Patrick Henry Mall — Attraction in Poquoson

I have 3 instances to share that makes me dread this mall. 2 are about the same mall cop.

First time I ever walked into this mall shortly after I moved here in July, my husband, service dog, and I all walked in and I was IMMEDIATELY stopped by this female mall cop maybe in her late 50s asking me about my service dog. Of course she asked if my dog was a service dog and what he was trained to do (which I appreciated because most people try to ask for paperwork) then she proceeded to ask me about his breed (german Shepherd chow chow mix) and started going on about how she had a chow chow and he was just the meanest dog she ever encountered. This honestly made me feel as if she was judging my dog just based off of his breed. She finally lets us carry on but follows us to the H&M and starts walking back and forth in front of the store talking on her radio. I assume she was letting her little dispatch know our every move. I only went to H&M because she was making me very uncomfortable.

In September I had to take my phone in to get the screen fixed. I don’t take my dog to the mall anymore because of that situation. I was wearing a sports crop top and a pair of grey joggers. I start going down the hallways because the mall can be confusing to navigate trying to find this kiosk my husband likes and wanted me to take my phone to. The same mall cop approached me and told me that my outfit was inappropriate and asking me if I had a shirt to cover it up. She said her boss at dispatch agreed with her thinking my crop top was a bra. WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD GO TO A PUBLIC PLACE IN JUST A BRA? I told her I had nothing to cover it up with and explained I was just trying to find the kiosk my husband wanted me to drop my phone off at and that I was not there to shop. She then radioed to her boss asking if it was ok if I dropped my phone off at the kiosk. The guy said it was fine so she tried to escort me to MULTIPLE different phone stores and every time I told her that my husband wanted me to go to this kiosk. So she eventually takes me to it I drop my phone off and she escorts me out of the mall.

The third isn’t as fun or exciting but my husband had a hoodie on and had his good up while we were sitting on a bench eating. A mall cop very politely asked my husband to take his hood off.

I give this place one star because I have NEVER been harassed by mall cops and this mall just makes me down right uncomfortable because of that one single mall cop. I shouldn’t wonder if I should leave my service dog at home because I don’t want to be followed around while I shop. This lady has me looking over my shoulder anytime...

Ok crazy how things have changed. As a teen everyone was always at the mall. That was the in thing. It was always packed. You're like a sardine swimming against the salmon flow. We popped in to get my son's eyeglasses fixed bc they were the optical shop open on the weekend. And a bit later on a Saturday afternoon, the mall was deserted. Those that were venturing into the mall were like us. They consulted the info board, found their location, made a route, and beelined their destination, and headed back out. They didn't hit all the shops in between. They didn't shop just to shop. The parking lot was full. We had to park quite a ways out. So I can only imagine that everyone was eating or there had been a mass ailen abduction earlier... since I didn't see anyone except a few wandering aimlessly around. I think they were employees or survivors. Some elderly persons were just sitting in massage chairs. It was so surreal almost spooky. You could almost see the different stores music notes, like a siren's call, floating out into the main passage waiting for passing ears to lure would be shoppers into stores but only finding emptiness. Bright lights, and busy signs advertising promised sales and discounts for no one to see. I give it 3 stars bc it was clean on the first glance but when you looked it really was not. Despite no parking though and my thinking it was going to me the nightmare fuel of my teenage years, it was the complete opposite that was a plus. It was worth going just to get a reality check on the changing of times how everything has moved more to online markets and smaller shops. If you're worried about it being crowded it wasn't, maybe during winter holidays but I'm thinking those crowded mall times of yesteryear have gone by the way side. We did find a bathroom back by the optical shop but it's was not vented well and dirty. So the 6 shoppers that were in the mall all had the urge at the same time and descended on this one bathroom, so if course there was a line for the couple of stalls... It's how it goes. That a difficult. The set up makes it hard to get in and out of that bathroom. So at the end of the day even though the mall isn't crowded and we were able to get in and out in under 10 min. I'm not really a mall person. Although the cerebral experience for me, i applaud them. During the week, they have community groups come through to help encourage and enable persons with all levels of abilities to interact with your "typical"community members. This training helps prepare them for a job when they are capable. I applaud anyone...

The womens bathroom was hideous. Soap scum on all the sinks, it was muggy and damp in there, no toilet in most stalls, no hand towels in any dispenser. Ick 09/2025

Love to see the mall still thriving but CUSTOMER SERVICE IS AT AN ALL TIME LOW!!! Went to Nexus, Box Lunch, All Star Sports, Shoe Dept and Bath and Body works and Noone even spoke. they were on their phones, talking to friends or just flat out saw us in the store and looked away. A simple greeting goes a long way. some stores you shop in greet every customer and if you're there long enough you'll hear or a dozen times. in BBW the employee Patricia acted annoyed when I purposely said excuse me to her leaning on the counter to smell a candle just to see if she would speak up... she didn't.

but on a positive note when we stopped in Zumiez which isn't event a store id usually go into the employees were all so nice and helpful especially Landon. (and that was the first store we went into) He was so kind to my 8yo son (who made sure to walk past the store and say goodbye when we were leaving) He apologized for a box in the store that I wouldn't have even paid attention to had he not said something and was just overall kind even though we were just browsing. I was really trying to find something in my budget for that day just to buy because of the their positive attitudes and I really wanted things in other stores more that I didn't buy because the employees appeared more interested in doing anything but their job. Hopefully employers take notice in the employees they hire and realize that they could make a difference in...