I think it’s a move to leave before Wal-Mart opens up the SuperCenter in Somerdale this year.

Anyways, I could see the Voorhees Genuardi’s space being reutilized for some other retail. Maybe B&N?! I’d hope.

I just don’t see as many customers going in and out of Macy’s as they do Boscov’s. I tried Macy’s but they didn’t have as large a variety of menswear as Boscov’s did, plus the average prices were about $10.00 USD more. Of course this is based on my one experience IN Macy’s during a sale but several observations from the rest of the mall regarding customer volume. Every time I visit I have to excuse myself past whole groups heading towards Boscov’s (seriously, Boscov’s is my only destination store in the mall now, and since there’s one in Cherry Hill Mall I’m done). BTW, I love the candy counter on the first floor – my mom and sisters liked the fudge and it looks classy.

Maybe it’s the Macy’s end of the mall in general that’s just not attracting enough people to VTC? It seems that once you pass the (too-small) GameStop there’s practically nothing. Sure the vacancies are noticeable on the Boscov’s end, but the whole area is also very well-lit and attractive, has the restaurant/arcade and the Camden County Store and local interest shops/groups. But walk past the food court and toward Macy’s in the other direction and a shopper will notice the change in atmosphere: low lighting, everything’s claustrophobic, and dark areas with vacancies right across from Macy’s.

With that mental picture I now wish to ask you: which is more inviting, a cheery well-lit end of a struggling mall or a polished yet low-lit end were the vacancies are much more obvious?

I kind of like the quasi-retheming they’ve done with the quilts and the warm browns at Moorestown Mall. Putting quilts from the local hobby clubs is a good way to make the empty storefront look a little less barren. Of course, the best way would be to attract some new stores, which is what they should be doing. Cherry Hill’s doing fine, so PREIT should give Moorestown some more attention.

One more thing…if you look at other Macy’s in NJ (ex: Short Hills/Livingston, Woodbridge/Menlo, GSP/Paramus Park) that are within 5 miles of each other, they have sucessfully co-existed for, in at least 2 out 3 of the cases, for 15 years.

I don’t think the Moorestown Macy’s is going anywhere. The power centers around Moorestown Mall definitely help it, but I’d love to hear PREIT announce a revitalization of the mall….but I still love the fountains in the mall

Thanks for the update. I don’t get over there often and if I am in the area, the preferred mall is Cherry Hill.

I have noticed that Borders is not doing well. Outside of the northern Jersey Shore area (Freehold and Eatontown), Princeton, Bridgewater and Watchung, they are out of Central Jersey. When I’ve gone to the Freehold Raceway Mall store, which is attached to the mall, it hasn’t been as busy. All bookstores are hurting (notice they adjusted their hours), yet Borders is hurting more…their rollour of “Borders Rewards” was not very successful.

A Barnes and Noble in VTC, especially on the outdoor section, would be nice, but I don’t see it happening for at least a couple of years.

I’d think B&N, which is doing much better, could open another store in So. NJ, and go to Echelon side of Voorhees twp., but I’m thinking they’d pass on the mall itself and prefer being directly on White Horse Rd. if so, to have a store between the Camden Co. College area to the Cherry Hill East area. Ideally where the Genuardi’s and Target are located. I think the side of CH and Voorhees is affluent enough that it could support both that store and the Marlton store on 70, and it’d be on a road to the CC College. The other option is on 73 on the way to Berlin, but it maybe too close to the 70 store in Marlton.

Even though Borders has been generous by giving coupons to its members they’re just not doing well. The one in Marlton doesn’t look so active even though its across the Sagemore shopping center.

It’d probably won’t be until next summer and assuming the economy improves, that’ll we’ll fully see the end product of VTC was successful or not.

I also looked at the CooperTowne Shopping Center lease plan (the center in Somerdale that’s supposed to be anchored by Wal-Mart SuperCenter and has the cinemark theaters), and it once had Joyce Leslie as a potential candidate. I don’t see them on the lease plan anymore though. I’d could see JL leaving VTC for that center given the proximity.

FYI: VTC has lost the Borders Express three weeks ago thanks to the recession, and I just happened to be there on the very last night (by accident!). The salespeople had the middle and the back of the store cordoned off and were eating pizza and reminiscing while shoppers strolled in to basically grab items and pay pennies on the dollar. It was admittedly fun and I certainly will miss the convenience of stopping in on a whim when my sister wanted to ride the bus to the mall (she and her friends now hang out at Deptford Mall, I’ve chosen Cherry Hill for the Apple Store, Boscovs and the new yogurt stand in the food court).

To Mallguy: on the Somerdale Road side, there are NO visible changes except for a cardboard-like stylized “V” with “the Mall” displayed above the front entrance. They even kept the railroad-like light fixtures, some of them noticeably crooked. On the Echelon Road side the Abitare apartments/condos land space is almost full – looks like the last buildings for living spaces are beginning to be constructed. Still practically no stores along the new boulevard (still partially blocked as the progress for Abitare has slowed during 2009), and the attendance of the new salon school and Verizon store is hard to judge.

I rode NJT’s 451 bus (Camden to Lindenwold via Haddonfield/Cherry Hill East/Voorhees) last night, but it was snowing again and I didn’t want to miss my connection, so I didn’t enter the mall. I don’t think I wanted to – I didn’t want to see the empty space where Borders Express once stood.

Correct me if I’m wrong but I think two more stores have closed…?