.

I avoid the mall unless I have to go there. I hate them as a general rule, though. If I want something specific new, I look online first.

Todd in Beerbratistan

[otherlander]

67. ........

:toast::toast::toast::toast::toast::toast::toast::toast::toast:
:applause: :yourock: :applause: :yourock: :applause: :yourock: :applause: :yourock: :applause: :yourock::applause: :yourock: :applause: :yourock::applause: :yourock::applause: :yourock: :applause: :yourock: :applause::yourock: :applause: :yourock: :applause: :yourock: :applause: :yourock: :applause: :yourock:

[SeveneightyWhoa]

80. Do you have a problem w/ capitalism?

If you boycott malls, why stop there?

Why don't you just stop contributing to the economy, period?

[novalib]

82. Since You Asked,

Yes, I DO have a problem with an economic system that exploits the labor of small children and poor people!

And I have a REAL problem with the Temples to Capitalism that we call "MALLS".

Malls do little more than entice people to spend money they don't have on things they don't need.

You got a problem with that?

[LostinVA]

83. Capitalism does not have to be exploitative

Not as long as there is a governmental system set up to favor the consumer, the worker, its citizens. Other countries mix them fine.

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. A mall code of conduct? If you've got $$$ in your pocket to spend

you can walk around dressed like a giraffe with a bad case of jock itch as long as you buy, buy, buy in their trendy stores.

Who are they kidding? Screw them - do your buying online.

[lindisfarne]

22. I don't do much mall shopping but I have gotten some incredible

deals in clearance on clothes that have lasted me 7 years or more being worn almost weekly. I shop carefully, avoid certain countries of manufacture, and can't stand shopping for clothes in thrift stores - I've tried it but at least where I live, they ask at least 50% of what I'd pay for a brand new item on clearance, and you spend a lot more time shopping for clothes in thrift stores. I do buy a lot of other things at thrift stores, though.

As for catalog shopping: absolutely not. Mailing often costs more than half of what I'm paying for an item, and I'm very selective as to how things fit me. REI is the only place I'll buy clothes online - because I can send it to the store without mailing charges, and return it immediately if I don't like the way it fits (which is almost always the case). REI clothes prices rarely fall into my price range.

[kath]

49. I get some good deals at places like TJMaxx, Ross, Marshall's,

none of which are in malls. Also Kohl's, Gordmans (also not in malls).
I really don't like the atmosphere of malls and avoid them as much as possible.

[Quantess]

6. Preposterous!

Thank you for posting this. I'm going to give the Tacoma Mall a piece/peace of my mind.:thumbsdown:

[cdsilv]

7. Oooohhhhhhh - gonna wear a peace sign to my local Simon Mall...

...and when challenged, wave a fisftul of cash and some credit cards in their faces? Don't want my money?????

Bet they let me shop....

(not that I'll BUY..)

[annabanana]

9. That was fun...

Long Island is Mall Central. I hope they get lots emails bitching about Peace signs.

[man4allcats]

10. Done. Houstonians take note:

According to their website, Simon Properties currently owns Houston's Galleria mall.

[ananda]

30. Yeah, I saw that..

.. I haven't been to the Galleria in years, even though it's close. The traffic, ya know.

I shop at Memorial City, and I just read there's a new Apple Computer store there.

yay

sue

[man4allcats]

38. Memorial City is very close to my house.

I live on Westview within 4 houses of Gessner. I didn't know about the new Apple store. I've been a Windows user for years, but I'd love to have a Mac. It's just not in the budget right now. Actually, for that matter, nothing is at the moment. :-)

[ComerPerro]

11. promoting peach is controversial. what does that tell you

[Radical Activist]

12. you could boycott OR

You could get groups of 12 or more people together all wearing peace symbols and walk around the mall in a non-threatening way. That's a group large enough that the security guards will think twice before trying to enforce the rule.

[Ilsa]

50. I thought the same thing: overwhelm them with peace signs worn

by peace lovers. I also like the face paint idea.

[pnwmom]

53. And children love face-paint.

:bounce:

[Ilsa]

59. "Sorry ma'am, we're taking your children in for having

subversive face paint on!" :hippie:

[otherlander]

69. I think that's what I'll do.

Show up wearing a peace sign, and pretend like I'm going to buy something, look at the most expensive things in every store, and then just walk out. I'll go to the most expensive, capitalist stores, though. I realise they're all just fragments of the same corperate dystopia, but I'll leave the ones like the Body Shop (fair trade, no animal testing) alone, and go right for the ones like Armani Exchange. If they give me a hard time, I'll just smile, give a peace sign, and walk away, on to the next store.

