Elizabeth Center
Encyclopedia
The Elizabeth Center is a power center located off Exit 13A on the New Jersey Turnpike
in Elizabeth, New Jersey
. The location near the exit is incorporated into the center's logo, as El13Abeth Center. The first tenant, IKEA
, opened in 1990. It is right next to the Jersey Gardens
mall and also located in an Urban Enterprise Zone
.
, in 1990 the Swedish
-based home furnishings store, IKEA
, opened. It became very successful, and by the mid-1990s, an Incredible Universe
store opened next to IKEA. Toys "R" Us Kid's World, a prototype store also opened which included 100000 sq ft (9,290.3 m²). of space, including Toys "R" Us, Kids "R" Us, Babies "R" Us, the Warner Bros.
store, Kids Foot Locker
, a photo studio, children's hair salon, play area, candy store and Pizza Hut
. Only one other Kid's World location was built in Fairfax, Virginia
, but was later converted into a regular Toys "R" Us store.
The IKEA
store was renovated and expanded in 1998. The Incredible Universe store was closed in 1996 after the chain went under. In 1997, Here Comes The Place, "RexPlex", a large indoor theme park, skate park, and arena park. It also featured a soccer field in the parking lot. It closed in 2004 and the soccer field has since been paved over. In 2011, Big Lots
was opened next to Babies "R" Us.
New Jersey Turnpike
The New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey, maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. According to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the Turnpike is the nation's sixth-busiest toll road and is among one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United...
in Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
. The location near the exit is incorporated into the center's logo, as El13Abeth Center. The first tenant, IKEA
IKEA
IKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
, opened in 1990. It is right next to the Jersey Gardens
Jersey Gardens
Jersey Gardens is a two-level indoor outlet mall in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The mall opened on October 21, 1999, and is the largest outlet mall in New Jersey, and much closer to New York City than its largest outlet mall competitor, Woodbury Common....
mall and also located in an Urban Enterprise Zone
Urban Enterprise Zone
In the United States, Urban Enterprise Zones , also known as Enterprise Zones, are intended to encourage development in blighted neighborhoods through tax and regulatory relief to entrepreneurs and investors who launch businesses in the area. UEZs are areas where companies can locate free of...
.
History
Built on a former landfillLandfill
A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
, in 1990 the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
-based home furnishings store, IKEA
IKEA
IKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
, opened. It became very successful, and by the mid-1990s, an Incredible Universe
Incredible Universe
Incredible Universe was the name of a chain of American consumer electronics stores in the early to mid-1990s. A typical Incredible Universe was of sales floor and warehouse, stocking around 85,000 items....
store opened next to IKEA. Toys "R" Us Kid's World, a prototype store also opened which included 100000 sq ft (9,290.3 m²). of space, including Toys "R" Us, Kids "R" Us, Babies "R" Us, the Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
store, Kids Foot Locker
Foot Locker
Foot Locker, Inc. is an American sportswear and footwear retailer, with its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and operating in approximately 20 countries worldwide. Formerly known as Venator Group, Inc., it is the successor corporation to the F.W. Woolworth Company , and many of...
, a photo studio, children's hair salon, play area, candy store and Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
. Only one other Kid's World location was built in Fairfax, Virginia
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
, but was later converted into a regular Toys "R" Us store.
The IKEA
IKEA
IKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
store was renovated and expanded in 1998. The Incredible Universe store was closed in 1996 after the chain went under. In 1997, Here Comes The Place, "RexPlex", a large indoor theme park, skate park, and arena park. It also featured a soccer field in the parking lot. It closed in 2004 and the soccer field has since been paved over. In 2011, Big Lots
Big Lots
Big Lots, Inc. is a Fortune 500 retail corporation with annual revenues well over $4 billion.Its department stores focus mainly on selling closeout and overstock merchandise. The company is based in Columbus, Ohio, USA and currently operates over 1,400 stores in 47 states...
was opened next to Babies "R" Us.
Tenants
- IKEAIKEAIKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
(opened 1990/remolded 1998) - Kids Foot Locker (opened 1996 – closed 1999)
- Pizza HutPizza HutPizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
(opened 1996 – closed 1999) - Warner Bros. Studio Store (opened 1996 – closed 2001)
- Toys "R" Us/Babies "R" Us (opened 2006)
- Toys "R" Us KidsWorld (opened 1996 – closed 2006)
- Incredible UniverseIncredible UniverseIncredible Universe was the name of a chain of American consumer electronics stores in the early to mid-1990s. A typical Incredible Universe was of sales floor and warehouse, stocking around 85,000 items....
(opened 1995 – closed 1996) - RexPlex (opened 1997 – closed 2004)
- Big LotsBig LotsBig Lots, Inc. is a Fortune 500 retail corporation with annual revenues well over $4 billion.Its department stores focus mainly on selling closeout and overstock merchandise. The company is based in Columbus, Ohio, USA and currently operates over 1,400 stores in 47 states...
(opened 2011)