Only days into 2025, a look at New Jersey’s shopping apocalypse

We’re only a couple of weeks into the new year and it appears that the shopping landscape across New Jersey will face some big changes over the coming months.

And many of those changes aren’t going to be positive.

Since around Thanksgiving, the dominoes seem to be falling non-stop for stores of all shapes and sizes across the Garden State — big chains that many have been shopping at are either closing underperforming stores or shutting down altogether.

Here’s a look at the changes we’ll be seeing throughout this year.

Macy’s

We learned just a few days ago that Macy’s would be closing 66 stores over the next few months as they try to rebound from sluggish sales.

The good news is that all but one store in New Jersey will remain open; only their Macy’s Backstage store in the Essex Green Shopping Center on West Prospect Avenue in East Orange is shutting down.

Sadly, one of those 66 was the former John Wanamaker’s store in Center City Philadelphia.

Kohl’s

Much like Macy’s, Kohl’s is also closing multiple underperforming stores nationwide.

And also like Macy’s, New Jersey (luckily) isn’t being impacted too greatly.

Kohl’s currently has 38 stores in New Jersey, including locations in Mays Landing, Millville, and Manahawkin. The only New Jersey store scheduled to close is in East Windsor. Next door in Pennsylvania, Kohl’s is closing its store in Pottstown.

Party City

The days of running into Party City for birthday balloons, party favors, and Halloween costumes will be ending shortly.

Just before Christmas, news broke that the decades-old, New Jersey-based chain would be shutting down.

Even worse, Party City employees were told they would not be receiving severance and their benefits would be ending.

Party City has (had) 26 stores in New Jersey and 700 across the nation.

Big Lots

The past few months have been quite turbulent for Big Lots.

Several months ago, Big Lots announced it was closing numerous underperforming locations in an attempt to come out from sinking sales.

As that was happening, the chain announced a pending sale of the entire company fell through and all stores were closing.

Then, at the end of December, news broke that an asset liquidation firm was buying the chain and some 400 stores would remain open.

Economists are still waiting for the dust to settle to learn which stores will remain open.

Those closings come on the heels of big changes during 2024, which saw quite a few TGI Friday’s restaurants close, several Stop & Shop supermarkets in the middle of the state shutdown, BuyBuy Baby attempted a comeback but failed, Sam Ash music stores disappeared as did a few locations of David’s Bridal.

We should also mention the last Sears store in the Garden State closed last year, too.