Bridgewater Commons Mall Tour and History - Bridgewater, NJ
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ส.ค. 2024
- The Bridgewater Commons Mall in Bridgewater New Jersey is a three story enclosed shopping mall opened in 1989. Join me as I take you on a tour of the mall as it is in 2021 and I share some nostalgic memories of how this mall used to be.
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Growing up in NJ, I’ve been to plenty of the malls, but the Bridgewater Mall will always be my “home” mall. Moved to Warren in 94’ when I was in middle school and this was the place we went to shop and hang out from then through High School and beyond. Don’t go there as much since I got married and moved away in 2009, but I still stop in here and there. Had friends that worked in the cigar shop, Godiva and as security. Such great memories in that mall, especially the holiday shopping times. Love that mall, and right across the street I used to work at the Best Buy when the Borders was still there. Awesome overall shopping area.
I miss that Borders so much! thanks for watching
Bridgewater mall is one of the malls I’ve been going to since my childhood. The Lego store used to have a free Lego mini build they hosted every first Tuesday of the month back in 2012/2013. My family would always go to this mall for that.
I do notice a lot of empty store fronts and it’s been unfortunately becoming common to see many of them lately. However, I do not see this mall dying anytime soon in the future as it is still very busy on the weekends.
Mall management seems to be taking care of this place. They're working to bring in some new entertainment places which is great. They also keep this place clean and well decorated too
Hillsborough High School class of 1988, Yup this was the mall we hung out at all the time. Wow so many memories. Thanks for Video!
Where Hollister is used to actually be more foodcourt. That space was mostly seating with a perimeter of food places like Michael's Deli, Surfside Spuds, Bananas, etc. Sam Goody was the corner store on the edge of the foodcourt on the hall to the theater. Good memories, man.
Thank you so much. I've been looking back on memories from my childhood and the Bridgewater Commons is a recurring thought. This brought back so many awesome memories from when I grew up and went to the mall with my parents. I used to love going on the carosel and I was so sad when they took it down. My boyfriend and I have gone to this mall recently and I told him a bunch of stories about my friends and I hanging out there. I COMPLETELY forgot about the glass elevator!! I remember the food court - I would have my dad get me fries and an orange Hi-C from Wendy's when they still had the yellow themed cups and containers. I also remember a spiral staircase that led to a chocolate store right across or right next to the bottom of the stairs. :)
I can't remember, was it this mall or the Philipsburg Mall that had the giant trees going from the ceiling into the floor?
Also, it's been driving me crazy but I could have sworn that I remembered the Macy's having a fun entrance to the kid's section. The floor was all gray and it had TVs on the wall and a bunch of fun lights and a projector on the floor???
Thank you so much, I'm glad I'm not the only one with fond memories of this mall. The chocolate store you remember may have been Candico, which was a really colorful neon candy store. It was amazing as a kid and I haven't found any good pics online. The trees may have been Phillipsburg, but I really don't remember clearly. And yes, the Macy's did have a fun kids section which I believe was around until the 2000's. Thank you for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed it. I really wanted to document this mall as it is today. They recently removed the Sisters mural and are closing Uniqlo, so good thing I went when I did.
I spent many of my younger years in that mall … I heard last night it was sold and that a lot of stores have moved out I’ll have to make a trip there this year when I go home to visit family oh memories , I wish neck them I took more photos of things and places but when your a kid you don’t necessarily think I’m gonna take a picture of the building or this area cause it’s gonna change , so glad there a people like you to keep memories going thank you 😊
Thank you! Since I started the channel I really understand the value of capturing places as they are, because they inevitably change. I wish I took pictures of the food court before they changed it, but back then it didn't seem important. Plus taking pics was a lot more complicated than it is today.
That skylight in Macy's just wow, man do i miss Kay Bee toys. I have heard of most of those stores you mention being a lived in North East PA as a teenager. This was awesome thank you for sharing your memories of your hometown mall.
Its just not the same anymore. Thanks for watching!
