Harbor Square

Harbor Square is a shopping plaza in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, located along U.S. Route 40 and U.S. Route 322 near Exit 36 of the Garden State Parkway. The property began in 1968 as Searstown, an open-air shopping center anchored by Sears, Grant City, and Pantry Pride. During the early 1970s it was enclosed and expanded, adding Steinbach as a major department-store tenant. The center subsequently became known as Shore Mall after Pantry Pride was replaced by Foodtown. For much of its early life, the property functioned as a conventional regional shopping mall serving communities in the southern New Jersey shore region. Its tenant roster changed repeatedly as national department-store and discount-store chains encountered financial difficulties or relocated. Grant City entered bankruptcy and closed in 1976, with JCPenney taking over its space. Sears and JCPenney later moved to the newly developed Hamilton Mall, approximately five miles away, creating significant competitive pressure. In response, Shore Mall was renovated in the late 1980s. The former Sears space was replaced by Boscov's, while the former JCPenney area was eventually occupied by Clover and later Burlington Coat Factory. Other occupants over time included Circuit City, K&G Fashion Superstore, Value City, Foodtown, and various restaurants and specialty retailers. The property changed direction in the 2000s as traditional enclosed-mall operations became less viable. Cedar Realty Trust acquired the mall in January 2006 for $36.5 million and proposed converting much of the aging enclosed structure into an open-air shopping plaza. Plans announced in 2010 envisioned substantial demolition, new large-format retail space, site improvements, and transportation changes around the Garden State Parkway and nearby roads. Cedar began removing a significant portion of the mall in 2012 and 2013, including more than 250,000 square feet and the former Value City building. The redevelopment reduced the property from its former approximately 620,000-square-foot mall configuration to a plaza with approximately 337,423 square feet of gross leasable area on about 73 acres. The center was renamed Harbor Square in October 2013, reflecting its transition from an enclosed mall to a primarily open-air commercial property. During the demolition, a time capsule associated with the former Steinbach store was recovered in January 2013 and transferred to the Egg Harbor Township Historical Society for preservation. The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission also relocated within the site during the construction period. Aetna Realty purchased Harbor Square from Cedar Realty Trust in February 2014 for $25 million. The property has continued to evolve through tenant departures, relocations, and new commercial uses. Carrabba's closed in 2017, Burlington later moved to Consumer Square in Mays Landing, and Golden Corral permanently closed in early 2020 during the COVID-19 period. More recent occupants include Boscov's, Restaurant Depot, Spirit Halloween's flagship location, and Proshot Pickleball. Umi Sushi opened at the center in 2023. Harbor Square therefore represents the adaptive reuse of a declining regional mall into a smaller, open-air retail and service destination.

Harbor Square originated in 1968 as Searstown, an open-air shopping center in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. Its initial anchor tenants were Sears, Grant City, and Pantry Pride. Between 1971 and 1974, the property was enclosed and enlarged, with Steinbach added as a fourth anchor. The center was subsequently renamed Shore Mall after Pantry Pride was replaced by Foodtown. The mall's tenant mix changed as retail chains entered bankruptcy, relocated, or ceased operating. Grant City closed in 1976, allowing JCPenney to occupy its former space. A major competitive disruption occurred in 1987 when Sears and JCPenney moved to the newly opened Hamilton Mall nearby. Shore Mall responded with renovations that enclosed the remaining open-air area and refreshed the interior. Boscov's replaced the former Sears location in 1988, while Clover opened in the former Grant City and JCPenney space. Clover later closed and was replaced by Burlington Coat Factory. Steinbach ceased operations in 1995, with Value City taking over the space in 1996. Further changes occurred in the 2000s. Circuit City moved to another nearby retail complex in 2004, and its former location was later used by K&G Fashion Superstore before becoming associated with Spirit Halloween's permanent flagship operation. Cedar Realty Trust acquired Shore Mall in January 2006 for $36.5 million and began considering a substantial transformation into an open-air plaza. Value City's parent company sold the store to Burlington Coat Factory in 2008, although the location later closed. A Golden Corral restaurant was constructed near the main entrance and opened in 2011. Cedar's redevelopment concept became more concrete in 2010. The proposed project involved removing most of the enclosed mall while retaining key portions, adding large-format stores, improving landscaping and parking, and reconfiguring surrounding roads. In 2012, Cedar announced plans to demolish roughly one-third of the mall, including more than 250,000 square feet. Demolition continued through early and mid-2013. The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission temporarily closed during the work and reopened in a relocated facility behind Boscov's. A time capsule connected with the former Steinbach store was recovered in January 2013 because of the demolition. Its contents and plaque were transferred to the Egg Harbor Township Historical Society. In October 2013, the redeveloped property was renamed Harbor Square. Aetna Realty acquired it from Cedar Realty Trust in February 2014 for $25 million. The post-mall property has operated as a smaller open-air commercial plaza. Carrabba's closed in 2017, Burlington Coat Factory moved to another shopping center in 2019, and Golden Corral closed permanently in early 2020. Later leasing brought in Restaurant Depot, Proshot Pickleball, and other occupants, while Umi Sushi opened in 2023. The property retains Boscov's and operates as a mixed retail, dining, service, wholesale, and recreation destination rather than as the enclosed regional mall it once was.

