From Cherry Hill, mall fever spread to Echelon, Moorestown, Deptford and, later, to Burlington Township, each anchored by two, sometimes three, major department store chains. In the past decade and a half, the malls also took a toll on aging, rundown shopping center-laden highways such as routes 130 and 38, and to a lesser extent, Route 70. For more than a century, the Jersey Shore offered another slice of retailing life unique to its location. While retailers on main streets in Wildwood, Ocean City and Atlantic City catered to year-round residents, those on the boardwalks tapped into the mindset of summer visitors. But even at the Shore, the trends throughout the rest of the state filter through.
Downtowns struggle to compete with mainland shopping.
Boardwalk merchants in Atlantic City and Wildwood seek new approaches to an old tradition. These centers, often built in close proximity to malls, also delivered another blow to the small, individual storekeeper who didn't have the buying power to match the prices or quantity of the big boxes. The development of the still-growing East Gate complex near the Moorestown Mall triggered a belated retail explosion throughout Burlington County, one which also traveled up the spine of the Route 541 corridor near the Burlington Center mall. Still, downtowns have not given up the fight. Small-town downtown merchants have changed their emphasis, stressing service and quaintness.