I remember meeting Big Joe Henry and Roberta Gale of 101.5FM in 98 at this mall. Got his autograph. I was 11 at the time. I also remember the sharper image store. My mom bought a few of those ionic breeze air cleaners there and they all still work fine! Was just here today with my girlfriend. Definitely one of the nicer malls and also a better crowd of people than other malls.
Thanks very much for this video! I've started my retail career at Bridgewater Macy's and after few years went to Lord and taylor there where I spent almost 12 years working as a department manager. I was in my early 20s when I started working there so I have some wonderful memories about that time period and your video definitely helped to bring them to surface once again. It's an emotional experience for me. All the best and thanks again!
I remember the escalator that began on the first floor that bypassed the second floor ( where you could see the inside of a store, I think it was The Limited, with a mural listing major fashion cities in the world) and would end on the third floor outside the food court. I had forgotten about the glass elevator until you mentioned it.
I remember that too! I think it was near the Macy's by what's now Foot Locker
@@RayOutThere I actually think it was in the center of the mall. It began in between where California pizza kitchen and Sephora is now. I think you’re right that it ended by Foot Locker, not the food court.
It's so nice to hear Brentano's mentioned. I grew up in a small town so our library only had older books, and the bookstores were at the other end of town, farther than I could bike. If I wanted to read anything new, going to bookstores when my parents took me to the mall was my only opportunity (not often, as we had to go many towns over to find a mall). In my neck of the woods in the '80s, that meant Brentano's, B. Dalton, Waldenbooks...I'm probably forgetting some. My first stop was to check the directory to see which one the mall had.
I miss those stores!
I remember when Uncle Julio's used to be First Place back in the 90's before it became McCormick & Schmicks. That used to be a popular spot for high school kids to hang after school. The Warner Brothers store and Disney Store were cool. I used to work at the Sterns that is now Bloomingdales. Then I worked at Lechter's Kitchen Appliances on the top floor and I worked at Sharper Image on the bottom floor. I rented a tux for my prom at a Tux store on the top level that's no longer there. Walden's books on the bottom floor was cool to visit. They used to have a candle store on the bottom floor under one of the escalators near the Macy's entrance.They used to have a CVS on the bottom floor across from Kaybee's Toys. There used to be the Thomas Kinkade gallery on the bottom floor. Saturday Matinee was a cool video, DVD, and CD place on the top floor across from Spencer's Gift store. Not sure if Build a Bear is still there or not.
Then there was the Sam Goody music store near the movie theater entrance of the mall. And The Wall music store, which eventually became FYE.
On the middle floor near where Starbucks currently is, there used to be a Ticketmaster booth where you could buy concert tickets in person. The Nature Store on the top floor used to serve free apple cider samples before it became the Discovery Channel store. There was a game store that sold interesting board games and puzzles. I forget what it was called.
Then you had Roli Boli at the food court, which made excellent strombolis.
I remember so many of those places. Its so strange to see how much has changed. Thanks for sharing the memories
@@RayOutThereSo true. I used to love going there back in the 1990's. Once the unique stores faded away, I just don't have any need to go there anymore. I guess we're lucky it still exists with malls closing down these days.
I still hit the Bridgewater mall to this day!
I remember the Nature Company! I had been in town visiting my cousin as a kid around 1989 or so and he brought me to this mall. I bought myself a wooden yo-yo with “The Nature Company” and an illustration of a rabbit burned into it. I still have it! It was a really cool store.
That store was the best! I wish I could find more pics online
Thanks for the nostalgia trip, this was also my mall growing up. I mostly remember the toy stores like KB Toys. Wasn't there a Discovery channel store at the corner next to or near the Lego store for awhile maybe until like 2010? I thought that was the Nature store you were talking about. Gamestop also changed locations at least once maybe twice before leaving the mall as well. That Lego store has been my rock for my childhood and early adult life. I think Lego was my only store I visited as a kid after KB Toys, Walden books, Discovery and Disney (Disney left for several years but came back) left by early 2010s. But that location is still going strong, I think it first opened in 2004 and never even moved to another location in the mall. Before the remodel of the food court, I think next to the Sam Goody was a sub shop in the corner. As a kid, I ordered sloppy joe but it wasn't the school cafeteria lunch that I was thinking of instead really dry roast beef sandwich. Also the mall used to have a Sbarro and Wendy's as well. For how much people say they hate Sbarro, that place lasted a very long time.
