Coastal Grand Mall accommodates Autistic shoppers

Myrtle Beach, S.C. — For many parents, taking the kids holiday shopping can be a challenge, bright lights, long lines, loud noises, all things part of the experience that can make shopping overwhelming.

For parents of children with autism, those factors can be even more overwhelming.

People at Coastal Grand Mall and local autism organizations wanted to change that, at least for the morning Sunday. A couple different groups, including Champion Autism Network partnered with the mall, powering it down, to create a special, more enjoyable shopping experience for people with Autism.

"I've had so many families say, we just don't go to the mall. We can't," said Becky Large.

Large moved to Myrtle Beach from the Philadelphia area several year ago. She started the Champion Autism Network because her son has Autism. She said she felt like there weren't enough organizations around the area raising awareness for Autism.

The light, noise and commotion of the average mall can overwhelm Autistic children, she said.

Sunday morning, the Coastal Grand Mall became sensory-friendly for a couple hours. Only people with autism and their families had access.

Stores opened early, less lights flooded the mall, and there was no music playing throughout the speaker systems. It also included a surprise visit from St. Nick himself, working overtime to field requests.

Kathy Lawson took her grandson, Alex. Now 18, he's autistic and was born with Cerebral Palsy.

"This is the first time he's actually got to sit and enjoy him for a minute," said Lawson. "And that was actually very precious to us and to him too," she said.

His smile lit up the mall when he shook the Santa's hand.

"He sees Santa on TV and gets all excited and to be able to actually sit down and get to see him and talk to him like he was a human...it was great," she said, smiling.

Then there's three-year-old Lauren.

"She has sensor issues so she doesn't like being around a lot of noise," said her mother, Amber.

She proudly showed off her daughter's special moment with the man in red -- an 8x11 print -- Lauren's smile even wider than Santa's.

"To be able to see her talk to Santa and sit on his lap, (was special) and she took a good picture," she said.

"It's meant a lot to them to not have all the sensory input and to be able to just walk around a mall and have that Christmas experience that we all know and remember," said Large.

Coastal Grand Mall is the only mall in the region to hold a sensory-friendly shopping time.