The Bergen Mall

Hello! I am the Bergen Mall in Paramus, New Jersey. I am much more than an old shopping center.... I am a loved and venerable staple of Bergen County who has stood the test of time, serving generations of North Jerseyans in my comfortable, low-key and down-to-earth spaces. In contrast to the gaudy mega-malls of the 2000's, I have earned my loyal clientele by providing something that is refreshingly different: a homey, nostalgic and comfortable atmosphere. I was one of the first large shopping centers in the United States, and I opened to much pomp and fanfare. I was such a big deal that The "Today Show" broadcast live from the opening festivities! I was originally built as an outdoor pedestrian mall in 1958, but was later enclosed during a 1973 remodel, during the ownership of Alstores Realty, Inc. Because I had been the epicenter of the Paramus community (and for that matter Bergen County) while able to accomodate big crowds, J.F.K made an appearance at the Bergen Mall in 1960, and L.B.J. in 1964. Harry Truman went to see his daughter in a play at the mall in 1960! You may not be able to tell, but up until the early 1980's I boasted more entertainment and ambiance than most contemporary malls offer today. I had a popular bowling alley where big pro-tour tournaments were held, and an ice-skating rink. I had a cinema which featured foreign, cult and independent films, and a live performing arts center, with seating for several hundred. Many names from Hollywood's roster of royalty performed in lavish productions within my walls. Stern's Department Store had a very elegant eatery called the Skyline Restaurant for after show dining, and the shops benefited from the theater traffic as well. In addition to Stern's top-floor Skyline Restaurant was the more casual "sidewalk-cafe" type eatery next to their entrance within the mall (adjacent to the fountains...we will talk about the sensational fountains in a minute)! Then there was Wolfie's, one of my longest lived and most popular eateries. This delicatessen had decor consisting of terazzo floors with brass inlaid fleur-de-lis, limed-wormwood wall paneling and other expensive materials lavishly used throughout. Wolfie's was such a draw, that entering patrons would be contained between wrought iron banister type railings with a small gate at the end, which they could pass through to be seated when their table was ready. If you got thirsty, drink could be had at "Tavern on the Mall"; a pub and eatery with dancing and lively entertainment every evening. "Kiddieland", a collection of amusement park type rides were replaced during the 1973 remodel with the Village Square, a Colonial era inspired pedestrian mall with 60 specialty shops offering high-end and affordable antiques/collectibles, crafts stores, hobby shops, and a little snack-bar selling crepes and espresso from a $6000 machine (1973 dollars) in the middle of it all. (***PLEASE SEE VERY THOROUGH 1975 ARTICLE ABOUT VILLAGE SQUARE MALL, INCLUDING EXTENSIVE BERGEN MALL FACTOIDS IN MY PHOTOS SECTION!!) The colonial-revival decor was very "in" during this era, especially with the impending 1976 bicentennial. (Much of what was built in North Jersey in the early to mid-1970's had an early-American feel: banks, pharmacies, strip-malls, luncheonettes, gas-stations and of course the Village Square)! I served as the de facto "Main St." for local communities that lacked one. While shopping at the Bergen Mall, you could have your car serviced at the full service garage located in the lower parking lot. You could stop in for a "quick pray" at the chapel, a hair-cut at the beauty parlor, or book a cruise at the travel agent in my lower mezzanine. You could also pick up a few items for dinner while you were at it, at my supermarket, or sundries at J.J. Newburys. Then there were the movies, bowling, ice-skating, and theater. I had everything. My main level lobbies used to be filled with futuristic-space age molded fiberglass seating; giant flying-saucer shaped planters, each containing an actual tree with recesses for seating around the perimeter. These were very "Jetson'sesque". Ashtrays were plentiful throughout the mall, and shoppers of the 70's and 80's walked around freely puffing away to their hearts' content. In later years smokers were relegated to a smoking area around my central fountain, but that ended soon thereafter, and then the management callously demolished the vintage fountain altogether. This fountain had originally been what was called a "fountain garden", a cluster of water jets that formed big dandelion shaped sprays, that were back-lit with colored lighting. The effect was mesmerizing. Like my fountain, other special features of the have been neglected and slowly eliminated over the years, so younger visitors have no real way of knowing how nice I used to be. I am sadly just a shadow of my former self. But I still offer a refreshing retreat from modern shopping malls, and my loyal fans think I still have a place in society! Instead of modernizing me, I am hoping (surely in vain) that my owners would restore me to my former glory! Put back my fountains, and retro-futuristic furniture! Entice new businesses to the Village Square! Bring back the bowling and theaters!! Give incentives to new businesses to increase occupancy. I know I make my loyal customers feel very much at home, and there is nowhere else like me!! It would REALLY be nice if a vintage mall like me were allowed to coexist with everything else that has already been redeveloped and modernized (read: homogenized) in Bergen County. I am very much an important part of Bergen County history, and my potential to be a landmark of NATIONAL significance should be considered, as I symbolize the optimism, suburbinization and explosion of consumerism in the 1950's and 60's. Loving restoration/rehabilitation versus dramatic redevelopment should be seriously considered before another unique historic surviving treasure is forever lost!!! (Incidentally, Bergen Mall's new owners plan to conduct a major demolition and redevelopment of the property, so my days sadly appear numbered) :( :( :( ************************************************************ ****************UPDATE !!! JANUARY 28, 2008 --- IT IS ALL OVER. Since I started this online tribute to the Bergen Mall, and attempted to draw attention to the remarkable state of preservation of its 1957 - 1973 decor, much has happened. The attention this page has received reached its zenith with no less than two reporters calling me for interviews, one of which resulted in a front page article in the Bergen Record. I also got to meet other Bergen Mall enthusiasts as a result of this online network, and that has been particularly rewarding. I also feel satisfied that in some