[Sugarcoated]

14. Lindesfarne

I just called one of my local malls on the list and she said that's not true, she's never heard of that rule, laughed and said there's a whole lot worse than peace signs on peoples shirts. I'll call the other on the list. :shrug:

[pnwmom]

15. It's a dress code, not a make-up code. Paint peace-signs on your face.

People will actually notice, too -- as opposed to the peace signs on a ten year old's scarf.

[musette_sf]

16. oh yeah, I'm sure this is enforced

at their Stanford Mall in Palo Alto. NOT.

I wonder if B*$hCo or other winger-type apparel and accessories are deemed "offensive" at Stanford Mall. Community moral standards, you know.

[pnwmom]

18. I heard of something like this enforced in downtown Seattle's

Westlake Mall a couple of years ago. People were carrying peace signs on their way to/from a march, and they had to go in the mall because that's where the bus stop was. They got kicked out.

I think I've heard of people being kicked out for t-shirts, too.

[zbdent]

17. But selling the stuff is allowed

Bet you can find the Peace symbol in Spencer's Gifts . . .

[Sugarcoated]

19. I called three malls in the Philadelphia area

The 'burbs, and none of the 3 backed this up, found it kind of funny. I don't think this is true people.

[lindisfarne]

25. See msg. 24. n/t

[LostinVA]

84. Nor did my local mall, which is also a Simon-owned mall

Methinks someone is LYING... who?

[SmokingJacket]

20. Hmm, looks like they own the crappy mall I used to go to as a kid.

They can have it!

Having a dress code in a mall is -- well, I'll say it: Unamerican.

[Mr_Spock]

23. that's silly

looking for problems they are?

[lindisfarne]

24. Les Morris, spokesman for Simon Property Group Inc is quoted in

original article so it seems Simon Property backs up this policy. The original article said the dress code applies to all malls but perhaps isn't enforced (as far as I'm concerned, though, if the dress code exists as just one of their malls, I'm not going to any of them - contacting them and telling them so will put the pressure on them to change the policy).

"The code of conduct is pretty clear, and, you know, I think common sense should prevail," said Les Morris, spokesman for Simon Property Group Inc., which owns the mall."

[mia]

26. Dadeland and the International Mall in Miami.

Time to spread the word around town.
I just sent an email via "investor relations".
https://www.simon.com/about_simon/contact_spg/default.aspx

Thanks for the alert!

[Bush_MUST_Go]

27. It's not the peace sign that was a problem....

It was the bandana that was allegedly banned. Probably an attempt to keep gang members out of the mall. I can't fault malls from wanting to keep gang members from hanging out there.

[mia]

42. Bandanas and gang members.

Could be the reason, but I think that the "bad boy" look is more like a fashion statement, at least among the teens I see.

[pnwmom]

55. Something tells me that the mall dress code can't keep up with

with changing fashions among real gang members.

So they go after ten year old girls instead.

Smart.

[mia]

28. Simon says:

http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?st=IN&last=FOXWORTHY&first=RANDOLPH

[lindisfarne]

31. That site isn't very complete. I tried 3 different names (including mine)

which I know show up in other sites for campaign contributions, and that site didn't have them.

Just wanted you to know, in case you get no hits for a name, it may not mean no donations were made.

[mia]

39. True.

I just seached for some names by zip code.

[Lisa0825]

29. Or better yet.....

Bring a dozen friends all hippied-out and engage in some civil disobedience! :evilgrin: :hippie:

[LibinMo]

32. Go here to read Sarah Overstreet's column on this story

Sarah works for the Springfield News-Leader. She is one of my favorites.


http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060623/COLUMNISTS17/606230379

[PetraPooh]

35. I only have one question. . .Can you buy such articles as those banned

at the stores in those malls? I'm just wondering because one would think that if not now, then soon, many stores will be selling such articles of clothing and accessories. Then what will the mall do. . .ban what a store can sell or display? I'm surprised no one is going to fight this in courts. Seems like it offends free speech. I mean if the guy in Idaho that took his very stickered up, anti-bush, anti-war truck to the federal building and won his right to do so; how can a mall get away with allowing girls to run round exposing their bellies and butt cracks, and boys to expose their underwear, but a scarf or bandana is not okay? This is just ridiculous and insulting to the diversity of our culture.

