Carr Mill Mall — Attraction in Carrboro

I had the worst experience ever visiting Carr Mill in Carrboro, NC, during what was supposed to be a lovely outing. It was my first time in this charming city, and I started off excited, visiting Weaver Street Market and noticing a beautiful gift shop across the street. After shopping there, I returned to My Muses Card Shop for an amazing card with a black lab design.

But then everything turned into a nightmare. When I returned to the parking lot, I couldn’t find my car where I had left it. With two little kids in tow, I was frantically running in circles, panicking and unsure what to do. I started imagining what life would look like without a car to get my kids home in the freezing weather.

Someone from one of the shops noticed me running around in a panic and came over. They explained that my car might have been towed and gave me a number to call. Sure enough, my car had been towed because I crossed the street after parking in the lot. The fee? $380—or $300 if I paid in cash.

I felt completely blindsided. Here I was, supporting local businesses, enjoying my visit to Carrboro, and this is the treatment I received? They towed my car because I crossed the street—no matter that I had shopped at the businesses in the area. Worse, it seems they were monitoring me from the moment I left my car, and no one stepped in to warn me until after the damage was done.

I had to pay for an Uber, shell out $380, and endure freezing cold with my kids to retrieve my car. I lost the rest of my day, couldn’t do anything I had planned, and now my kids are scared to even drive in the car after this horrible experience.

To make things worse, I was told I needed to drive from one store to another within the same lot to avoid being towed. Is this the standard? Do you seriously expect visitors to get in their car and drive 200 feet instead of walking across the street?

And in a time when the rest of the world is fighting for freedom and safety, this is how you treat people? Monitoring families and punishing them for visiting local shops? P.S. adding the photo of empty parking lot Now, as I write this review and reflect on how to make this right for the community, I’m shocked to see that I’m not alone. Tons of other people have shared similar experiences, also paying $380—even after shopping there! So, is this your way of doing business? Is this really the reputation you want to build?

In a world where safety and community should come first, this is appalling. Is this really the value your businesses are built on—monitoring and punishing visitors who are genuinely trying to support your local shops?

I’m heartbroken that what started as a beautiful day turned into a nightmare for me and my two kids. Needless to say, I cannot recommend visiting this shopping area or Carrboro after this experience.

Edit: Since there’s no way to reply directly to the owner, I’ll post my response here: Oh, so you know each customer and their personal information so well that you can confidently tell me what I did or didn’t do? Please provide me with your privacy disclosure policy! Before making any official statement, make sure you have your facts straight. When I entered your shopping area, I went straight to Weaver Street Market because that was the main reason I came there. Check all your cameras again before responding! Unfortunately, your response here only confirms the values on which you are building...

Echoing the nightmare stories about towing and the predatory towing practices. I feel bad for the wonderful local shops and shop owners who are suffering because of the actions taken by Carr Mill Mall Management. They will Tow your Car if you step off the property! Having never been to the Weaver Street Market and Carr Mill Mall area we parked in their lot, where we shopped, which is on Carr Mill Mall property, and have receipts to prove it. However, because we stepped out of the parking lot onto the sidewalk and walked around the block, to get to the Carr Mill Mall 1st, which is behind the Weaver Street Market and still on the property (which is the directions Google Maps provided us), our car was towed. Barnes Towing company “monitors” the parking lot and decides on whom to tow. $360 by Credit Card or $100 off if paid in cash? (makes me wonder if they are reporting all the tows they do and if all the people being towed breaking the rules set forth by Carr Mill?) One woman whose car was not even hooked up to the truck, but was blocked by them. She was told for $140 he’d move his truck and for her to go find an ATM. No receipt was provided to her for that. When we arrived to pick up our car we asked to see the proof that we “left” the property. We were informed they couldn’t show us! Granted we were honest and stated we stepped out of the parking lot onto the sidewalk, but still. I wanted to see the “proof” that initiated the towing of our car. Again I ask you are all the people being towed breaking these rules?? When inspecting our car we found scratches under the front. With our car being a limited edition stick-shift that’s low to the ground we are insanely protective of this car and check it constantly for any damages. We know we didn’t damage our car, but now we have damage after it was towed (and of course, they stated they didn’t do it) —just more money we now have to spend to repair the damages caused. They also ineffectively try to text your receipt for retrieval of your vehicle which doesn’t work. We refused to leave until we got ours. They tried to text 2 phone numbers unsuccessfully, they finally offered to send an email, which came in right away. So $360 for getting the car back + $20 for the Uber to get there….. Let’s say - we will NEVER go back. It’s sad because some great stores will lose a lot of customers with how Carr Mill Mall Management is doing business. We saw 2 other cars towed in the 14 min we waited for our Uber - again talk about a...

-BOYCOTT CARR MILL -Was a business customer here yet my car still got towed - $280 cash to get it back from Barnes Tower & Wrecker Service -Drove from Durham to shop in Carrboro, parked at Carr Mill, purchased from My Muses Card Shop. We were going to check out Golden Fig Books then eat at Thai Station (2 establishments at Carr Mill), but Barnes towed car before we could -Drove to Barnes & asked to see the video surveillance they claimed to have of us to show they had probable cause for towing -Spoke to owner of Barnes Towing, she said she owned the business & it was a private company & showing video was against the rules -I said, "But you are the owner, aren't they your rules? Why won't you show me?" -Her response: "Because I don't want to!" -Called police, spoke to Carrboro deputy who confirmed that this has been an issue for months, restaurants the police frequent (the police dept is across the st from Carr Mill) have expressed how it is really negatively impacting their businesses. Officer said Barnes towes approx 15-16 cars PER DAY

-Quick math (assuming cash payments to get cars back): that is 84k a month, over a million a year

-Returned to Carr Mill. Spoke personally with several establishments to provide them this feedback & that I am too scared to come back to shop at their stores. All were apologetic, & all said their "hands were tied." -The business owners have met with Carr Mill Management, the entity that owns the parking lot, have expressed how it is hurting their business & negatively impacting the consumer/business relationships. Carr Mill Management refuses to stop. One business owner said Carr Mill had grossed over 1 million in just 3 months. At one time, Carr Mill employed a local towing co (from carrboro), but pressure against their practices became so intense that Carr Mill switched to Barnes Towing, which is located 20 min away & outside Carrboro.

-Make no mistake, both Barnes & Carr Mill are making an extreme amount of money off of us, damaging local businesses, & walking away without any legal repercussions

RECOMMENDATIONS: -For customers: don't park in the parking lot, even if you plan to only shop at Carr Mill stores. You risk your money going into the pockets of greedy people.

-For Carr Mill businesses: Refuse to pay Carr Mill rent until they stop their towing practices. If you've entered a legal agreement with Carr Mill Management, you have rights, & they are taking business...