We are in the midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression – and how does the Westfield Mainplace Mall react? By not letting parents take their own pictures of their kids while they visit the Mall Santa. And they are charging $19.99 for two 5 x 7 photos!
As if that wasn’t bad enough, they also are no longer giving away little candy canes to the kids who visit their Mall Santa.
It sounds like we need to boycott the Westfield Mainplace Mall this holiday season! Readers – are any of the other local malls sticking it to their clients too?
UPDATE:
You may contact the Grinches at the Westfield Mainplace Mall at this link.
That mall is seriously hurting. Lots of vacancies and turnover. Isn’t it threatening to close? No excuse to be stingy, but maybe they are not thinking straight during the current economic squeeze.
Here is one suggestion that has always been fun and reasonable: Rogers Gardens in Newport/CDM. A nice drive and the venue has a great looking Santa and a sleigh. Not sure about the candy canes(you can always pack a few, yourself, and give to the wee ones in your party), but they let us take our own pictures. Call to make sure Santa will be there and Go early b/c the lines can get quite long.
http://www.rogersgardens.com/holiday_shop.asp
The Irvine Spectrum had a really great Santa set up and wasn’t busy a couple of years ago. Honestly, I think you need to go to places where the more well-off go. That’s where you’ll find businesses that are desperate to attract your money. In the more impoverished areas, they’ll be tight-fisted and discouraged in their dealings.
The MainPlace has used the same old tired set up for their Santa for the last three years (beach theme). I’ve taken my grandchildren there for the last two years simply because the line was always EXTREMELY short as most families generally trek over to South Coast Plaza. Yesterday our granddaughter took her pictures with Santa at South Coast Plaza (I believe a week earlier than he usually arrives)
I’m also surprised that MainPlace is still in existence. There are so many shops that are in and out of rotation at that mall. The only reason we patronage this mall is because it’s exactly 10 minutes from our residence…and we have only shopped there three times this year.
Nothing is for free, take a look at the whole picture and lets be smarter shoppers.
Considering the employee expense and decorative setup cost, the space fees should Westfield subsidize for free shoppers who may or may not buy anything?
If people wouldn’t pay the $19.99 they wouldn’t keep it at that price.
You can get in right away at the main place or wait an hour somewhere else. Besides, just go over to Rite-Aid after and make your duplicates for 99 cents a piece.