I would boycott those malls, but I rarely shop anywhere, choosing instead to make as much as I can.

[kevinbgoode]

36. I think someone should find out if they have one of those

religious bookstores in a mall. . .you know, like "GospelLand". . .one which specializes in carrying offensive material put out by Focus on the Family or the American "Family" Association. After all, that is certainly apt to promote conflict, and it indicates the mall is endorsing a particular religious belief at the expense of all others.

[gully]

37. They own "THE MALL OF AMERICA."

How very "un-american."

This sounds like a bad judgement call by a naziesque mall cop.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

40. Simon is owned by right-wing fundies.

When they bought the Rockaway Townsquare mall, they made the Hot Topic get rid of many of the things pertaining to paganism. They tried to eliminate pagan books from the Brentanos, but failed as they had more power than Hot Topic.

As for the dress code, they don't seem to enforce anything at the Rockaway Townsquare Mall, but they are known for raising rents very high for stores they don't approve of.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

63. Yup. No Dresscode There That I Know Of And I've Been There My Whole Life.

Didn't know the story about Hot Topic though, that's definitely interesting.

As far as raising the rents goes I have heard they can be ruthless in forcing stores out of business or relocating them to the dungeon areas of the mall with no traffic.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

65. Yeah, I heard about the Hot Topic thing from my one friend who...

worked at Brentanos way back in the day when Simon first bought it. Now he's there again as a manager at the Borders express. He'll be the thin well-dressed guy potentially ranting to a fundie while working.

[Ouabache]

41. Weird, because Mel and Herb Simon are Democrats

Mel's wife was actually trying to run for Lt. Governor of Indiana on the Democratic ticket too, at one point in 2004, before dropping out.

The Simons also own the Indiana Pacers NBA team.
Could be they are playing on JoMentum's team though.

[TahitiNut]

43. None in Michigan (or Arizona). Too bad ...

... it's EASY to boycott a mall. (I detest 'em.)

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

44. Locations in Virginia:

Fashion Centre at Pentagon City Arlington Virginia

Charlottesville Fashion Square Charlottesville Virginia

Chesapeake Square Chesapeake Virginia

Virginia Center Commons Glen Allen Virginia

Valley Mall Harrisonburg Virginia

Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets Leesburg Virginia

Apple Blossom Mall Winchester Virginia

[Ezra the Prankster]

46. Yet another new level of absurdity...

...I really wish I was surprised by this... Why aren't I?

Luckily, I don't shop at any malls. And if they don't own any malls in Arizona, it doesn't apply to me anyway.

But if anyone was up for any civil disobediance, this would be a perfect way to protest corporate Fascism. Get 20 or 50 or 100 people together or so and go march through their mall wearing peace symbol T shirts, looking at things, buying things, and acting like normal customers. Let 'em come arrest you for that. You don't have to fight back against people like this if they're so determined to throw themselves on their own swords.

[Cha]

48. I got your

bottom line..right here.

[FogerRox]

51. I'm gonna buy a shirt with a peace sign and go to the MALL

[annabanana]

58. I got a response to my letter!!

to the Walt Whitman Mall on Long Island:

Did someone here tell you you couldn't weat such a shirt?

Debby Weber
Mall Manager
Walt Whitman Mall


I sent her the Columbia Tribune link. I doubt that the Mall managers in the blue states even KNOW about this dress code!

[lonestarnot]

60. Good thing we don't have one here. Trash ass places.

[Pab Sungenis]

61. Hell, better yet. Give us a list of stores in their malls

...and we all write to the STORES. Let them know if they support this suppression of opinion by keeping this company in business, we won't shop with them.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

62. A Boycott Is Flat Out Stupid Here.

Are you of the impression that the stores in the mall are owned by simon too? Do you think the boycott is going to hurt Simon? You think you're condoning hurting the small businesses inside the mall instead, many of which might be fine with you wearing a peace bandana?

This call for a boycott is just dumb in my opinion. It is nothing but a call to financially hurt businesses that have absolutely nothing to do with what you're upset about.

I'm all for writing letters against their policy and publicly making their policy known. I'm all for protesting Simon's code of conduct.

