The Cherry Creek Shopping Mall started charging for parking on Tuesday, Jan. 17. Management based its decision on increasing growth in the area and insufficient parking spaces offered by various properties.
The cost — free for the first hour, $3 up to two hours, $4 up to three hours, and $2 each additional hour — isn’t going to break the bank. But time is of the essence — and that might break you.
If you’re buying a certain coffee maker, you can probably pay and leave within an hour. Assuming you’re hunting for one pair of boots (a grandiose assumption), you might be able to abscond in 60 minutes — if you can grab a size 6. Ah, what about those enticing flats? You catch our drift.
Clothing requires an intensity of effort, particularly if you lack a one-size-fits-all shape. In short order, you need to find the appropriate style, color, size and price, then try on 10 pieces and pray that one actually fits. OK, mission accomplished.
But on your way to the register, you notice a darling black skirt. It’s back to the dressing room and yet another fitting. Keep or discard? That is the question. Make up your mind. Total up the clothes you’ve been carrying for an eternity. Discard the denim jacket? Perhaps the sweater? The shopper’s lament has accelerated its tempo at Cherry Creek. Buyer, beware!
Lately we’ve encountered our share of dazed and confused customers wandering through virtually empty stores. Sales people talk amongst themselves as they wait for a line to form. No line is forthcoming. How does a ticking clock improve business?
Dining establishments in the Cherry Creek Mall Center will also be affected. Customers might gulp that glass of wine instead of sipping it elegantly. Delicious, leisurely meals may be devoured too quickly, resulting in indigestion and lower tips for the server.
The maximum parking cost at the Cherry Creek Mall Center will not exceed $16. For some, this might be a paltry amount to pay for the mall experience. For others, it’s an existential “buy that shirt or leave it on the rack” dilemma.
There are definite advantages to the new system. The smart parking model utilizes 27 kiosks at all pedestrian exits. Digital signage points to open parking spaces. No more searching and circling.
Finally, kiosks offer an option that locates your vehicle. You don’t have to waste 45 minutes trying to remember where you parked or worry that you left your mind in the mall. In our book, a little recovered dignity is worth $4.
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