Pondering Malls Gone Bye-Bye...

Emerging from a YouTube video inspired trip down memory lane, TC entertains Peg with stories of malls gone bye-bye… Read on!

Editor’s note: This is an experimental format. Might lead to lots of changes here at Jedemi.

AS [MALL] SHOPS GO BYE…

Welcome to another TC adventure… Enjoy!! –the editor

INT. TC JEDEMI HQ

While TC is surfing the Web, his partner, PEG is curious as to what is consuming so much of his time.

PEG
Hey… Hey there Buddy! Whatcha lookin’ at?

Deep in his zone, TC ignores Peg. However, that doesn’t last long — Peg resorts to jerking motion that definitely gets TC’s attention.

TC
What the…?

PEG
Finally!! Buddy… like… What the heck’s got you so… misty? Like… Locked in a zone AND misty?

TC pauses to collect his thoughts before replying.

TC
Well… You might not understand… you see…

PEG
I don’t see… can’t from down here. Can feel that something’s got ya… Oh and that tissue box. I CAN tell there’s movement.

TC
Okay… maybe… Maybe you WILL understand.

PEG
Try me.

TC
The topic is… mall walking. (pause) We haven’t done it together so…

PEG
Enlighten me!

TC proceeds to give Peg his thoughts which he plans on rolling into a Ponderable for posting.

TC
I’m doing a form of “mall walking” of the shopping venues I may (or may not) have visited in the past. My mouse is leading the way — clicking through some YouTubes…

PEG
Ugh! With those ads?

TC
Click-n-skip…

PEG
Gotcha… So… A softie for… shopping malls?

TC
Yes. For as long as I remember. AND when I got my driver’s license, I always made it a point to visit malls. In fact, whenever I traveled — which was a regular thing before you came along, my rental car seemed to steer itself to the mall.

PEG
I DO know shopping and traveling were your favorite sports. Managed to learn that much… But the teary eye thing?

TC
Yeah… That… Malls of my memory are… no more… or for sure, on the way out.

PEG
Ah!

TC
I miss the idea of the mall and perhaps … the recollection of the lengths I went to visit EVEN when transportation challenged … those were the days.

PEG
So… you…?

TC
Subway, train… Heck, if I needed to, I’d even hop on a bus.

PEG
Intermodal as they say… and definitely not in the cards these days… I get the sadness.

TC
But there’s more! (pause) Those memorable malls are… going away. (pause)… Well… Kind of.
Most of the malls I grew up with don’t make the grade…

PEG
Grade?

TC
If A is excellent in the mall ratings world, the places I miss would be considered a C or D.

PEG
Good to … Fair?

TC
The world changes. The spec changes and honestly, shopping patterns change.

PEG
Closures! I think you’ve written about or talked to family about…

TC
Anchor stores WERE key to super busy malls. Between COVID and the orientation to do more shopping online… well… Anchors away!

PEG
And away they go! Of course. And let me see if I understand, without the anchor — the other little shoppes can’t draws in visitors…

There is a break to stretch and let this all sink in.

TC
Let’s rewind a bit… to my high school days in Jersey… Of the three local malls I frequented, only one mall is fully active.

PEG
And the other two?

TC
One is dying, and the other one is basically non-existent. Take a look now… If you Google “Short Hills Mall”… it has a vibrant website.

Here’s the link: HTTPS://SHOPSHORTHILLS.COM/

TC
The Mall at Short Hills was a swank mall that was originally open-air shopping center. Then, in the early 80’s, the mall was enclosed, and it opened the first Abraham & Strauss in our area.

PEG
A jingle is coming on… I think… is it… Worth a trip from anywhere?

Check link: HTTPS://CLASSICNEWYORKHISTORY.COM/HISTORY-OF-NEW-YORKS-ABRAHAM-STRAUS-DEPARTMENT-STORES/

TC
Nice! Anyway… back to swank… er… swankiness and … there was an A&W Root Beer restaurant there, that served its burgers on glass dishes… Yes… that was unusual.

PEG
How did they…? Never mind. When you are sleeping buddy, I’m driving that fine computer of yours.

TC
I’m sure you will… Now, want to hear more?

PEG
Of course!

TC
The Mall at Short Hills managed to survive… with many high-end upgrades and new anchors… like Neiman-Marcus and Nordstrom. As for food, that glass dishes A&W left. I think it was replaced by ubiquitous Cheesecake Factory.

Check link: https://shopshorthills.com/dining

PEG
Gotcha! So what about the other two malls?

TC
Livingston? On life support as it lost two anchors during the pandemic: Sears and Lord & Taylor.

PEG
So that leaves…?

