Here are the cool new stores coming to the former Monmouth Mall

If you’ve been paying attention to the retail landscape here in New Jersey, you will certainly see the slow and steady demise of the traditional mall.

Right after COVID, malls started closing one after the other. The ones who were lucky enough to make it through the pandemic or smart enough to reinvent themselves. And that is the case at Eatontown‘s Monmouth Mall.

Here’s the scoop on what’s happening at Monmouth Mall, (or should I say Monmouth Square now.)

Kushner Cos. is shaking things up —they’re transforming the old Monmouth Mall into Monmouth Square, a vibrant open-air market combined with luxury apartments. It’s a major makeover that’s set to redefine the area.

The “de-malling” of malls is the best way to keep them open and bustling, and that’s exactly what the Monmouth Square project is about.

They’re slashing the retail space by 40%, turning the traditional mall concept inside out to create a modern town center vibe. It’ll have free-standing shops, cozy cafes, medical offices, and even lush green spaces, all intertwined with 1,000 swanky apartments.

Since they broke ground last spring, they’ve been busy. Barnes & Noble has already moved into its fresh digs with a chic new B&N Café. This move opened up space for Whole Foods Market to set up shop, right where Barnes & Noble used to be.

But the transformation doesn’t stop there. Kushner just announced a lineup of exciting new tenants for Monmouth Square. I have been so excited to see what is opening there and now we finally know.

Prince Street Pizza

Cava

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream

Offshore Coffee

Strong Pilates

These are all signing on to join Whole Foods in the revamped retail scene. These spots are part of the new vision, with doors expected to open next year.

With nearly 50,000 square feet already leased out, Monmouth Square is filling up fast. It’s shaping up to be a hub with a great blend of shopping, dining, and living.