Stores not permitting guests 18 and under without adult supervision

[animalcrossing]

I was just at another store I sometimes visit today and saw signs all over the place reading "Guests 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult in this Target store." The signs were brand and everything, so I'm wondering if this is a new thing for stores in "nuisance" areas? Never seen anything like it; wish I took a picture of the signs. They also had AP posted at the front door, in the middle walkway right as you enter, and I also saw an armed guard - both the heightened presence of AP as well as armed guards was not normal for what I'm used to with this store.
Any thoughts? I do know troublesome kids like to frequent that store, so maybe it's justified. I'm just surprised that such extreme measures would be taken.

 

[lostlittleboy]

this is something my city has done in response to kids with guns before. there were teens with guns messing around at our malls and our fairgrounds (separate occasions, both nonviolent, just messing around pretending to be cool) and now both locations require you to be 18 or older or with someone 21+ if you visit on the weekends or anytime past 5pm, also have armed security walking around IDing people that look young.


while my target has a bunch of groups of kids that do low-grade damage and annoy guests and employees alike, I think having a whole rule is a bit too far. i mean, I wouldn't complain and I like it on a personal level lol groups of teen boys tend to be the most obnoxious demographic in terms of rowdiness and shouting offensive things... but that doesn't mean we should have whole armed guards walking around all the time. i agree it is extreme. goes with the theme of target going downhill imo: its adding on to them stripping more away from the guest experience. target used to be all about never saying no to the guest and pleasing them- its why they are guests and not customers. now they are way more in your face and up crystal clear about only caring about money. teens arent buying things, their parents are. so who cares if they can shop, right? (/sarcasm, if not clear)

 

[Captain Orca]

There are several colleges within 2 miles of our local Target as well as 2 large high schools. Zero issues with kids misbehaving thankfully.

 

[Dream Baby]

At my store it was a big problem until we lost one of our best closers because of this.

The dumbest example was when AP was arguing with some minors for 20 minutes at the front of the checklanes.

AFAIK you can ask any unaccompanied minor to leave the store at any time.

I do think posting a sign is a bit much.

Then again it took years for our store to put up a sign stating "service animals only".

I still see guests bring pets all the time.

I rarely see that at other retail stores.

 

[Greenandred]

Last summer we had teenagers coming in and throwing bananas and cursing at guests so this might not be a bad idea. Not that it will be followed. We have also had guests come in with dogs. I used to say something to them but now I don’t feel it’s worth it since they don’t seem to care and could act violent.

 

[Captain Orca]

We see the old ladies bring in their little fuzzy pocket dogs and drive them around in the shopping carts. The ones I've seen behave fine. That may wrinkle sanctimonious Karen's Izod, screw her. Support or not, maybe these old timers really need the company. Mrs. Captain and I are animal lovers and like to see them. Crusty old Captain would bring my dog in but he's a bit disruptive. Like me.

 

[buliSBI]

I know of an amusement park and some malls in nearby metro area that are doing this.

 

[qmosqueen]

Common around here

 

[happygoth]

We see the old ladies bring in their little fuzzy pocket dogs and drive them around in the shopping carts. The ones I've seen behave fine. That may wrinkle sanctimonious Karen's Izod, screw her. Support or not, maybe these old timers really need the company. Mrs. Captain and I are animal lovers and like to see them. Crusty old Captain would bring my dog in but he's a bit disruptive. Like me.

I don't think it's the other guests who have issues with it so much as we the team members. And if the guests do have problems with it, well I'm with them. Only service animals should be allowed in the store. The other day a guy had what looked like a pit bull mix in the store and he had to use muscle to keep the dog controlled.

Animals are unpredictable and don't belong in public spaces that are not set up to be animal-friendly.

 

[allnew2]

We see the old ladies bring in their little fuzzy pocket dogs and drive them around in the shopping carts. The ones I've seen behave fine. That may wrinkle sanctimonious Karen's Izod, screw her. Support or not, maybe these old timers really need the company. Mrs. Captain and I are animal lovers and like to see them. Crusty old Captain would bring my dog in but he's a bit disruptive. Like me.

I have no problem with dogs in the store . I do have a problem with dogs in carts where I put my food .

 

[animalcrossing]

groups of teen boys tend to be the most obnoxious demographic in terms of rowdiness and shouting offensive things...

BIG AGREE on this. The worst guests at my store would have to be the teen boys by far, especially when they throw slurs at each other and team members :/ but it is ultimately unfair to them and other guests, especially those that are just trying to shop. I used to frequent the store that has implemented this new policy when I was a minor, so I guess it's another thing of a bygone era. I wonder how long it'll last?

 

[animalcrossing]

Common around here
View attachment 15443

Pause. That is the EXACT store I was talking about!! How about that-

 

[animalcrossing]

There are several colleges within 2 miles of our local Target as well as 2 large high schools. Zero issues with kids misbehaving thankfully.