TC
A Bamberger’s era Macy’s…

Check link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/money/shopping/2017/01/28/name-change-bambergers-macys-hahne-garden-state-plaza-retail-shopping/97140070/

PEG
A what??

TC
Okay… quick history lesson. Bamberger’s, founded in Newark in 1893 by Louis Bamberger, had stores in Morristown, Plainfield and Princeton, in addition to its Newark flagship. It was
Purchased by the R.H. Macy Co. in 1929. It ended up being part of a rebranding effort and… away went..

PEG
Bamberger’s… Wow… I’m guessing that’s a wrap on the history lesson?

TC
Great time to circle around to what got your attention… and got you to get my attention… YouTube…

PEG
Sort of your fly-over, right?

TC
In a way… from far away I can keep tabs on cha cha changes…

PEG
Such as…?

TC
The brands that date you… if you remember then you must be like… How old?

Don’t ask.

Let’s just say, all the local haunts are gone: The biggest Nathan’s Famous, Herman’s World of Sporting Goods, The Superhero Shop and Kay-Bee Toy and Hobby…

I remember going with Dad to Sears and he gave me and brother James an hour to go to the shops we wanted to go to while he was buying paint or Craftsman tools in Sears.

Based on the YouTubes I watched, that mall is in sad shape.

In my opinion, not even a Boscov’s could save that mall…

PEG
What’s a…?

TC
A popular Pennsylvania-based department store… Supposedly the nation’s largest family-owned department store chain. Made news recently as it was celebrating its 100th anniversary by offering special events, deals, and $20,000 in giveaways during the month of October.

Check link: https://www.abc27.com/local-business/boscovs-celebrates-110th-anniversary-offering-20000-in-giveaways/

PEG
Gotcha… Now what’s the third mall?

TC
Morris County Mall. It was the smallest of the three and now is a mere shell of itself. It opened with a huge Bradlees, a Thrift Drug with a JCPenney Catalog Center, a Stop and Shop that became a Foodtown, an in-mall McDonald’s, and a two screen General Cinema movie theater that I remember seeing The Empire Strikes Back and The Muppet Movie with my family.

PEG
And now?

TC
All gone… Along with the name as that location has been rebranded… A plaza now: Cedar Knolls Plaza. Plus, coming somewhat soon, an Amazon Fresh!

Check link: https://www.dailyrecord.com/story/news/2024/11/22/amazon-fresh-open-supermarket-location-morris-county-nj/76479652007/

PEG
That allegedly seamless shopping experience?

Check link: https://www.amazon.com/fmc/m/30003175?almBrandId=QW1hem9uIEZyZXNo

TC
Yup. Like I said, changin’…

PEG
Okay… now flowing your path… North Jersey to South… What’s goin on?

TC
South Jersey came out worse. The tiny Shore Mall got “de-malled.” It is mostly Boscov’s and the DMV. Furthermore, a former Circuit City location becomes the Flagship Spirit Halloween every year due to its proximity to the corporate offices of its owner, Spencer’s Gifts.

The newer mall, known as Hamilton, lost two anchors as well, Sears and JCPenney, and is a shell of its former self.

And… The newest mall that opened in Atlantic City, the Pier Shops at Caesars, opened with big fanfare and a huge retail list of tenants only to start winding down a few years later since it had an outlet mall a block away. Some dicey parking, especially during peak season, didn’t help.

Check link: https://thepiershopsatcaesars.com/

PEG
And now… “The Playground”?

TC
Yup! A major refresh! To make it a go, this type of change has been happening all over the country… Every distinctive department store eventually became a Macy’s, and now most of those have closed. Sears is on life support with only 10 locations left. JCPenney closed many locations.

PEG
Gotta embrace changes, Buddy! It is the way!

TC
Yes, Peg… I’ve been embracing changes for a while… if you haven’t noticed.

PEG
Gotcha… and

Got an idea too!

TC
Oh? Saving the malls or… (pause) Whatcha thinking?

PEG
I’m thinking… Even though you’ve been having this nostalgia YouTube trips through malls gone bye… Maybe… just maybe… We can get the support team wrangled to help us to some… mall walking of our own, you know?

…Mall walking of our own, you know?

TC
It takes a village, Peg.

PEG
So let’s wrangle a village! It could be fun! In fact, maybe it would be like… a dog park adventure for people — mall walking that is. I’ve read, especially here in Vegas, malls open up early JUST for exercisers … Kind of like you and your brother Mr Pete…

There’s a pause as TC thinks this out.

TC
Peg… You could be onto something.

PEG
You like?

TC
Do some more research… Let’s get the idea fleshed out a bit.

PEG
On it, TC!

And with that Peg left TC with his thoughts.

THE END… WITH A STRONG … TO BE CONTINUED.