But leave the innocent businesses alone.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

66. EXACTLY! I don't know any store management that LIKES Simon.

I've worked in several stores in a Simon mall and have friends that still work in stores at a Simon mall. NO ONE likes Simon. It's bad enough that they're losing business due to all the extra crap being built around the mall (here anyway).

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

70. That's True Too. Any Idea What's Goin In On The Right Back End Now?

I see a huge building going up there too, to the right of the other big strip mall they built with the target and dicks.

The only thing useful I found in that other new mall area is the kids haircut place. My son loves it. The only thing useful I found in the new mall area in the front is the FatBurger. Have you eaten there yet? The cheeseburgers were surprisingly good.

I just have no idea what else they're putting up now in the back right side. The only thing I'd care about is a good chinese buffet. Rockaway and Denville have no good chinese buffets left LOL

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

71. It's going to be a 14 screen multiplex.

To replace the death trap of an AMC they replaced with the Best Buy. I worked at that theatre after HS. It was literally falling apart. It was a fun and fucked up place to work though.

Never ate at the Fat Burger, since the only meat I eat is fish. Have you tried East Cafe by the Acme? It's not a buffet, but they're good. The sushi is good too, plus if you order over $10 worth of sushi, you get 20% off.

Of the new stores, I like the Pet Smart (but I'll only buy fish at Lil Critters in Denville). If you have an aquarium, he has the best fish. Almost all of them come from local breeders (or himself). The Target and DSW is good, too. We definitely don't need the Walmart or a Lowes across from a Home Depot.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

72. Oh Shit Really? That's Cool. And I Liked The Old AMC Theater. It Was

the only movie theater I could go to that they let you put your OWN butter on the popcorn. :evilgrin:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

73. Dude...that was not butter.

It had a mysterious ingredient that simply said, "Anti-foaming agent." For all we knew, it could've been Agent Orange.

It was some sort of fake butter product. My one supervisor put it best when she said, "most of the staff will eat out of a half-finished box of candy they find on the floor, but they don't want the 'butter' to touch their skin." We used to clean it off the walls with spray paint remover. Once the butter pump exploded (we were convinced the place was haunted, due to random shit) and it literally coated half the lobby with fake butter shit. Fortunately, all the movies were in, so no one got hurt...and it was as I was getting off, so I didn't have to clean it up.

The most annoying part about the self-serve butter was when people would ask to "layer" the butter during a really busy weekend. We'd have to fill it up halfway then let them put "butter" on it, then come back, fill it up the rest of the way. Of course, half the time, these same people would come back and ask for new popcorn because they put too much "butter" on it. Gah!

My coworkers were fun though, and we had a pit bull living in the employee room (along with his owner). The free previews at midnight were always awesome.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

75. Sounds Like You Had A Good Time There. But You Just Twisted My Stomach.

I'm a very picky eater and the slightest things make me lose my appetite. I think you just permanently ruined it for me with self-serve butter LOL

Lords knows I drenched mine in it, but that's cause I wanted the calories. I hope in the end whatever this agent butter orange was at least still high calorie!

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

76. Sorry, but don't worry, it was high-calorie.

Well, the butter didn't kill you then, so I'm sure you'll be fine. I'm totally turned off to extra butter on movie theatre popcorn. The flavoring that it gets popped with isn't scary. It has crap in it, but not scary crap. I just will never put extra 'butter' on my popcorn at the theatre.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

77. Only Reason I Did Is Because I Try And Maximize My Calories Whenever I Eat

because I'm so thin. Popcorn on its own doesn't really have calories but will fill you up. So I looked at it as a way to enjoy popcorn and not feel guilty about eating something without that many calories. I'm thin and as obsessed with calorie intake as a dieter is on the flip side.

[KAZ]

78. Horse shit.

The stores that rent at Simons are not disinterested 3rd parties, they buy what Simon sells, floorspace. Separating them would be like ignoring an advertiser in a nazi publication. I usually like your posts, but you are wrong on this.

[RagingInMiami]

64. Before I boycott them

I would like to walk into one of those malls with the peace sign T-shirt and walk up to a security guard and ask if him if he has a problem with it.

EDIT: Fuck the peace sign. I will wear an Impeach Bush T-shirt instead.

[mdmc]

68. Or go, refuse to leave, get arrested, and sue

:mad:
We had a problem with Pyramid Group over a similar thing (although not this dumb). :mad:

[Fox Mulder]

74. The nearest one to me is the Mall of America.

And I don't go there anyways.

