Is Woodbridge Center the ugliest mall in New Jersey? (Livingston: crimes, movie theaters)

[Retriever]

Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801

It was a wake-up call to how overprotective some small-town people can be.

I see this on a daily basis, courtesy of the parents who drive their precious snowflakes to the school bus stop, rather than allowing them to walk (horrors!!) perhaps as far as 3 blocks, in an area with essentially zero crime. I can understand this type of overly protective behavior on very cold days, or when it is raining, but the same parents can be seen every day of the school year, sheltering their kids within the confines of the family truckster until the school bus arrives.

[AnesthesiaMD]

Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801

Hahaha, mine is opposite, as I wrote above. I can't get most clothes at the mall anyway because they are never going to fit me. You can weigh 300 pounds and still find stores to shop in, but if you are a tall female, you are SOL except for jeans in a few places.

I have to dress in business clothes for work, so I can't run around with flood pants, blazers where the waist comes up under my boobs and sleeves that are halfway between my elbows and wrists. It used to be catalogs where I would have to call in an order, but now we have this wonderful thing called the Internet!

I am basically average in size for a man, 6’1”, but my inseam is only 30 inches. I can find what Im looking for in regular stores, but shirts are often too short and pants are often too long. I usually need to try on 2 or 3 things before I find the right fit. When I am buying online, I cant do that.

[Retriever]

Originally Posted by Retriever

IIRC correctly, Steinbach's moved into the space that was originally occupied by Ohrbach's. Then again, due to all of the changing merchants' names over the years, perhaps I have the spaces confused.

Fortunoff moved into their space many years after the opening of Woodbridge Center, following the demise of Hahne's. Hahne's was a really nice store, and that was where I bought most of my clothing back in those days.

IIRC, after the collapse of Fortunoff's, that same space was occupied by Boscov's, and that gives you a clue as to the current nature of Woodbridge Center.

I decided to use Wikipedia to refresh my memory, and to update my information. This is what Wiki has to say about the changing names of the mall's anchor stores:

Notable department stores that have closed include Hahne's (became Fortunoff, now Boscov's), Ohrbach's (which became Steinbach, and now is Lord & Taylor), Stern's (now Macy's), A&S (now Sears) and Fortunoff (now Boscov's).

[AlmostSeniorinNJ]

Originally Posted by Jackal1

One time my cousin Walter got this cat stuck up his ass. True story. He bought it at our local mall, so the whole fiasco wound up on the news. It was embarrasing for my relatives and all, but next week, he did it again. Different cat, same results, complete with another trip to the emergency room. So, I run into him a week later in the mall and he's buying another cat. And I says to him, "Jesus, Walt! What are you doing? You know you're just gonna get this cat stuck up your ass too. Why don't you knock it off?" And he said to me, "Brodie, how the hell else am I supposed to get the gerbil out?" My cousin was a weird guy.

Oh man LOL

[bookspage]

I generally hate malls now but I forgot....We've been going to Riverside Square a bit lately in this crummy weather. Lots of restaurants now, bookstore, movie theatre, a few little stores to look at. Bloomingdales is decent for any basics you might need to pick up

[Retriever]

Originally Posted by bookspage

I generally hate malls now but I forgot....We've been going to Riverside Square a bit lately in this crummy weather. Lots of restaurants now, bookstore, movie theatre, a few little stores to look at. Bloomingdales is decent for any basics you might need to pick up

Last week, I went to Riverside Square (now renamed as The Shops at Riverside) after not having been there for... a very long time.

It was nice to see that the mall's management is engaged in a major upgrade/redecoration scheme, but I was not comfortable there. After much contemplation, I realized that all of the twists, turns, and blind corners of that mall produce bad Feng Shui.

[bookspage]

Originally Posted by Retriever

Last week, I went to Riverside Square (now renamed as The Shops at Riverside) after not having been there for... a very long time.

It was nice to see that the mall's management is engaged in a major upgrade/redecoration scheme, but I was not comfortable there. After much contemplation, I realized that all of the twists, turns, and blind corners of that mall produce bad Feng Shui.

The name changed? Didn't even notice

It is weird. Maybe the new decor will balance the energy for you

I'm just happy to see a bookstore these days. Few and far between

[Retriever]

Originally Posted by bookspage

Maybe the new decor will balance the energy for you

Unless they totally reconstructed that mall in order to eliminate the many twists, turns, and blind corners, I don't think that the completion of their redecorating project will do it... at least for me.

And, in any event, the only shop in that mall that is fairly unique is their Villeroy & Boch shop, now that this company's shop in West Windsor has closed. With the exception of Villeroy & Boch, there is really nothing at Riverside that is... special... or different, or... sufficiently unique... to warrant a 1 hour drive.

[Retriever]

The potential impact of the closure of ALL of the Toy R Us and Babies R Us stores will impact regional strip malls, rather than the large malls, but the handwriting is clearly on the wall regarding the future for a huge number of Big Box store vacancies. Think about it... Almost all of the former Sports Authority stores are still vacant after 2 or 3 years, many former A&P, Pathmark, Stop & Shop, and Barnes & Noble stores remain vacant, and now we will have all of the TRU/BRU stores added to that mix.

Toys 'R' Us may liquidate assets, close U.S. stores | NJ.com

[zhelder]

Originally Posted by Retriever

The potential impact of the closure of ALL of the Toy R Us and Babies R Us stores will impact regional strip malls, rather than the large malls, but the handwriting is clearly on the wall regarding the future for a huge number of Big Box store vacancies. Think about it... Almost all of the former Sports Authority stores are still vacant after 2 or 3 years, many former A&P, Pathmark, Stop & Shop, and Barnes & Noble stores remain vacant, and now we will have all of the TRU/BRU stores added to that mix.

Toys 'R' Us may liquidate assets, close U.S. stores | NJ.com

While I feel bad about the demise of Toys R Us and the potential for thousands of people to become unemployed, I can’t help but think that the ghosts of Child World and Lionel Kiddle City are experiencing a bit of schadenfreude right now. After all, Toys R Us snuffed them out 25+ years ago.

I have some great memories of Toys R Us. The awesome 70s and early 80s commercials featuring that great Christmas jingle and Cartoon Geoffrey voiced by the late great Thurl Ravenscroft. Geoffrey Dollars. Meeting Dwight Gooden when the Route 17 Paramus store opened in 1986 (when he was still a superstar and not the disaster he became soon after).

I’m gonna miss them, even though the company was responsible for a lot of its own misfortune.