13
April
2007
April
2007
Talk Back Question: The best solution for policing Mayfair is…
A few readers took umbrage with a column here on policing Mayfair Mall. Rather than just take pot shots at the mall management, what solutions would you propose?
Jim McGuigan
Jim McGuigan
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Mayfair could sponsor a youth rec league. In a lot of Milwaukee neighborhoods, kids will bust out the bottom of a milk crate and nail it to a telephone pole in an alley just so they can play a little ball. Most teenagers can’t make their high school ball teams but they still want to hoop it up. It might also give somebody in the mall marketing department something positive to do in the community. Mac Weedle over at Northcott Neighborhood House on 6th Street would be a good person to advise Mayfair on how to set this up. The security guards could referee.
Is the Mayfair ice rink still there, or is that long gone? Plenty of potential there if it is.
Teenagers have a lot of buying power, so it’s in the best interest of the mall to reach out instead of cracking down.
I think to a certain extent, it’s going to obviously affect the business. The problem is how far is too far? Mayfair can probably get away with this because the mall itself caters to a large portion of older consumers. Malls like Southridge, however, are obviously more oriented toward teens and probably couldn’t survive this type of ban.
And of course, it’s difficult when there are certain conservatives on the radio who are fanning the flames just like they did before Northridge was closed down. It’s a touchy situation, but I think in the end Mayfair has to do whatever it feels is best for its consumers who respect other consumers.
The rink is gone, it was in the center next to McD’s on the second floor - it was HUGE, and that’s where many area teens went a few times a week …
They also had a few theaters (2 or 3??) in the back parking lot.
Today, a roller rink would be nice. Some league sponsorships would be a great start too. Or a A mini-Rec center w/a pool and some courts, elliptical trainers, treadmills and climbing walls …
Mayfair could consider getting back to basics, because it worked. They had it right in the beginning, that’s why they are so mighty now.
Mayfair could publicly retract the decision and start a suggestion box letting the kids and parents speak. They could proceed from there with a board of advisers representing the public and the suggestions and concerns of the community members. In the meantime, management could adapt a new policy requiring kids to carry ID and request receipts for purchases of at least $5.00.