Also this mall was always had a line of cars trying to get in in the weeks leading to Christmas with cars coming off or Route 22.
I love this mall. Its still pretty good, but it used to be amazing. I miss the old food court and the old stores so bad
I have been looking EVERYWHERE for a picture of the old food court before they ruined it. I remember it being really dark with the neon signs. It was fantastic. Someone has to have a picture of it.
I've only found one on flickr where you can kinda see it in the background. I would love to see pictures of it again
It's been a while since I've been to Bridgewater Commons. I remember Sam Goody on the corner near the food court and the movies. KB Toys, Software Etc. and definitely that Sharper Image store, Brookstone. I remember when that food court was nearly standing-room only, it was so packed. Good memories.
I believe The Wall was actual an Alwik's Records, next to Kay Bee Toys. Also, Bloomingdales was not the original anchor store on that side. Although the original store name escapes me. The anchors were Macy's, Lord & Taylor, and dangit, I don't remember. I spent my high school years working for Select-A-Ticket, which was eventually engulfed by the McCormick & Schmidt seafood restaurant you mentioned. S-A-T was on the 2nd floor and you could see it from the food court, which originally had cut outs in the middle of the seating area where you could see the second floor below. Great memories.
Sterns! I know I went there with my family as a child but I don't remember it
@@RayOutThere Sterns! That was it! Great videos, but yet so sad to see all these malls I loved as a kid, well into my 20's, just disintegrating into nothing. Heck, I remember before Bridgewater opened, the Flemington Mall was the "mall to shop at".
I’m looking for a picture of the Warner Brothers Studio Store that used to be at Bridgewater Commons. It had a Taz holding a plant next to it. After they got rid of the store (I think it became an Abercrombie) the Taz platform remained for years.
I have been unable to find any of the Bridgewater store. There are pictures of other locations out there though
I miss the Sam goody right after you walked the hallway from the paring deck.
I miss it so much!!!
Spencer's probably has the type of short term lease where they can close at anytime without breaking a lease. But the owners are permitted to move them wherever they chose if another tenant wants their spot. I used to have stores in malls with that type of lease
Most times they stick you in slow spots
Advantage is you can easily close when business does not do the sales needed.
That makes a lot of sense. I see them open even in struggling malls.
There was a Sears there I used to go to. I always went to the Nature Company and Sharper Image, they always had unique things and a good place to buy gifts for people. And yes I remember the glass elevator and the giant teddy bear. And I think there was a self playing piano there at one point. I remember it as always being crowded, and smaller vendors in the walk ways selling cool stuff. I bought a zippo lighter there that I still have.
I remember all that! I miss it so much
My buddies and I where original mallrats here ! We were there all the time
I went there numerous times and I remember ordering food at the food court. Good times.
Yes indeed!
Thanks for the memories, man. I haven't seen this place since 2007, I went here all the time growing up.
I don’t know why but I find it cool to watch a video about my local mall
Your cinematics for this video is pretty good! My boyfriend sent me this out of the blue and I actually enjoyed it!!
Coming from experience: you only go down to the bottom floor when you NEED something from the bottom floor 🤣😂 like I genuinely FORGOT that there's an AT&T store down there and I WORK at BridgeComms 🤣😂
Thank you for the praise! The bottom floor is pretty quiet, I don't think I really shop at any of the stores there. I'm really glad you enjoyed this video. I've been coming to this mall my whole life and I haven't seen a good video for it yet.
The only reason to visit the bottom floor back on the day was to browse the stuff at the Sharper Image since nobody really bought anything there.... haha
Cool! I like how you never run out of stuff to feature on your videos. Keep up the great work!
Thank you! I film any place I can drive to in a day and back. So I have to look for cool places in my immediate area.
