Freehold Raceway Mall
Encyclopedia
Freehold Raceway Mall is a super-regional, high-end mall in Freehold, New Jersey
, United States. The mall's anchor store
s are JCPenney, Lord & Taylor
, Macy's
, Nordstrom
and Sears
. The mall is managed by The Macerich Company
and has 1665400 square feet (154,721 m²) of gross leasable area
, making it the second largest shopping mall in New Jersey. An outdoor lifestyle addition, begun in January 2007, added 100000 square feet (9,290.3 m²) of additional retail space. On November 23, 2011, the mall was ranked in a Weather Channel news article titled "The Most Congested Malls for Black Friday". The Freehold Raceway Mall ranked third in the nation.
Construction on Freehold Raceway Mall commenced in 1987, across the street from the Freehold Raceway
on land used for stables. The stables are still there, connected by a small bridge over Route 9, but they can only be accessed via mall entrance road. In preparation for the mall's opening, the Freehold Circle was eliminated and rebuilt into an at-grade intersection with traffic lights and jughandles. A traffic light and jughandle for the mall entrance road from Route 9 was also constructed due south of the intersection of U.S. Route 9 and Business Route 33.
The fully enclosed mall originally opened in 1990 with two anchors: Sears and Lord & Taylor with construction already underway on JCPenney (originally planned to be Hahne's, but the company went out of business), which later opened in 1991 as well as Nordstrom, which later opened in 1992. A fifth anchor, Macy's, was added in 1998 (on a pad originally planned for Stern's
and later for Abraham & Straus
). The opening of Macy's was well-anticipated and the grand opening was attended by several celebrities, including singer Brandy
.
When the mall first opened, it was barely getting by, almost deemed a dead mall
. Vacancies were imminent, and many of the spaces were filled with non-traditional mall tenants, such as municipal services. Local photography clubs displayed their photos on the mall's empty walls, while other areas sported photos of the raceway and the fire that occurred in 1984. Many blamed the fact that it was far from roads and hidden behind trees. The only evidence of the mall from Route 9 was the monument sign approaching the mall entrance, as the satellite big box stores were not yet built. Customers could also easily travel to the nearby Monmouth Mall
, Seaview Square Mall
, Brunswick Square Mall
, or the Manalapan Mall
, which was, ironically, closed a few years later due to the eventual success of the Freehold Raceway Mall that soon followed. Once Nordstrom opened, Freehold Raceway Mall now had a store that was sure to be a success due to the fact there was not another Nordstrom around for 30 miles (48.3 km). The crowds eventually came and the vacancy rate at the mall significantly dropped. It is now one of the most successful malls in the area. It is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 9, Business Route 33 and County Route 537
in Freehold.
Outparcels
The Freehold Raceway Mall was expanded in 2007, and construction began in January. The expansion has taken up the space between J.C. Penney
and Sears in the upper floor parking lot near Johnny Rockets. An interesting feature of the expansion is the fact that it is completely open-air, making the Freehold Raceway Mall the only mall in New Jersey to have both an indoor and outdoor shopping area.
The addition includes a strip of outdoor stores along the J.C. Penney side of the mall, occupied by 13 to 15 stores, a 25150 square feet (2,337 m²) Borders
, two restaurants, a promenade, an area for community events and a valet parking station. A P.F. Chang's China Bistro was built adjacent to the addition, but is free-standing (the mall lists the grassy spot next to P. F. Chang's China Bistro
as being vacant), while a Cheesecake Factory occupies a corner space in the main structure.
Next to the promenade's Coldwater Creek
store, Arhaus Furniture will open. There are also talks about Chevy's Fresh Mex opening up in the vacant spot next to P.F. Chang's.
In April 2007, the mall's first renovation project was underway. The renovation replaced the flooring, changing the brown and green tile to a beige stone tile, it replaced the green paint on the ceilings and ironwork with a more beige/earthtone, the brass rails were replaced in favor of wooden rails, new lighting under the skylights and along/under the columns was added, the globe lighting along the skylights, pillars and ironwork was replaced, a new escalator next to Sears was added, soft, carpeted seating areas were added and the large center court fountain was replaced with a smaller fountain, soft seating area and Starbuck's kiosk.
Two new parking lots were built on site to replace those that were lost; along the Raceway Mall Drive entrance and on the opposite side of the ring road next to Nordstrom.
The completed outdoor expansion opened for the general public on November 9, 2007 at 10:00 am and the majority of the renovation was completed by the 2007 holiday season. The new spherical sculpture fountain and the replacement of the brass rails with wooden rails brought about an end to the renovations in February 2008. (Article)
Freehold Township, New Jersey
Freehold Township is a Township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 36,184. Freehold Township was first formed on October 31, 1693, and was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21,...
