When I write about vintage photographs, I often note how much things change. In the case of shops and stores in New Jersey, I think that as much as things have changed, they have stayed the same.
Naturally, before malls entered the retail landscape, shopping was a store-to-store exercise; folks visited specialty retailers for all their needs. For several years now, we have seen a resurgence in small specialty shops. In 2010, in fact, American Express launched Small Business Saturday. The idea is to get consumers through the doors of local businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
Shopping at a local merchant's store is a nice alternative to searching for a parking space in a mall on Black Friday, I'd say.
And, although it can't be denied that there are store vacancies in malls these days, many folks still consider the mall the "go to place" for their retail needs. The energy of the mall, with restaurants and rides for children, is unique.
Referred to with love as 'Garbage Mills' by everyone in Cumberland County.
We also have the freestanding stores such as Lowe's, Home Depot, Walmart, Target and Kohls to purchase the things we need in our lives. But, decades ago, we had stores such as Rickel, Grants and Two Guys. The names of the stores have changed, true, and most people are using payment methods other than cash, but it's still quite similar.
Shopping via computer has a permanent place in retail, that's for sure. But, I would submit that folks will never completely surrender the shopping experience for the online one.
And, as a nice little bit of trivia, here's what history.com has to say about the origin of the Black Friday tradition:
"Back in the 1950s, police in Philadelphia used the term to describe the chaos that ensued on the day after Thanksgiving, when hordes of suburban shoppers and tourists flooded into the city in advance of the big Army-Navy football game held on that Saturday every year.
"Not only would Philly cops not be able to take the day off, but they would have to work extra-long shifts dealing with the additional crowds and traffic."
Enjoy this collection of shops, stores and malls in New Jersey. And if you don't see your favorite, here are links to other galleries on the same topic.
Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.