Shop Till You Drop in Paramus NJ
Shop till you drop in Paramus NJ is more than a slogan. Bergen County is famous for its concentration of shopping malls located on Route 17 and Route 4 in Paramus. There are so many malls here that Paramus has more mall space per capita than anywhere else in the US. Because shopping malls have defined this area, it is being watched closely by the retail industry as brick and mortar stores struggle to survive online competition from Amazon to their own websites.
Bergen County’s 5 Major Shopping Malls
Although Paramus has 4 major malls, there is a 5th right on it’s border – Riverside Square. While actually in Hackensack none of the shoppers going there know it. Everyone considers the Shops at Riverside to be the first major shopping center as you travel west on Route 4.
Right on Route 4 you’ll find the very upscale Shops at Riverside and the discount mall Bergen Town Center .
A minute or two west at the intersection of Route 4 and Route 17 is the Garden State Plaza which is one of the largest shopping malls in the New York metro area. Further up Route 17 is the Fashion Center and the Paramus Park Mall and connecting all of these are countless other smalls.
New Jersey does not tax clothing so on any weekend you’ll see a large number of cars with New York license plates. However Paramus enforces it’s blue laws which means no retail shopping on Sundays. Still Bergen County’s demographics as one of the most affluent areas in the US is a strong support system for mall shopping and it’s a big part of our culture here too. You can shop, go out to dinner and take in a movie all in one mall.
The Future Remains Bright
Online competition is having an effect but the news is good. Saks Fifth Avenue left a few years ago but has been replaced by a very popular upscale dine in movie theater at Riverside. The Garden State Plaza added a AMC 16 movie theater many years ago and has been increasing the number of restaurant offerings. When large stores close it seems that in Paramus, at least so far, creative solutions or other successful chains have dropped in. For example, Fairway came to the Fashion Center. This is a highly successful gourmet supermarket. Sears closed at Paramus Park and will become a huge Stew Leonard’s.
Because of the effect of online shopping on retail stores, Paramus is re-zoning to allow residential construction at a mall location. As a result, Paramus will remain a shopping center while incorporating other uses
Local Shopping
In addition to the major malls and countless others on the Paramus highways you have other options too. Major local shopping centers with national brands exist in robust local town business districts. Englewood has a bustling downtown with high end boutiques, Starbucks, numerous excellent restaurants, the Bergen County Performing Arts Center and more. Ridgewood has the most extensive business district in Bergen County that is peppered with 4 star restaurants, national chain stores like The Gap and Chicos as well as multi generational retail establishments. Westwood is smaller but boasts stores that are into 3rd generation owners as well as national chains, a true 5 & Dime plus some excellent restaurants. Westwood also has one of the best camera stores in the NYC metro area – Bergen County Camera.
Paramus remains the epicenter of shopping however. If you need to “shop till you drop” Bergen County has will make you smile!
