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The 1.2 million-square-foot Saint Louis Galleria is the latest mall to impose a youth curfew in an effort to restore a consumer-friendly atmosphere for weekend shopping.
Starting Friday, persons 16 and under are required to be accompanied by an adult 21 or older after 3 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, when most youths tend to congregate. The mall's owner, General Growth Properties, based in Chicago, decided in March to impose the restrictions after two incidents of teen violence in the last seven months.
According to the latest figures, 44 of the 1,104 malls in the U.S. have curfews, including four others owned by General Growth. The malls are willing to endure backlash from some youths to maintain safety and calm.
"We aren't saying we don't want teens, but for these two nights, we want a parent or guardian to shop with you," said Patrice Duker, a spokeswoman for the International Council of...