Wayne Towne Center
Encyclopedia
The Wayne Towne Center is a regional shopping center located in Wayne
, New Jersey
, right next to Willowbrook Mall
. As of 2008, the mall had a gross leasable area
of 653000 square feet (60,665.7 m²). The center formerly operated as an indoor shopping mall from the time of its building as the West Belt Mall in the 1970s until 2008, when the last of the mall's secondary tenants closed. By June 2009 the center had only one anchor, JCPenney, following the closing of its other main anchor Fortunoff
.
Existing in the shadow of Willowbrook Mall
, Wayne Towne Center has had difficulty dating back to 1993, when the Neiman Marcus
Last Call outlet headed for Pennsylvania
.
In January 2008, the Borders Books and Music, which replaced Last Call, was one of three North Jersey locations closed by the chain. The portion of the mall that housed the Borders store was demolished in Fall 2008.
The mall was currently undergoing an extensive redesign and redevelopment project (often referred to as "de-malling") to better position itself against other malls in the area. The mall's inside was recently completely closed off as secondary anchor Old Navy closed and primary anchors Fortunoff and JCPenney closed their mall entrances. Shortly thereafter the interior section of the mall began to be demolished, with most of the job finished in April 2009 although work continues to be done.
Along the outside of the mall, several new business have opened. An Olive Garden
restaurant, a new TGI Friday's (replacing the former in-mall location), a Bahama Breeze
, and a DSW Shoe Warehouse have all opened in the north end of the parking lot while a Chipotle Mexican Grill
has opened in the south end. A Dick's Sporting Goods
is also planned for the mall at some point and has had a marker placed on the center's main signboard, but has yet to be built. With the closure of Fortunoff and the 215000 square feet (19,974.2 m²) vacancy it has created, construction may not be necessary on a new building to house the Dick's store.
In a deal closed on December 28, 2010, the mall was purchased by Vornado Realty Trust
for $12.1 million from Wells Fargo
, along with annual lease payments of $2.5 million for the land. A Vornado spokesman said that the company planned to revamp the property, as Vornado had previously done at the Bergen Town Center
in Paramus, New Jersey
.
Wayne, New Jersey
Wayne is a Township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States, located less than from midtown Manhattan. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 54,069....
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, right next to Willowbrook Mall
Willowbrook Mall (Wayne, New Jersey)
Willowbrook Mall is a two-level, major shopping center located in Wayne, New Jersey, United States. It is near the intersection of U.S. Route 46, Route 23 and Interstate 80. The mall opened in 1969 and was expanded or renovated in 1970, 1988, and 2006...
. As of 2008, the mall had a 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...
of 653000 square feet (60,665.7 m²). The center formerly operated as an indoor shopping mall from the time of its building as the West Belt Mall in the 1970s until 2008, when the last of the mall's secondary tenants closed. By June 2009 the center had only one anchor, JCPenney, following the closing of its other main anchor Fortunoff
Fortunoff
Fortunoff was a New York-based retailer of home, jewelry and furniture stores founded in 1922 by Max and Clara Fortunoff. The original Fortunoff store was on Livonia Avenue in Brooklyn, New York...
.
Existing in the shadow of Willowbrook Mall
Willowbrook Mall
Willowbrook Mall can refer to three different shopping malls in North America:* Willowbrook Mall * Willowbrook Mall * Willowbrook Shopping Centre in Langley, British Columbia...
, Wayne Towne Center has had difficulty dating back to 1993, when the Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus, formerly Neiman-Marcus, is a luxury specialty retail department store operated by the Neiman Marcus Group in the United States. The company is headquartered in the One Marcus Square building in Downtown Dallas, Texas, and competes with other department stores such as Saks Fifth...
Last Call outlet headed for Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
In January 2008, the Borders Books and Music, which replaced Last Call, was one of three North Jersey locations closed by the chain. The portion of the mall that housed the Borders store was demolished in Fall 2008.