I remember Villa Pizza being in the second floor, while Sbarro’s was upstairs in the food court proper.
@9:45 Also; I was in high school around the time they opened that Wendy’s that used to be in the corner, presumably where the Sketchers store is now.
Yes, Sbarro was always in the food court, Villa was downstairs. The food court used to be much bigger but they turned it into stores
@@RayOutThere I remember the old food court
I remember the original food court. It was very dark. The places I remember were Wendy's, Popeye's, Panda Express, and Mrs. Fields. For a 3 yr. old in 2006, that food court was breathtaking to look at. I remember staring at the green Popeye's sign in awe. Out of all of the restaurants I just mentioned, only Wendy's reopened in the renovated food court (It closed in 2016). I also remember that glass elevator. It was cool to see the floor slowly rising towards you. It was removed in either 2006 or 2007. One store that I don't think you mentioned was the Discovery Channel Store. It was located on the second floor. I was only in there once before it closed in 2007. The one store I used to go to a lot was the Disney Store (the original which closed in 2008). Disney reopened their store in 2016 across from where the original store used to be. That store is set to close in June of this year. Build a Bear is another store that has reopened but not in it's original location. The only store that has still looks the way it did the way I remember is Potterybarn. There's one photo on Flickr from 2007 where you can see part of the original food court.
I remember Discovery Channel store! It was similar to Nature Company. I also remember the original Build-a-Bear and Disney store. In the food court when I was a kid in the 90s, I remember Roli Boli, Hot Dog on a stick, a smoothie place with fake fruit all around it, some kind of NY style deli that sold pastrami sandwiches. Later on they added Wendys and Popeye's before the renovation in the 2000's. Thank you for sharing your memories of this mall, I appreciate it. And thank you for pointing me to Flicker, I have found some old pics of the place.
@@RayOutThere No problem. I found your video very informative and learned some stuff I didn't about the mall. I didn't know that Bridgewater had a Warner Bros. Studio Store (All stores closed in 2001, two years before I was born which is why I don't remember it). The only Warner Bros store I had heard of with was the one located in the Mall at the World Trade Center. It had window displays of Looney Tunes characters working in offices (These statues survived the September 11th attacks). I had no idea what the Nature Company was until I looked it up and found it was chain of stores based in Berkley, California that sold scientific toys and other science related stuff. Discovery Communications bought the chain in 1996 and had phased it out by the end of 2001. Most locations became Discovery Channel Stores which was probably the case with the Bridgewater store (Again, this happened before I was born so I have no memory of it).
@@SatelliteStudiosOfficial Those statues in the towers sound so eerie and sad. The Warner Brother store was basically a Disney store but for Looney Tunes. Looney Tunes were really popular in the 90's for some reason, hence why they made Space Jam. And yes, Nature Company was replaced by Discovery Channel store, which is now American Eagle I believe. Both stores are similar but Nature Company was amazing. It had a more natural theming. I remember going in and looking at display drawers full of fossils and gemstones.
The old food court!! I remember it, it was so cool and I loved the retro vibe it gave off. Yeah it was very dark indeed haha! Omg the glass elevator! It was so cool! And they had a mini piano on display below it too. I remember it and I remember exactly where it was-where the Auntie Anne’s kiosk is now in front of center court. I think I remember the discovery channel store…I got a cool planet ceiling display mobile from there. I def remember the original Disney store as well, I used to get so many of their pajamas and stuffed animals. I still have a Nemo plushie I got from there a long time ago. Also according to Wikipedia the glass elevator was removed in 2007. Im curious as to why they’ve removed it
roli boli i remember in freehold mall it was good but i def remembered hot dog on a stick I just remember seeing one on my recent trip to vegas there was one in the excalibur
I will have to check that out if I ever make it to Vegas
Last time I was there was in 2019. I used to go to this mall all the time when I was a kid and when I was in my early 20's and I do remember all the stores and things that you have mentioned. Also if you have seen the movie North they actually filmed a scene here where the small bridge is outside. I did a filming location video on it.