[annabanana]

79. They sent me a real response..

(They seem to regret this particular part of their "dress code")

"Thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding an article you read in the newspaper about a situation that occurred at one of our malls in the Midwest. By way of explanation, Codes of Conduct (which include dress codes) are recognized within the shopping center industry as a non-discriminatory means to maintain a safe and comfortable environment for shoppers and employees. Such sets of rules are actually found at most venues that attract large and diverse groups of people, whether they be public sporting facilities, schools or amusement parks, for example.

As part of our commitment to maintain a safe and comfortable shopping environment for our shoppers and employees, we make an effort to objectively enforce our Code of Conduct without regard to race, age or gender. However, circumstances occasionally arise that call for a more subjective interpretation of the Code. The situation that occurred recently at our Midwestern mall is an example of such an exception.

Simon has reached out to the family to apologize for any confusion or embarrassment the actions of our security guard may have caused our young guest and her mother and apparently discussed with the mall team the need to exercise common sense in such situations.

I want you to know that we value the comments and suggestions we receive from our shoppers and employees, as we review them on a regular basis in an effort to provide an enjoyable experience at our mall."

(emphasis mine!)

[RebelOne]

81. I never shop at malls anyway.

[Bridget Burke]

85. I'll need more information before I Boycott....

Perhaps I'll wear a tasteful peace sign on my next visit to Houston's Galleria. It's my favorite when I want to encounter The Mall Experience--just outside the Loop, not in Suburban Wasteland. Generally, I see many people just walking--where do you take visitors for a stroll when it's Summer in Houston? Being Houston, the crowd is pretty diverse.

I'm in no danger of overspending at Tiffany or Louis Vuitton. Even in the less exclusive shops, I head straight for the clearance racks.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

87. I ran into this!

I was killing some time in a mall in Santa Rosa -- I was wearing a red bandana covering my hair (I have severe alopecia). I was approached by a pimply-faced, 19 years old security guard and told I had to remove my bandana or leave the mall! I was floored, to say the least.

It's my understanding that bans such as these are related to gang activity -- red and blue bandanas being related to crips and bloods.

But I am a 46 year old, white(ish), nerdy woman -- you know, the typical gang banger. :eyes:

I forcefully told the guard I would not remove my bandana and why, and he backed down.

It goes without saying that I have no plans to ever go back there. I don't know if it's Simon Mall or not, but it's the same bullshit.

[Clark2008]

88. I don't go to the mall a lot, but, if I did, I would have no

choice but to go to a Simon-owned mall. Both the malls in my town are owned by them.

(I hate shopping, so staying away from a mall is fairly easy for me. I simply did NOT get the shopping DNA strand on my "X" chromosomes.)

[MadHound]

89. Well, after all, this is in Springfield Mo,

Heart of Ashcroft country, buckle of the Bible Belt, location of both the World Headquarters of Assemblies of God churches and Jerry Falwell's alma mater, Baptist Bible College. One of the most regressive cities on the face of this continent. This is suprising coming from there. I imagine it was a case of an over zealous security guard, hyped up on too much Limbaugh, Coulter and faux patriotism finally found a target he could take on, a ten year old girl with peace signs on her bandana. He probably bragged to his troglodyte buddies that night as they were swigging one down at the Antler. Sad, but pathetically predictable in this town.

However the other fact is that now that there's bad publicity out there, and the public is pissed, I'm betting this self same security guard has probably lost his job. See, the Battlefield Mall has been dying a long, slow lingering death for years, and the only reason that they're not in the grave yet is because a newer, flashier, mall hasn't been built yet to accomodate Sears, Penny's and Dillards. As soon as one goes up on the St. James Parkway, Battlefield will die as quick as the North County Mall did fifteen years ago. Even so, it is hemmoraging cash, as more boutique doors close and nothing replaces them. So anything that threatens revenue flow is brutally axed, which I'm sure is what happened to this security guard.

This is just another example why I was overjoyed to leave that armpit of a burg back in '87, and why the hackles on the back of my neck are perpetually raised whenever I visit friends there. It is a backward, Bible thumping, bigotted hell hole of a town. I realize that there are good people who live down there, and are exceptions to the rule. But still and all, you couldn't pay me enough to live down there anymore, and this is just a mild example of what goes on in that town.