Ocean County Mall - History

History

In the 1970s, the Toms River area, although growing quickly, was still relatively rural. The closest malls were the Monmouth Mall in Eatontown, and the Shore Mall in Egg Harbor. With the growing need for an enclosed mall, the mall was originally planned to be at the intersection of Route 37 and the Garden State Parkway. However, the mall opened in 1976 at its current location at Hooper Avenue and Bay Avenue, with 3 anchors and a cinema.

In 1991, a small expansion was built which included a Stern's, which relocated from the Seaview Square Mall. When the chain went out of business, it was turned into Boscov's. Around the same time, the General Cinema quietly closed down due to competition from the AMC-Loews across the street at Seacourt Pavilion. The Cinema's main mall entrance near Applebee's was sealed off for years, while the small side hallway near Sears remained locked and dark. In 2009, Benihana opened in the vacant space.

In 2003, the mall received a complete renovation, which added new signage, flooring, lighting, seating areas, and lighting in the parking lot. The renovation was partially sponsored by the Deborah Heart and Lung Center, which donated seating & lounge areas, in part to encourage mall walking. To accommodate, there is a stretch of discolored tile around the perimeter of the mall with numbers engraved marking walking distance. Also, Starbucks and Auntie Annes open at 8:30 am (10:00 on Sundays) to cater to the mall walkers who arrive before the rest of the mall opens.