Must be nice. The store in question is walking distance from a high school- my store is sandwiches between a college campus and a middle/high school and we don't really have huge problems with younger guests

 

[animalcrossing]

Last summer we had teenagers coming in and throwing bananas and cursing at guests so this might not be a bad idea. Not that it will be followed. We have also had guests come in with dogs. I used to say something to them but now I don’t feel it’s worth it since they don’t seem to care and could act violent.

If someone threw a banana at me I'd throw hands. At the very store that now has this rule I remember kids shooting each other with nerf guns, but it wasn't anything to THAT level. I'm with you on the dogs though, that happens at my store weirdly frequently and I just don't get why it's necessary for a person that doesn't have special needs to bring an animal with them to shop. If you're that clingy with your dog, you might have some self-work to do

 

[animalcrossing]

Mrs. Captain and I are animal lovers and like to see them.

Yeah as much as I don't get it, I admittedly get happy when a guest brings a cute dog into the store. We've got a regular guest at my store who brings a beautiful old english sheepdog with him and the dog is such a sweetie

 

[Captain Orca]

Our college kids yak yak on their phones, load up the carts with snacks, soda and college kid stuff. Polite and quiet, nice kids.

 

[Tessa120]

We see the old ladies bring in their little fuzzy pocket dogs and drive them around in the shopping carts. The ones I've seen behave fine. That may wrinkle sanctimonious Karen's Izod, screw her. Support or not, maybe these old timers really need the company. Mrs. Captain and I are animal lovers and like to see them. Crusty old Captain would bring my dog in but he's a bit disruptive. Like me.

People have allergies, people have phobias. Pets belong at home, not in stores.

 

[redeye58]

One of my kids is terrified of dogs so his brothers tend to block any dog headed his way before he starts screaming.
The owners ALWAYS say "Oh, it's ok.....he's friendly!"
My kid doesn't know you from Adam & doesn't give a shit what you say; he just freaks out & the dog starts barking, escalating the situation.

 

[dannyy315]

Groups of teenagers come to my store and treat the place like a public park. They play with the sports balls, ride bikes, take snacks and drinks, then leave.

I've realized recently that if you start zoning in the area they're messing around, most of them will stop.

By the way, we were informing similar rules years ago, but we got a new store director and she said we can't do that. So that's that.

 

[animalcrossing]

They play with the sports balls, ride bikes,

Okay I admit I used to ride the bikes in walmarts as a kid, but I'd never steal stuff. Teens sometimes try to do that at my store, but AP seems to have a policy at my store where they automatically start watching groups of kids pretty intently, so they usually leave. I've definitely done the zoning trick before too and that usually works, but sometimes they just scoff at me (to which I give them a dirty look)

 

[FlowTeamChick]

Non-service animals in stores and especially being allowed to ride in carts - that's a hard no from me. I love dogs (mine is currently whining for his supper, well ahead of time, and will zonk out on the couch as soon as he's fed) but pets don't need to be brought along for shopping trips. I kind of wish guests would complain because we sure aren't allowed to say anything.
I'm so incredibly sick of the things stupid people do - found a half-gallon of milk while setting ad. Someone had opened it, taken a few swigs, and then left it on a shelf. At least they re-capped it.
Shaving cream sprayed on a shelf and all over product is pretty common.
Dabs of nail polish is common. Make-up smeared around also seems to be pretty common. A new twist on that theme that I've seen recently is foundation, or maybe concealer, smeared on a package of bladder control or period pads to look like urine or blood smeared on the pad illustration. How clever!
And lately I've been finding a lot of product all along the front of a shelf turned around backward. Yeah, like I want to spend my time turning around all those bottles of body wash.
I hope all these people get jobs in retail and find out first-hand what it's like to clean up after people just like them.

 

[dannyy315]

The worst is when teenagers would mess with the cans of spray paint. Thank god we locked that up.

 

[redeye58]

Tweeners riding around the store using the electric carts while sipping their pink-drink-refreshers-with-matcha-coldfoam, leaving them in the middle of an aisle when the battery dies.
Our ETL-AP (a tall gorgeous amazon) put the brakes on that literally: "Where you goin' with that cart? You don't look like you need that so put it back RIGHT NOW & I won't bounce your skinny little butt outta this store! Am I makin' myself CLEAR?! And don't even THINK about leavin' those cups on my shelves!"

 

[Dream Baby]

Tweeners riding around the store using the electric carts while sipping their pink-drink-refreshers-with-matcha-coldfoam, leaving them in the middle of an aisle when the battery dies.
Our ETL-AP (a tall gorgeous amazon) put the brakes on that literally: "Where you goin' with that cart? You don't look like you need that so put it back RIGHT NOW & I won't bounce your skinny little butt outta this store! Am I makin' myself CLEAR?! And don't even THINK about leavin' those cups on my shelves!"

I have always wondered why they don't put a "lockout" on the electric carts.

At my store you could give a key to the SCO because they are right by them.

 

[Tarshitsucks]

People have allergies, people have phobias. Pets belong at home, not in stores.

This right here the amount of people I have seen who have their dogs in a cart or in their purse is astounding. Tarshit doesn't give a shit enforce it. Heaven forbid they offend a guest who is breaking rules/laws.