Ocean County Mall Looking To Expand In Toms River, NJ

Going to the mall used to be the move on a Friday night. I remember being in high school, knowing that once the bell rang on a Friday afternoon, in just a few hours, my friends and I would be walking around the mall, hanging out, and getting food from the food court.

Nowadays, malls are having a bit of a hard time. I recently went back to my hometown in PA, and went over to the mall I went to all the time in high school, and it looked like a ghost town. The once vibrant food court was mainly closed restaurants, and most of the stores were unoccupied. It was a sad sight.

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Some NJ Malls Are Still Thriving

It's not all malls, though. I look at the Freehold Raceway Mall and am always blown away at how active it is. There's always something going on there, and the storefronts are always occupied.

Other malls are trying to reimagine themselves by adding more options for consumers outside of the mall.

The Ocean County Mall Is Looking To Expand Off Hooper Avenue

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This seems to be what the Ocean County Mall is doing. According to Shore News Network, the Ocean County Mall is looking to expand along Hooper Avenue.

There are two parcels of land that sit right off Hooper Avenue, between BJ's and the old Bahama Breeze, that the mall is considering turning into retail space.

What Would Be Added To The Ocean County Mall In This Propsed Expansion?

As of now, a few ideas that are on the table for the proposed spaces are for restaurants, hotels, retail shops, medical offices, or financial institutions, according to Shore News Network.

I'm a big fan of malls reworking themselves to try to attract customers by adding new stores and restaurants to the surrounding area. It keeps the space relevant and also brings in some new business to the area, so it's a win-win if you ask me.