Garden State Plaza almost 70 years of success

 One of New Jersey's largest and successful shopping malls going strong almost 70 years later and the first to open as surburbia started growing in the 1950's

History of Westfield Garden State Plaza In Paramus

The shopping center opened on May 1, 1957 developed by R.H. Macy's opening anchors were Bamberger's and was a open air shopping center in its early days. JC Penny and Gimbels would join the mall in 1958. As the decades went, the mall became enclosed in phases from the 1970's to the 1980's with it being complete. The malls first anchor change came in 1986 as Bamberger's became Macy's. In 1987, Gimbels went out of business and later in the fall of 87 Hahne's opened in the old Gimbels building which was short lived when they saw their fate in 1989. The building was demolished as New Jersey's first Nordstrom would open in September 1990. The 90's the mall had a ton of expansions which included parking decks and two luxury anchors as Neiman Marcus and Lord and Taylor would come in 1996. In 2007, A 16 screen AMC theatre was added to GSP. Later on the mall would say goodbye to long running JC Penny which closed in 2018 and Lord and Taylor in 2020. Despite losing two big anchors, this mall still keeps going like a runaway train. I first went to GSP years ago, it blew my mind how big it was I been inside, Can't believe this mall is almost 70 years old as one of New Jersey's oldest shopping centers which is very successful.

                                                   Then and Now Bamberger's and Macy's 



                                                          








                                                 























                                            before Hahne's and Nordstrom there was Gimbels

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