If you have walked through a mall lately and thought, Wow, this place feels quieter than it used to, you are not imagining it. Over the past few years, mall stores across the country have been closing rapidly. Some spaces that were once home to packed clothing chains or trendy shoe stores now sit empty with brown paper over the windows. Others have been replaced by pop-up shops, gyms, nail salons, or left empty.
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Remember back in the day when malls were the ultimate hangout? You grabbed food court fries, wandered into stores you did not need anything from, and somehow still walked out with bags. Then online shopping got faster, cheaper, and way more convenient. Add rising rents, higher labor costs, and changing shopping habits, and many traditional mall stores just could not keep up.
Why NJ & PA Malls Keep Losing Stores
Department stores were some of the first to struggle, and once those anchors started closing, it had a domino effect. Smaller stores depended on that foot traffic. Without it, sales dipped, and leases were not renewed. Even popular chains that felt untouchable a decade ago have quietly scaled back or disappeared entirely.
Some malls have adapted by adding entertainment, dining, or fitness options. Others are being redeveloped into apartment and office buildings. There are also places like Freehold Raceway Mall that are still thriving and not skipping a beat.
Few mall stores tell the story of retail taking a hit quite like GameStop. At its peak, it felt like every mall had one, sometimes two. It was the go-to spot for used games, midnight releases, and trading in old consoles…