January 10, 2023
On January 12, Phoenix’s Tempe Marketplace and Desert Ridge Marketplace will become the first open-air shopping centers in Arizona where shoppers can drink alcohol while shopping.
Bestor, the owner of both centers, is making the malls more relevant as destinations by offering not only shopping but also food, drink and entertainment, including nearby concerts, holiday decorations, fire pits and stage performances. He argued that it was necessary to have
“We all say that spending more time in shopping centers helps everyone. It drives up sales,” said Pat McGinley, president of managed services at Bestor. Phoenix Business Journal.
By law, on-site restaurants and bars may serve alcoholic beverages for consumption in common areas on mall premises on specified dates and times. Shoppers will no longer be allowed to bring beverages into parking lots, road areas or outside malls.
Many local governments eased open container laws in the early stages of the pandemic to help revive downtown districts, but the trend appears to be continuing.
Governor Phil Murphy new jersey Last January, municipalities signed a bill allowing them to designate outdoor areas where people can drink alcoholic beverages.
March 2022, Greensboro, North Carolinacustomers of restaurants and bars are now allowed to drink alcohol on designated downtown public roads from noon to 9 p.m.
Outside Angola, July buffalobecame the second village in New York State to lift its open container law.
talk AZ WeekendNadia Muller, a resident of Glendale, a Phoenix suburb, said she was worried about shopper safety and drunk driving as public drinking came to Tempe Marketplace and Desert Ridge Marketplace. . she said. She may only be four hours away, but it’s still not the same. ”
Most villages that have lifted open container laws claim they have not seen an increase in litter, disorderly conduct, or crime as some residents feared.
But last November, Fort Worth, Texas, banned open containers and public consumption of alcohol in its West 7th Avenue red light district. Rise in crime and underage drinking.
Discussion question: Do you think the benefits for retailers outweigh the drawbacks of expanding open container drinking in outdoor shopping centers and downtown areas?
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“Having shoppers spend a little more time relaxing and staying longer as they check out products seems like a winning strategy, as shoppers are looking for experiences and entertainment.”