I remember hearing that, I will have to check out that video
I live so close to this mall, this has always been my go to mall. It’s changed soooo much through the years…I remember the old retro looking food court and how it had the Wendy’s in it. I just remember the neon signage for all the other food places there haha. I also remember the glass elevator that was in center court, no idea why they took that out. I remember the discovery channel store, I got a cool planet decorative ceiling mobile from there and it came with a remote where you could make the planets orbit! I wish they never got rid of that store, it was so fascinating to my little mind back in those days haha. I also remember the original Disney store, I still have my Nemo plushie from there and I used to get their pajamas all the time. Justice came a bit later but I remember that store was just about every 2000s girl’s childhood I shopped there between the ages of around 8 to 11. The original build a bear workshop I remember as well, I got my first build a bear from there…and I remember all the little outfits you could pick out for your bear…another store that’s long gone that was there was the stride rite shoe store. Claires is still there to this day that’s where I got my ears pierced when I was 6 and then I went back there to get second holes when I was 16. I don’t really remember that animatronic bear hahahahah. Also I feel like macys did have a very fun entrance to the kids section a long time ago. So many memories I’ve had at this mall
Thank you for sharing your memories of this mall! It really has changed so much. I had so much fun here growing up.
@@RayOutThere it really has changed so much! It sure was so much fun I wish they’d bring back the discovery channel store. I have no idea what took its place after it was gone
Limited too
Nice looking mall. I love walking around malls and shopping. Thanks for sharing this mall.
Thank you. I've been into retail videos on TH-cam, and no one has documented this mall, so I really wanted to do it.
@@RayOutThere that's cool.
Great video. I use to work at the Sam Goodys, Macy's, and Villa Pizza 97 - 98. I remember all of the stores that you mentioned are no longer there.
It was so different back then.
I used to love to play with the rain sticks in the Nature Company! I also remember first trying malt vinegar on french fries in the food court here - my dad always loved it but I thought it sounded gross. He tricked me into trying one of his, and ever since if I have good "boardwalk" style fries, I have to have malt vinegar on it. I miss that old food court and the beautiful neon. I don't quite remember the stromboli place, but I for sure remember the Sam Goody and the hot dog on a stick place... come to think of it, I think that's where I got those fries! Thanks for nostalgia - new sub for sure!
Thank you for subbing! That was how things were back then and it was so magical
I remember when Stern's was where Bloomindales is now...thats going back about 30 years ...
I remember going there but I was too young to have any distinct memories.
@@RayOutThere lol, i guess i am showing my age..
Wait the Godiva chocolate store closed?? 😭😭 Aww, I remember one year, I went to the mall on my birthday and "Santa" was there (for whatever reason, my birthday is November 12). I told him it was my birthday, so he took me to the Godiva chocolate store and he got me a free chocolate from there. I'll forever cherish that memory.
Yeah, the company recently closed its stores this year in the US due to lack of sales in their stores.
We used to walk from immaculata on 1st wednesdays and buy cigarettes at the cvs. The hang out was on the side of Sterns now Bloomingdale’s. Then meet friends for lunch at First Place. Way before McCormick and Schmick’s. It was our version of the Maxx
The Jelly Belly store too I remember when they opened !
I was totally bummed when the closed the GameStop. It is the one thing that would get me kids willing to go to the mall so my wife could shop.
You should also do a tour of Menlo mall or Short Hills mall....they're both great malls as well
I probably will at some point
Great tour thank you! Nice work!😀
Thank you for watching!
My go to mall used to be the Ocean County Mall. I wonder how that’s doing. I moved out of NJ in 2008. Bridgewater Commons looks like it’s doing pretty well which is good. It’s a beautiful mall.
It seems Bridgewater has been struggling lately with more stores closing. I went to Ocean County Mall not to long ago and it was really busy and in good shape
Next time I go to NJ, I should visit the Ocean County Mall. I’m glad to hear it’s doing well. I don’t get why some malls thrive and others fail. Ocean County Mall was a little difficult to get to and it was a smaller mall. The Hamilton Mall was another mall I used to go to and that one is pretty much dead I think.