The mall was currently undergoing an extensive redesign and redevelopment project (often referred to as "de-malling") to better position itself against other malls in the area. The mall's inside was recently completely closed off as secondary anchor Old Navy closed and primary anchors Fortunoff and JCPenney closed their mall entrances. Shortly thereafter the interior section of the mall began to be demolished, with most of the job finished in April 2009 although work continues to be done.
Along the outside of the mall, several new business have opened. An Olive Garden
Olive Garden
Olive Garden is an American restaurant chain specializing in Italian-American cuisine. It is a subsidiary of Darden Restaurants, Inc., which is headquartered in an unincorporated area in Orange County, Florida, near Orlando. Olive Garden operates more than 730 locations globally.- History :The...
restaurant, a new TGI Friday's (replacing the former in-mall location), a Bahama Breeze
Bahama Breeze
Bahama Breeze is an American restaurant specializing in Caribbean-inspired fresh seafood, chicken and steaks, and tropical drinks. Most locations are in suburban retail districts and tourist areas.-Locations:*Florida**Fort Lauderdale Sunrise...
, and a DSW Shoe Warehouse have all opened in the north end of the parking lot while a Chipotle Mexican Grill
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. is a chain of restaurants in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada specializing in burritos and tacos, founded by Steve Ells in 1993 and based in Denver, Colorado...
has opened in the south end. A Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. , or Dick's, is a Fortune 500 American corporation in the sporting goods and retail industries.The company's headquarters are on the grounds of Pittsburgh International Airport in Findlay Township near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dick's has 451 stores in 42 states as of...
is also planned for the mall at some point and has had a marker placed on the center's main signboard, but has yet to be built. With the closure of Fortunoff and the 215000 square feet (19,974.2 m²) vacancy it has created, construction may not be necessary on a new building to house the Dick's store.
In a deal closed on December 28, 2010, the mall was purchased by Vornado Realty Trust
Vornado Realty Trust
Vornado Realty Trust is a New York based real estate investment trust. It is the inheritor of real estate formerly controlled by companies including Two Guys and Alexander's.- History :...
for $12.1 million from Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
, along with annual lease payments of $2.5 million for the land. A Vornado spokesman said that the company planned to revamp the property, as Vornado had previously done at the Bergen Town Center
Bergen Town Center
The Outlets at Bergen Town Center, known as Bergen Mall until 2006 and Bergen Town Center until 2010, is located in Paramus and Maywood, New Jersey, United States, and opened in 1957 as an outdoor shopping center. It is the second-oldest mall in New Jersey. The mall offers a Gross leasable area of...
in Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of...
.
Former primary and secondary anchors
- Neiman MarcusNeiman MarcusNeiman Marcus, formerly Neiman-Marcus, is a luxury specialty retail department store operated by the Neiman Marcus Group in the United States. The company is headquartered in the One Marcus Square building in Downtown Dallas, Texas, and competes with other department stores such as Saks Fifth...
Last Call (closed 1993) - FortunoffFortunoffFortunoff was a New York-based retailer of home, jewelry and furniture stores founded in 1922 by Max and Clara Fortunoff. The original Fortunoff store was on Livonia Avenue in Brooklyn, New York...
(215,000 ft²) (closed 2009) - Borders Books & Music (closed 2008)
- Old NavyOld NavyOld Navy is an American clothing brand as well as a chain of stores owned by Gap, Inc., with corporate operations in San Francisco and San Bruno, California. It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new Mission Bay district of San Francisco.Gap, Inc. was run by...
(closed 2008) - Loehmann'sLoehmann'sLoehmann's is a chain of off-price department stores in the United States.Loehmann's is best known for its "Back Room," where women interested in fashion can find designer clothes at prices lower than in department or specialty stores...
(closed 2008) - Zany BrainyZany BrainyZany Brainy was a United States retail store chain owned by FAO Schwarz that sold educational toys and multi-media products aimed at children ages 4–12...
(closed 2001)