Columbia Sportswear debuted at Cherry Hill Mall on Nov. 27.
The two South Jersey malls are owned by PREIT, a publicly-traded real estate investment trust with properties throughout densely populated areas along the eastern United States and Mid-Atlantic region.
PREIT’s marketing strategy has increasingly relied on offering “experiences” by offering a wide array spanning lifestyle, retail, dining and entertainment at its cadre of malls.
At some PREIT malls, the roster will soon include residential spaces as new apartment complexes are springing up at former store fronts.
But there’s even more to come. Women’s fashion retailer Dry Goods is anticipated to open in spring/summer 2025 at Cherry Hill Mall, as is ear-piercing retailer Rowan. Spanish fashion retailer Mango is targeting a summer opening.
Coming Soon to Moorestown Mall is well being focused center Mandarin and Fig Wellness; Dessert Soiree for cakes and cupcakes; and amusement wreck it room Breaker 213.
“These exciting new additions showcase our ongoing dedication to crafting a diverse shopping experience that celebrates local and specialized businesses, nurturing a dynamic community environment,” Evan Lepson, Marketing Coordinator at Moorestown Mall, said in a recent press release.
Retail experts say the two malls, particularly Cherry Hill, are blessed with awesome demographics, easy access to major highways bridges and public transit, and a dense and affluent population base arriving from both Philadelphia and New Jersey.
Joe Aristone, Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer at PREIT, said all of those factors have kept Cherry Hill and Moorestown Malls on top of their retail game despite fierce competition from online behemoths like Amazon.
“Cherry Hill Mall and Moorestown Mall have earned their positions as standout properties within PREIT’s portfolio thanks to a combination of factors that contribute to their ongoing success,” Aristone said in an email: “It’s truly a combination of the above that makes Cherry Hill Mall and Moorestown Mall key pillars in PREIT’s success story.”
Cherry Hill Mall is considered a super-regional shopping center with 1.35 million square feet of retail space. Moorestown Mall boasts about a million square feet of retail.
Aristone said Cherry Hill Mall balances upscale retail with community-focused offerings, while Moorestown Mall complements its shopping options with amenities like a full-service liquor store, top-tier restaurants, and even a veterinary hospital. He noted the addition of Cooper University Health Care’s state-of-the-art outpatient campus enhances Moorestown Mall’s role as a community hub.
PREIT emerged from U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware last April after shedding underperforming malls and about $850 million in debt. It also let go its longtime former CEO, Joseph Coradino.
Earlier this year the company identified Cherry Hill Mall as its top performing property, while Moorestown Mall came in as its 14th best performer.
Customers and retailers at both malls recently praised the new store additions.
On the eve of Columbia Sportswear’s soft opening at Cherry Hill Mall, Kia Burroughs said the timing was ideal.
“We sell a lot of things as gifts and now it’s the holiday season,” said Burroughs, 41, from West Philadelphia, as she tended to her All Things Stationary kiosk that sits in front of the new Columbia Sportswear store.
“The mall draws from all over, from New Jersey and Philadelphia, and is close to four different bridges – Walt Whitman, Betsy Ross, Tacony and Ben Franklin (bridges),” Burroughs said. “These new stores will only draw more people to the mall, which will benefit everyone here, including me.”
Earlier in the afternoon about 10 minutes away in Moorestown, Colleen McFadden, 63, was heading towards her car after shopping at Moorestown Mall.
As she passed the entrance to Ryfe, one of the mall’s new restaurants that also offers a bar and events center, McFadden turned to admire the new eatery’s glimmering façade.
“The restaurants here are fantastic and this is a welcome addition,” said McFadden, an executive assistant at a Moorestown medical facility. “But I wish the mall had more people.”
McFadden pointed toward the mostly empty mall parking lot as it neared 4 p.m. on a recent Tuesday.
“New housing like they’re building here will be fantastic if they can get more people to come to the mall,” McFadden said of the new apartments going up near the mall’s Yard House restaurant. “I want our mall to not only survive but thrive.”
