The AVENUE at White Marsh summer youth escort yields mixed reviews from shoppers
WHITE MARSH - A popular Baltimore County shopping center will tighten its youth escort policy in June.
For more than a decade, the AVENUE at White Marsh has implemented a youth escort policy, according to Director of Marketing, Lisa Geiger.
Currently, the policy requires anyone under the age of 17 to be supervised by a parent or an adult over 21 years old after 5 p.m.
Come Saturday, June 8, the mall will expand this requirement from open to close.
In a statement to WJZ, Geiger wrote:
"The AVENUE at White Marsh is a popular shopping, dining and entertainment district. We believe it is reasonable and in the best interest of our center to require young guests to be supervised by an adult while visit. This is a temporary update to coincide with the upcoming summer season."
The upcoming change to the policy has yielded mixed feedback from shoppers.
"I don't think the entire time," Renee Johnson said. "A lot of people have no care or concern for other people, so I want my daughter to be safe and confident outside. But I also want her to have her little friend to be just with her friends as well, so it's like a double-edged sword."
"I think it's a great idea," Julie Carl said. "You're never going to totally get rid of it, all of the violence, but it might make people think twice before they make a poor decision."
The AVENUE at White Marsh has previously made seasonal or temporary changes to its youth escort policy.
In January 2023, the shopping center implemented the same open-to-close youth supervision requirement that's to come this June.
The change back then came parallel to an increase in safety measures made across several malls in Baltimore County and following a threat to "shut down" neighboring White Marsh Mall.
THE AVENUE policy that goes into effect June 8 states:
- From OPEN to CLOSE daily, visitors under the age of 17 must be accompanied by a parent or supervising adult 21 years of age or older. Proof of age will be required. Supervising adults are responsible for the actions of the youth they accompany.
- Valid identification includes a state issued driver's license or ID card, a military ID, a school ID card, or a passport.
- The identification MUST be tamper proof, include a photograph AND date of birth.
- Young visitors violating the Youth Escort Policy (including those waiting for rides from AMC Theatres) are subject to a 3-month barring from the shopping center.
- Youth Escort Policy hours may be subject to changes.