This mall looks stunning 😍
Its a hidden gem in my opinion.
The Wall Music store! Where I bought my first CD 💿 😆
what was the cd?
My dad still has kb toys in plastics untouched like hot wheel cars and mcdonalds toys from happy meals in plastics that are over 20 years old
I miss Walden Books and the Wall :-( some of my CDs/cassettes STILL have 'the wall' sticker on it!
Nice! I miss the old mall stores so much.
Loved Lord and Taylor that is the store that I would go in to get to the Irish store 😊
The mall had an Irish store I had gotten some candles , holders and a ceramic Irish Claddagh , for my wedding day that was 2002 I still have them 💜 I wonder if the store is still open?!
No they sadly closed! But I remember them well. They used to be on the second floor near Bloomingdales(Stern's). That space is now a J Crew. They briefly moved to a spot near the Macy's but that closed. This was around 06-07
Awww love Bridgewater!
Underrated town!
That Uniqlo was also a Zara once. My guess for why Zara left was because their Menlo Park location would do better. Though I am surprised the mall doesn't have an H&M. Maybe they could open one soon.
Thank you. I've been going here for years and I could not remember what was in that spot before Uniqlo. Uniqlo recently closed in this mall, H+M would be a good replacement.
I was on the build when the mall came out of the ground union carpenter Newark floor local 2212 # miss all u old timers Somerville brothers God bless all the trades union made in the USA
Thank you for everything you've done. Workers are the backbone of this country
I loved Rolli Bolli and sometimes wonder why they didn't catch on and expand because putting yummy things inside a bolli is the best. lol
I love the mall.
Its a good one
Yes I remember
Let's hope this mall last many many years
great video! i haven’t been on youtube in a little while so i’m catching up on all your videos today!
Aw thanks! Do you have any videos coming out soon?
@@RayOutThere yes hopefully soon! i got a new job so i’ve been just working and trying to get adjusted but i miss youtube!
@@karissaexplainsitallxo I know how that is. It can be hard to keep the balance when you start a channel. Looking forward to seeing more from you
@@RayOutThere yes i definitely agree! i'm finally going to be uploading tonight so thank you so much for the support as always :)
I was born and raised until 10 in Hillsborough... And I went to this mall ONCE. We would always go to either Woodbridge or Quakerbridge Mall... Why Mom would drive 30+ minutes to a mall when we had on 15 minutes away was beyond me, but okay.
Thanks for posting this! I miss the Bridgewater Mall as I now live in Georgia. I worked at the Macy's when it first opened, in the accessories department. That meant sometimes working the silver counter or the fur department or the scarves dept. It was fun not to be stuck in one place in the store all the time. I loved the way they decorated the Juniors Dept. when it first opened. I have a pic of it somewhere.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed this. I think I remember the juniors at Macy's.
I modeled at the Macy’s when it first opened. Then they opened a separate store for one of the products that was really popular called Multiples. Multiples opened its own store near the front main entrance. There was the Hyper Color Store, the Nature Company was cool, the Gap, Sam Goody, the potato place in the food court that was near the corn dog place, down a bit remember when they opened one store and they had Jolt ⚡️ like the first energy drink that come in a bag thing if you wanted like a capri sun. Blue Chip cookie was my biggest loss. I have wanted one of those cookies since the last day that store was opened… still crave it. The first floor had all the really expensive stores when it first opened that why none of us kids hung out down there and then because we always went in to sharper image and didn’t buy anything they put the age limit on. We walked around that place every weekend. We knew the security guards, the cops, all the kids from different towns that walked around Friday and Saturday night after school until it closed. Then we went to the movies and had our parents pick us up afterwards or somebody’s poor older sibling. I worked at both Footlocker and CVS when I was 16 during the summer one year.you did mention the elevator which I was disappointed when they took it out. And I remember the big singing bear around Christmas, because my best friend Stacie had gotten so frustrated with it she tried to say “that big bear bugs me” and it came out “that bunny bear bugs me.” I still make fun of her for that. How about CandyCo.??? Everyone loved that place it was there for a long time. Originally they wanted to make a mall that was exclusive like Short Hills and realized that we might not be poor, but we were Short Hills Status. The food court used to be way better than the upgrade. Now I was there to night. It was supposed to close at 9pm (which it always was open so much later when we were kids.I would say half the stores were closed by 8pm. I was like this sucks. I heard they want to make it into apartments for low income housing. 😢That would make me sad. I remember when it was all trees and my mom was part of the group fight to not put it there. If they turn it into housing I will be so disappointed. I lived here 45 years in Bridgewater and that would probably make me rethink staying. We don’t need more people here.Businesses yes, and on the properties that are already cleared. That’s why we are having all this bad flooding. They took too many of the trees down.😢
This brought back so many memories. We've been trying to think of the name of the bar that we believe was original to the mall when it opened. It would become a club on Thursday or Friday nights. I want to say it was by where McCormick and Schmicks eventually ended up but this bar was inside the mall. You could't access from outside. Do you remember?