, United States. The mall's anchor store
Anchor store
In retail, an anchor store, draw tenant, anchor tenant, or key tenant is one of the larger stores in a shopping mall, usually a department store or a major retail chain....
s are JCPenney, Lord & Taylor
Lord & Taylor
Lord & Taylor, colloquially known as L&T, or LT, based in New York City, is the oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the United States. Concentrated in the eastern U.S., the retailer operated independently for nearly a century prior to joining American Dry Goods...
, Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
, Nordstrom
Nordstrom
Nordstrom, Inc. is an upscale department store chain in the United States, founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin. Initially a shoe retailer, the company today also sells clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and in some locations, home furnishings...
and Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Company
Sears, officially named Sears, Roebuck and Co., is an American chain of department stores which was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck in the late 19th century...
. The mall is managed by The Macerich Company
The Macerich Company
Macerich is a self-managed Real Estate Investment Trust headquartered in Santa Monica, California.It traces its antecedents to the MaceRich Real Estate Company founded in New York in 1964 by Mace Siegel and Richard Cohen, who combined their first names to name their company...
and has 1665400 square feet (154,721 m²) of gross leasable area
Gross leasable area
Gross leasable area in the retail development industry is a term applied to shopping malls, lifestyle centers, outlet malls and other retail centers to indicate the amount of floor space available to be rented...
, making it the second largest shopping mall in New Jersey. An outdoor lifestyle addition, begun in January 2007, added 100000 square feet (9,290.3 m²) of additional retail space. On November 23, 2011, the mall was ranked in a Weather Channel news article titled "The Most Congested Malls for Black Friday". The Freehold Raceway Mall ranked third in the nation.
History
Freehold Raceway
Freehold Raceway is a half-mile racetrack in Freehold Borough, New Jersey. Established in 1853, it is the oldest harness racetrack in the United States and is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 9 and Business Route 33 in Freehold....
on land used for stables. The stables are still there, connected by a small bridge over Route 9, but they can only be accessed via mall entrance road. In preparation for the mall's opening, the Freehold Circle was eliminated and rebuilt into an at-grade intersection with traffic lights and jughandles. A traffic light and jughandle for the mall entrance road from Route 9 was also constructed due south of the intersection of U.S. Route 9 and Business Route 33.
The fully enclosed mall originally opened in 1990 with two anchors: Sears and Lord & Taylor with construction already underway on JCPenney (originally planned to be Hahne's, but the company went out of business), which later opened in 1991 as well as Nordstrom, which later opened in 1992. A fifth anchor, Macy's, was added in 1998 (on a pad originally planned for Stern's
Stern's
Stern's was a regional department store chain serving the U.S. states of New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The chain was in business for more than 130 years, prior to its 2001 integration into Macy's and Bloomingdale's...
and later for Abraham & Straus
Abraham & Straus
Abraham & Straus was a major New York City department store, based in Brooklyn. Founded in 1865, in 1929 it became part of Federated Department Stores, which eliminated the A&S brand shortly after its 1994 acquisition of R.H. Macy & Company...
). The opening of Macy's was well-anticipated and the grand opening was attended by several celebrities, including singer Brandy
Brandy Norwood
Brandy Rayana Norwood , known professionally as Brandy, is an American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and dancer. In 2009, she introduced her rap alter-ego Bran'Nu....
.
When the mall first opened, it was barely getting by, almost deemed a dead mall
Dead mall
A dead mall or greyfield is a shopping mall with a high vacancy rate or a low consumer traffic level, or that is dated or deteriorating in some manner. Many malls in the United States are considered "dead" when they have no surviving anchor store or successor that could serve as an entry into or...
. Vacancies were imminent, and many of the spaces were filled with non-traditional mall tenants, such as municipal services. Local photography clubs displayed their photos on the mall's empty walls, while other areas sported photos of the raceway and the fire that occurred in 1984. Many blamed the fact that it was far from roads and hidden behind trees. The only evidence of the mall from Route 9 was the monument sign approaching the mall entrance, as the satellite big box stores were not yet built. Customers could also easily travel to the nearby Monmouth Mall
Monmouth Mall
Monmouth Mall, an enclosed shopping center in Eatontown, New Jersey owned by Vornado Realty Trust, is located on the corner of the intersection of NJ 35, NJ 36, and Wyckoff Road . Currently, the mall has a gross leasable area of , making it the fourth largest shopping mall in New Jersey , boasting...
, Seaview Square Mall
Seaview Square Mall
Seaview Square Mall is a defunct indoor shopping mall located in Ocean Township, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, that has been repurposed as a power center. The mall, located at the intersection of Route 35 and Route 66, was originally constructed in 1977 as an indoor mall...
, Brunswick Square Mall
Brunswick Square Mall
Brunswick Square is a single story shopping center located in East Brunswick Township, New Jersey at the intersection of Route 18 and Rues Lane. The mall is owned by Simon Property Group, Inc...
, or the Manalapan Mall
Manalapan Mall
The Manalapan Mall opened in 1971 on the corner of U.S. 9 southbound and Symmes Road in Manalapan Township, New Jersey. The mall served the Marlboro Township and Freehold area....
