Illinois Mall Introduces Paid Preferred Parking

Remember when getting a spot close to the entrance was kind of awesome? Well, that was before folks figured out a way to make money on it, I guess.

Remember When Parking Close Was Just… Parking?

This has got to be a first for me, and while there are plenty of lots with VIP parking, it's the first time I've seen it implemented by a mall.

Oak Brook Center Mall has added paid "preferred" parking spots. With nearly 11,000 total spaces in their lots, 108 have been set aside for customers who want to pay to park.

Oak Brook Center Mall Introduces Paid “Preferred” Parking

The cost is $3 for the first hour, then $2 for each additional hour, capped at $11 total.

Before you lose it, the mall's management wants to remind everyone that 99% of mall parking is still free and intended solely for quick in-and-out trips or dinner reservations.

Most Mall Parking Is Still Free, According to Management

It's fully QR code-based payment, with no meters or kiosks.

Here's another thing about the pay-for-parking at Oakbrook Center, which I am sure most people will miss: the mall is donating 10% of the proceeds to The People's Resource Center, which supports DuPage County residents.

Part of the Parking Fees Go to a Local Charity

Do you think CherryVale Mall should adopt this same policy?

20 Photos That Perfectly Capture Small-Town Life in the 1970s

Take a trip down memory lane — and down Main Street — with these photos from the 1970s that capture small-town life before social media and smartphones, when things were simpler, slower, and full of real-world experiences.

Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz