Quote:There was a time when Regency was absolutely booming. My first job was in there and it was truly the place to be. It's downfall began when the clientele started to change and the kids with no money, baggy pants and neon hats started to drive paying customers away from the mall. Eventually, retailers started to leave, and you are left with what it is now.

 

The town center is still popular, but I question its longevity based on the inconvenience of being an outside mall. I miss the days of being able to walk the mall and see stores you didn't specifically go to the mall for

 

It comes down to security and keeping that stuff in check. Look at the Orange Park Mall. It's thriving because the owners invest in security measures and stay on top of miscreants causing problems. Not only do they escort yobs out the door, they take them to the property line on the perimeter road and warn them to never come back. I really appreciate the proactive measures the OPM takes to ensure a safe and worry-free environment. They're well aware that a single incident like the punks who attacked patrons and jumped on top of cars at the River City Marketplace is a stain that's hard to remove. 

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