EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — The first new store in Brunswick Square Mall's redevelopment opens this week. The mayor says plenty more are on the way.
Nordstrom Rack is opening at the mall on Route 18, Mayor Brad Cohen said at the township council meeting on Monday. He called it "the beginning of a series of openings that should come within the next couple of months."
"There's a lot of exciting things that are going to be coming to the mall as it reinvents itself more as a retail corridor that meets the needs of people today," he said.
The 27,000-square-foot Nordstrom Rack sits at the corner of Route 18 and Rues Lane, according to the company. It's one of more than 20 new Rack stores the retailer planned to open nationwide in 2026.
The mayor listed several tenants expected to open in the coming months:
"I think the reveal, so to speak, of a new envisioned Route 18 corridor is finally starting to happen in front of our eyes, and it's very exciting," Cohen said.
Edgewood Properties and Paramount Realty bought the mall in late 2023. They are turning the enclosed mall into an open-air center with shopping, health care, fitness and recreation, according to RE-NJ.
Several existing tenants are staying or moving within the property, including Old Navy, LensCrafters, Bath & Body Works, Barnes & Noble, Panera and Twisted Crab, according to RE-NJ. The plans also include a 19,000-square-foot township community center with basketball courts and batting cages. Housing is planned for a later phase.
The mayor urged residents to check out the new businesses as they open.
"Hopefully, folks will just keep their eyes open and frequent some of the new places that are coming here," he said.
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