No sorry I don't recall
One
The one
At the mural there used to be mirrors with led.lights i.forgot what they said
One bar
Great video. Nature company was amazing as was Sam goody and KB. The record store next to KB was alwik records and then maybe the wall? Remember ride in style???? What was the starter sports store across , on the top level???
A group of us are trying to remember the name of the Italian restaurant that was on the second level around 2001. Anyone remember it?
Any chance you remember or have photos of a store called Country Club International? Top floor nearish to the food court. This would have been early 2000’s.
Fast forward to 2023, 3/4 of the bottom level is empty. The mall really is starting to decline. Bridgewater Commons is my home mall. I was under 10 when it opened. Before Bloomingdale's there was Stern's. My parents bought me a watch from there for my HS graduation. I still have it. I worked at Bloomingdales when it opened and at Lord and Taylor. I miss that store. I believe two floors were used as a large community vaccination center during COVID and a community center. A robotics team uses one empty store now. I remember, working at Yankee Candle for the holidays one year, opening the store and having Cinnabon while I went through opening procedures. I think the only original restaurant still open in the food court is Sbarro. I was thinking about some of the original stores and where some of the ones still open were at one time. There was Chess King at one time, The Icing, KB Toys (with a tobacco store in that area too I think at one time), the CVS was a go-to when I was working there. The store with the pink door on the bottom floor was Riley Rose. I miss Brentano's and Borders across the way. I miss the original Disney store. Yes! I remember the Warner Bros. store! My brother and I loved that place! There are two new restaurants. One opened at the Village called Dig and a Brazilian steakhouse is going to be built too. Oh, and AMC theaters used to be General Cinemas! I used to really love going to this mall. I hardly go now. Maybe once every few months. It's just not the same.
The AMC was originally a General Cinema
I remember! I saw many movies there growing up
The crepes are excellent
I live in basking ridge, it’s pretty much the neighbouring town. I’ve been going here for as long as I can remember. Also, I tried the uncle Julios there, it’s really not that great. You’d be better off going to the chipotle at the plaza across.
Ever go to Quaker Bridge mall?
I have been there, but I didn't find it interesting enough to film. Maybe in the future
If you look at google there might be pics of the glass elevator there
I didn't see any there. I found a few on flickr
@@RayOutThere interesting…I did find some on google at one point but I forget what I searched up. I’d wanna see the Flickr ones tho!
Wow, that Uniqlo didn't last long. I thought it opened fairly recently? Sad to see Godiva chocolates close, too, but it seems that this is a nationwide thing. One of my favorite closed stores was the Marbles Brain Store, remember getting a lot of merchandise there, but that shut down before 2020. I also recall there being a McCormick and Schmick's on the first level before that chain went under. Is the Zumiez skateboard store still there?
Yeah, they need to find new tenants and soon if they want any chance of survival. Lord and Taylor is gone, and Bloomingdales and Macy's are dying. Perhaps they should invest in entertainment venues other than the AMC so that it can compete with other malls that do have them?
