What Kids Did at the Mall That Would Seem Suspicious Today

Shopping malls in the 1970s and ’80s were more than retail spaces – they were teenage social centers where kids enjoyed freedoms that would raise eyebrows today. From unsupervised wandering to creative loitering, these activities were once considered normal parts of mall culture. Let’s look back at some common mall behaviors that would likely trigger security calls in our more cautious times.

1. Dropping Kids Off for Hours

Parents would drop off groups of kids at the mall entrance with a few dollars and a pick-up time. No cell phones, no check-ins, just trust that they’d be at the designated exit at the right time. Kids as young as 11 or 12 would spend entire Saturdays roaming the mall unsupervised.

2. Playing Hide and Seek in Clothing Racks

Those circular clothing racks were perfect hiding spots during impromptu games of hide and seek. We’d duck inside, completely hidden by hanging clothes, while friends searched the store. Store employees usually just rolled their eyes at the giggling racks.

3. Food Court Table Camping

Groups would occupy food court tables for hours with just one small order of fries between them. It was our social headquarters – homework was done, gossip was shared, and relationships bloomed over endless refills of fountain drinks.

4. Arcade Loitering

Kids would spend hours in the arcade watching others play video games, waiting for their turn. Sometimes we’d just watch the demo screens, not even having quarters to play. Nobody questioned teenagers hanging around arcade machines all day.

5. Escalator Games

Running up the down escalator or racing down the up escalator was a favorite pastime. We’d also try walking the opposite direction while staying in place, or seeing how many steps we could take at once. Security rarely intervened unless someone fell.

6. Photo Booth Sessions

Groups would cram into photo booths meant for one or two people, sometimes up to six kids at once. We’d pool quarters for multiple strips, making silly faces and trading the photos like baseball cards. The booth curtain was constantly moving with kids jumping in and out.

7. Water Fountain Meet-Ups

The central fountain was everyone’s meeting spot. Kids would toss pennies, splash water at each other, and sit on the edge for hours. Some even dipped their feet in on hot days, while others tried fishing out coins when nobody was looking.

8. Sample Spree at Hickory Farms

Making multiple passes through Hickory Farms for free samples was a regular activity. We’d circle back wearing different jackets or walking in different directions, trying to score more cheese and sausage samples. The staff usually pretended not to notice.

9. Pay Phone Social Hour

The bank of pay phones was our communication center. Kids would hang around them for hours, making collect calls home or pretending to talk while actually watching a crush walk by. Sometimes we’d answer random ringing phones just to chat with strangers.

10. Record Store Listening Stations

We’d spend hours at listening stations, sampling albums we had no intention of buying. The same kids would occupy the headphones all afternoon, occasionally writing down song titles to record later from the radio.

11. Spencer’s Gifts Exploration

Groups of kids would wander through Spencer’s Gifts, giggling at inappropriate merchandise and testing every gag item on the shelves. We’d play with plasma balls and black lights, never buying anything but spending hours exploring.

12. Multiple Movie Hopping

Buying one movie ticket and spending the day theater-hopping was a common practice. We’d plan our day around showing times, sneaking from one theater to another. The ushers usually knew what was happening but rarely intervened.

13. Pet Store Petting Zoo

The pet store was our free petting zoo. We’d spend hours playing with puppies and kittens, with no intention of buying. Store owners were surprisingly tolerant of kids spending entire afternoons entertaining their merchandise.

14. Orange Julius Coin Hunting

Looking for dropped change under Orange Julius tables was a legitimate way to fund a drink. We’d search under vending machines and between cushions in the seating area, pooling our findings for a shared treat.