• 2023

  New retail and recreation uses open

  [1]Harbor Squareen.wikipedia.org

  Umi Sushi opens, alongside Restaurant Depot and Proshot Pickleball in the redeveloped plaza.

• 2014

  Aetna Realty becomes owner

  [1]Harbor Squareen.wikipedia.org

  Aetna Realty purchases Harbor Square from Cedar Realty Trust.

• 2013

  Major demolition and renaming

  [1]Harbor Squareen.wikipedia.org

  A substantial portion of the former mall is demolished, the Steinbach time capsule is recovered, and the center is renamed Harbor Square.

• 2011

  Golden Corral opens

  [1]Harbor Squareen.wikipedia.org

  A Golden Corral restaurant opens near the main entrance after construction beginning in 2010.

• 2006

  Cedar Realty Trust acquires the mall

  [1]Harbor Squareen.wikipedia.org

  Cedar Realty Trust purchases Shore Mall and begins pursuing a de-malling strategy.

• 1988

  Boscov's becomes a principal anchor

  [1]Harbor Squareen.wikipedia.org

  Boscov's replaces the former Sears store, while Clover opens in the former Grant City and JCPenney area.

• 1987

  Hamilton Mall opens nearby

  [1]Harbor Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The opening of Hamilton Mall draws Sears and JCPenney away from Shore Mall and intensifies local competition.

• 1976

  Grant City closes

  [1]Harbor Squareen.wikipedia.org

  Grant City's bankruptcy leads to its closure; JCPenney later occupies the former store.

• 1974

  Expansion and enclosure are completed

  [1]Harbor Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The center is enclosed and expanded, with Steinbach added as a major anchor.

• 1968

  Searstown opens

  [1]Harbor Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The property opens as an open-air shopping center anchored by Sears, Grant City, and Pantry Pride.

A locally oriented open-air shopping plaza combining large-format retail, specialty stores, restaurants, services, and recreation on the site of a former enclosed regional mall.

• Department store · 1988

  Boscov's

  Boscov's is a principal anchor at Harbor Square. It replaced the former Sears location in 1988 and remains one of the most prominent retail components of the property after its transition from an enclosed mall to an open-air plaza.

• Wholesale food-service retailer

  Restaurant Depot

  Restaurant Depot occupies part of the redeveloped Harbor Square property and serves food-service operators and other commercial customers through a warehouse-style wholesale format.

• Seasonal specialty retail · 2012

  Spirit Halloween flagship location

  Harbor Square houses a permanent flagship location associated with Spirit Halloween. The site uses space formerly connected with the mall's Circuit City and K&G Fashion Superstore history and supports the retailer's seasonal Halloween merchandise business.

• Recreation · 2023

  Proshot Pickleball

  Proshot Pickleball is a recreational tenant operating in the former Burlington space. Its presence illustrates Harbor Square's shift toward combining traditional retail with activity-based and sports-oriented uses.

• 2014

  Sale to Aetna RealtyM&A

  Background

  After the redevelopment and rebranding process, Cedar Realty Trust sold the property.

  Action taken

  Aetna Realty acquired Harbor Square from Cedar Realty Trust.

  Aftermath

  Aetna Realty became the property's owner and continued its operation as a shopping plaza.

  Purchase price. $25 million (February 2014)

  Source

• 2013

  Rebranding from Shore Mall to Harbor SquareStrategy

  Background

  The property had been substantially reduced and reconfigured during the conversion from an enclosed mall to a shopping plaza.

  Action taken

  The center adopted the Harbor Square name in October 2013.

  Aftermath

  The new name marked the property's repositioning as an open-air, mixed-use retail destination.

  Source

• 2010

  Pursuit of a large-scale de-malling redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  The enclosed mall faced pressure from nearby Hamilton Mall, anchor departures, vacancies, and broader changes in regional shopping behavior.

  Action taken

  Cedar Shopping Centers proposed demolishing most of the enclosed structure, retaining selected buildings, adding large-format retail, and improving roads, landscaping, parking, and access.

  Aftermath

  The plan led to substantial demolition in 2012–2013 and the property's later operation as an open-air plaza.

  Source

1. 1Harbor Squareen.wikipedia.org