Uniqlo opened around 13-14. I thought it would have lasted longer though. I miss Marbles Brain store, they had fun games. Zumiez is still open. This mall puts a lot of effort in looking nice, which is important, but yeah, they really need some new stuff open soon if they want to survive.
My friend used to work at the Godiva in the early 2000s and used to bring us chocolates home all the time.
4:43 that store was called Riley rose
Thank you! I've been trying to figure that out!
@@RayOutThere no problem! I remember they had a little photo op area where you could take pics like with your friends
I love going to the mall it’s so sad to see some of them die off 🤧
It really is!
@@RayOutThere a lot of people blame online shopping but the problem is actually the location and the stores they put in them. I heard Tj Maxx is skilled at playing the retail game. Plus the prices are low
@@angelorange5522 That's absolutely true. Malls were in decline long before Amazon.
@@RayOutThere yup
And btw you’ve earned a new sub from me idk if you’re familiar with Dan Bell or the Abandoned series but if not I recommend those channels as well c:
@@angelorange5522 Thank you for subbing! I am a big Dan Bell fan, I've been watching his content for years
Didn't they have trees in the food court and what was that ice cream place called way in the back of the food court
I don't recall trees but the food court was much larger than it is now
The next major hit for Bridgewater Commons is Uniqlo closing next month, unfortunately. I think the mall will stick around but they will need some new tenants soon.
No! I shop there all the time! That's really bad for this mall. I was there a few nights ago and the Sisters mural was gone too.
@@RayOutThere It really sucks since that's one of their first stores in the US, but good thing the Menlo Park location is still around.
Trying to remember a mall I went to as a kid somewhere in NJ that was 3 or 4 floors with all kinds of crisscrossing walkways???
To the best of my knowledge, Bridgewater is the only mall with three floors in NJ, and there are none with four. But I could be wrong about that. Do you remember any other details of the mall, any stores or features? I want to help you figure this out.
@@RayOutThere Was so long ago but, I remember it was mostly painted beige and there were multiple catwalks crisscrossing at multiple angles and levels. It looked a lot like the Short Hills malls architecture and similar styling.
Maybe it wasn't a mall, but Terminal C of the Newark Airport?
Do you remember a woman committing suicide here back in the 90's? She jumped off the top floor by the food court.
Yes, I do remember hearing about that around the time that it happened
I can’t find any information or news reports about it. Do you have anything?
I got a picture with the animatronics
Very cool, I'd love to see it
They also had a pet store
Looks like a higher end mall? Do they have an Apple store?
Yes. This mall has aimed to be upscale since the 00's, but it is struggling nowadays.
What about fye?
It used to be The Wall, and then became FYE. It closed in the mid 00's
Hii.. I'm from India.. Is there is American Coin and gold company in this place??
Yes, top floor near bloomingdales.
@@RayOutThere Thank youu 💟
Where is CB Perkins??? I used to work there
That small shop under the escalator by Bloomingdales used to have a store front about 150 ft down on the left past cvs. They lost that space. Moved to the escalator. Then gone.
Holy crap. I should get my buddy on here. He was mail security for about 4 years from 2000-04
Irish cottage. Across from cvs. You did a great job with this but there was so much more there!!!! I spent more time then I’d like to admit walking that place
@@gimpsoup2614 Wow, the Irish Cottage store. I completely forgot about that place. That was a nice store.
I totally forgot about the Irish Cottage! It moved to near the entrance to the Macy's. That place stuck around longer than many others, I recall it being open around 2006-07
Primark has been taking some vacant L and T's.
My craziest memory of this mall is that two of my guy friends jumped off of one of the outside parking deck levels down to another level. No idea why they did that, the only excuse is being young and dumb! I used to work at the Stern's (now the Bloomingdale's is there) at this mall in 1999. My favorite store there back in the 90's was Contempo Casuals. One of my best friends worked at the Looney Tunes store.
I remember being young and doing stupid stunts like that lol. Thanks for the memories, I remember Stern's being there but not much else about it.
@@RayOutThere Stern's was a pretty standard department store. They went out of business. Bloomingdale's is much nicer.