, which was, ironically, closed a few years later due to the eventual success of the Freehold Raceway Mall that soon followed. Once Nordstrom opened, Freehold Raceway Mall now had a store that was sure to be a success due to the fact there was not another Nordstrom around for 30 miles (48.3 km). The crowds eventually came and the vacancy rate at the mall significantly dropped. It is now one of the most successful malls in the area. It is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 9, Business Route 33 and County Route 537
County Route 537 (New Jersey)
County Route 537, abbreviated CR 537, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Delaware Avenue in Camden to Myrtle Avenue in Long Branch.-Camden County:...
in Freehold.
Anchors
- JCPenney (148,000 sq ft) – 2 floors
- Lord & TaylorLord & TaylorLord & Taylor, colloquially known as L&T, or LT, based in New York City, is the oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the United States. Concentrated in the eastern U.S., the retailer operated independently for nearly a century prior to joining American Dry Goods...
(100,000 sq ft) – 2 floors - Macy'sMacy'sMacy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
(140,000 sq ft) – 2 floors - NordstromNordstromNordstrom, Inc. is an upscale department store chain in the United States, founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin. Initially a shoe retailer, the company today also sells clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and in some locations, home furnishings...
(163,000 sq ft) – 3 floors - Sears (144,891 sq ft) – 2 floors
Outparcels
- Toys R Us
- Bob's StoresBob's StoresBob's Stores is a chain of 35 American retail stores in the northeastern U.S. owned by Versa Capital Management. Founded as Bob's Surplus in Middletown, Connecticut, by Bob Lapidus in 1954, the chain expanded gradually until it was acquired by TJX in 2003...
- Christmas Tree ShopsChristmas Tree ShopsChristmas Tree Shops are a retail chain that started in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts on Cape Cod in 1970 as a complex of three small stores; the Front Shop, the Back Shop, and the Barn Shop. The multiple store location, which was located on Route 6A, explains why the name is Christmas Tree Shops...
- Dicks Sporting Goods
- Linens and Things (closed)
- Home Depot
- AMC Theaters
- Ashley Furniture HomeStore
Expansion and renovation
J.C. Penney
J. C. Penney Company, Inc. is a chain of American mid-range department stores based in Plano, Texas, a suburb north of Dallas. The company operates 1,107 department stores in all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. JCPenney also operates catalog sales merchant offices nationwide in many...
and Sears in the upper floor parking lot near Johnny Rockets. An interesting feature of the expansion is the fact that it is completely open-air, making the Freehold Raceway Mall the only mall in New Jersey to have both an indoor and outdoor shopping area.
The addition includes a strip of outdoor stores along the J.C. Penney side of the mall, occupied by 13 to 15 stores, a 25150 square feet (2,337 m²) Borders
Borders Group
Borders Group, Inc. was an international book and music retailer based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company employed approximately 19,500 throughout the U.S., primarily in its Borders and Waldenbooks stores....
, two restaurants, a promenade, an area for community events and a valet parking station. A P.F. Chang's China Bistro was built adjacent to the addition, but is free-standing (the mall lists the grassy spot next to P. F. Chang's China Bistro
P. F. Chang's China Bistro
'P. F. Chang's China Bistro, Inc. is an American restaurant chain with headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona.The chain was founded in Scottsdale, Arizona in 1993 by Paul Fleming and Philip Chiang. The restaurants serve American Chinese cuisine from a menu originally conceived and planned by chef...
as being vacant), while a Cheesecake Factory occupies a corner space in the main structure.
Next to the promenade's Coldwater Creek
Coldwater Creek
Coldwater Creek is a women's apparel and accessories retailer based in Sandpoint, Idaho, United States. The company was founded in 1984 by Dennis and Ann Pence. Coldwater Creek sells its products in stores, through catalogs and online. The online outlet carries apparel that was featured during...
store, Arhaus Furniture will open. There are also talks about Chevy's Fresh Mex opening up in the vacant spot next to P.F. Chang's.
In April 2007, the mall's first renovation project was underway. The renovation replaced the flooring, changing the brown and green tile to a beige stone tile, it replaced the green paint on the ceilings and ironwork with a more beige/earthtone, the brass rails were replaced in favor of wooden rails, new lighting under the skylights and along/under the columns was added, the globe lighting along the skylights, pillars and ironwork was replaced, a new escalator next to Sears was added, soft, carpeted seating areas were added and the large center court fountain was replaced with a smaller fountain, soft seating area and Starbuck's kiosk.
Two new parking lots were built on site to replace those that were lost; along the Raceway Mall Drive entrance and on the opposite side of the ring road next to Nordstrom.
The completed outdoor expansion opened for the general public on November 9, 2007 at 10:00 am and the majority of the renovation was completed by the 2007 holiday season. The new spherical sculpture fountain and the replacement of the brass rails with wooden rails brought about an end to the renovations in February 2008. (Article)