this story was last updated in November 2022.
Fast Facts
- Opened in 1973
- Located in Vineland, New Jersey (Cumberland County)
- Developer: Rubin Organization
- Owner: Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust
- Number of Floors: 1
- Website
Anchors
Bradlees
1973 — circa 2001
Gaudio’s
1973 — ?
Wilmington Dry Goods
1973–1989
JCPenney (former Gaudio’s)
? — 2015
Value City (former Wilmington Dry Goods)
1989 — 2008
Boscov’s
1997 — present
Marshall’s (former Bradlees)
circa 2001/2002 — present
Burlington (former Value City)
2009–2021
Dick’s Sporting Goods (former JCPenney)
2016 — present
Power Warehouse (former Burlington)
2021-present
Sitting off Route 47 in Vineland, NJ is a quiet little mall that has been through a lot.
Cumberland Mall opened in October of 1973 and was developed by The Rubin Organization. The three original anchors were Bradlees, Guadios and Wilmington Dry Foods. A Pathmark (supermarket) was located outside next to Wilmington Dry Foods.
The mall was a popular local spot for people living in and around Cumberland County and the most southern portion of South Jersey. Cumberland never had to deal with much competition since the closest malls were over 25 miles away.
The 1980s
Through the 1980s, a few changes happened. Wilmington Dry Foods went out of business and became Value City, Guadio’s closed and became JCPenney and the Pathmark outside became a Toys R Us.
The 1990s
The owners also planned to add an additional 100,000 square feet to the mall, but the funding fell through. Even with the addition of the replacement anchors and new stores, the mall began declining in the 1990s and occupancy fell.
In 1997, the mall owners put in a new revitalization plan. Boscov’s opened as the fourth anchor, the roof and flooring were replaced, along with new lightning and indoor trees and plants.
The 2000s
The mall expanded with more parking and additional retail space. Home Depot, Regal Cinema, Best Buy and BJ’s were added in the surrounding area of the mall.
After the new millennium began, Cumberland Mall saw additional closures. Bradless filed for bankruptcy and closed. The building was divided into three separate stores, Marshalls (connected to the mall), Michael’s, and Bed, Bath & Beyond (closed in 2018).
In 2008, Value City went out of business and was replaced by Burlington Coat Factory in 2009.
The 2010s
In 2015, JCPenney closed and was replaced by Dick’s Sporting Goods.
In 2018, Toys R Us liquidated and closed. A portion of the building is now used by Petco.
The 2020s
As of 2020, the mall continues to operate with about 89% occupancy.
PREIT, current owner of the mall, pays over $2 million annually in taxes and makes only $389 in sales per square foot. It is one of the weakest malls in the PREIT portfolio, ranking 16 out of 18.
CHECK OUT this tour of the mall from August 2020
In late 2020, Littman Jewelers decided to close its store after 22 years of business in the mall.
Early 2021 — Burlington [Coat Factory], who has been operating at the mall since 2009, went out of business. This spot was formerly occupied by Value City. Next door, the former Toys R Us also remains vacant.
May 2021 — HomeGoods announced it would be opening a new store in the former Bed, Bath & Beyond on the outside of the mall between Starbucks and Michael’s. Also announced, a fulfillment center will take over the former Burlington space.
February 2022 — HomeGoods will open in March in the former Bed, Bath and Beyond space.
In 2022, Black-owned businesses have popped up at the mall and have seen a boom, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Chris Newsome began selling fuzzy socks at a kiosk but now owns a storefront. He also opened a second store at the Deptford Mall.
“‘We’ve made it clear that Black businesses deserve an opportunity to enjoy the prosperity that this country has,” Harmon said. “The numbers indicate that that has not happened in an appreciable way.’”
November 2022 — PREIT sold the mall to Kohan Retail Investment Group for $45 million. Kohan is an investment company that specializes in buying dying malls.
PREIT has been struggling since the COVID pandemic and has done a few transactions with their properties in 2022. They sold a 25% share in the Gloucester Premium Outlets and sold land at the Moorestown Mall for new apartments, a medical center, and a liquor store.
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