way, the mall's glory days will live on, through the photos here, and stories of other fans. HOWEVER, the real tragedy cannot be ignored. A wonderful piece of history, that had so much potential to be a unique shopping experience and tourist attraction, is now becoming nothing more than your standard bland big-box retail complex. First to go was the retro-futuristic 'Fountain Garden", and then down came the Jetson's inspired supermarket, followed by the Village Square Mall -- a quaint colonial shopping complex that was once home to a thriving community of antiques dealers (...that is, until management foolishly kicked them all out in a failed attempt to create a food-court). Now the last, and most saddening of all.... the hundreds of vintage hanging lighting fixtures are gone. Every last one. And that to me signifies the end. Thank you all for your appreciation of this once fabulous place. Sincerely, Jordan (aka the Bergen Mall) ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ---LBJ's SPEECH AT THE BERGEN MALL, OCTOBER 14, 1964:Governor Hughes, Senator Williams, Daniel Amster, ladies and gentlemen, and distinguished guests:In the past week I have visited 15 States. I have seen more than 2 million people. In New England and the West, in the Midwest and the South, the story has been the same all across this land.The American people are coming out of their living rooms, they are leaving their offices. They are turning away from work and play. They are coming together to stand together, side by side, as Americans have seldom done in our times. They are coming out as never before because they want the world to know that this is a nation united, one nation indivisible, under God.For 11 months I have guided my every act by this one belief, that any man who serves as President must serve as President of all the people. Americans do not want the White House to be a house where some citizens are privileged to enter and others are turned away at the door because they were born "wrong," because they believe "wrong," or even because they voted "wrong."I have found that the vast majority of Americans want to help their President, not hurt him. I have had greater strength than my own on which to call, from business and from labor, from west and from east, from the conservatives, from the liberals, from the Republicans, and from the Democrats.From that I learned much about the American people.I believe they are weary of those who preach that America is failing in the world and faltering at home. The people are tired of being told that their character is in question, that their moral fiber is riddled with "rot and decay."The American people want leadership which believes in them, not leadership which berates them.This year, good Americans of both parties are determined to put their country first. They intend to vote to preserve the traditions of our country.But other traditions are at stake, too--a two-party system, for example. That system is not in danger when the leaders of both parties represent those common principles and those broad agreements that have developed down through our history.The two-party system dangles by a slim thread when the faction that controls one party wants to repudiate the policies that have built our progress step by step over 30 years.I do not believe that responsible Republicans are going to let control of their party rest for very long with men who want to repeal the present and veto the future. History tells us that once such a faction seals its control of a major party, the fate of that party is also sealed.The Republican Party today, now, is in temporary receivership. Responsible Republicans can't do anything about it.But they will have a chance on November 3d to do something about it, and they are going to do it November 3d. And I am here this morning after traveling all over the United States to tell you that all the American people are going to do something about it.I want to thank the people of this area for the support they have given me in sending that wonderful Senator to Washington-Pete Williams. I hope that you can send us Eddie Ihnen and Henry Helstoski to Congress to help him out.Come next January, we are going to meet in the Capital and have a program for all the people of this Nation, not just Democrats, not just Republicans, not just Independents, but a program of peace and prosperity for all Americans in all regions of all this great land of ours.We have the most wonderful country in all the world. We want to protect it. We want to preserve it. The way to do it is to go to the polls November 3d and give us a Democratic victory.Note: The President spoke at 10:30 a.m. at the Mall Shopping Center in Bergen, N.J. His opening words referred to Governor Richard J. Hughes and Senator Harrison A. (Pete) Williams, Jr., of New Jersey, and Daniel Amster, chairman of the Bergen County Democratic Committee. Later he referred to Edward H. Ihnen and Henry Helstoski, Democratic candidates for Representative. ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------More interesting reading on the subject: http://www.labelscar.com/category/new-jersey/ AND ANOTHER: http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnF lZUVFeXk3JmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2NjA2MTE3http://www.northjersey.com/education/The_Wave_finds_safe_har bor.html UPDATE 3/1/07: I received a very well written piece of mail today from one of my fans that reiterates what many people are saying about the planned demolition of the Bergen Mall. (Demolition is the only accurate word for what the developers prefer to call "redevelopment" or "renovation"). I'd like to share it with you: "Thanks so very much for the speedy reply to my query concerning BERGEN MALL. Although I have never been anywhere near the center, I am VERY disheartened to hear of Vornado's plans to redevelop it as a Town Center (I dont even like the sound of this rename job).You were right on the money about your idea to RENOVATE the center to its original -circa-1957- glory. From your description (and those of other friends of the mall), it is quite obvious that it was something of a mid-century modern (googie) masterpiece (with a lot of the original design elements still intact, I might add). Why, oh why cant someone (such as Vornado) get off this TIRED bandwagon to revamp such places into -yet-ANOTHER post-millennium-mediocre-design power center.Being as how the region surrounding BERGEN MALL has (probably) the highest concentration of retail installations in the United States......there already must be several contemporary (to 2007) shopping centers/power centers/lifestyle centers in the area. I dont see how Vornado expects to succeed here.....building ANOTHER one (out of the rubble of BERGEN MALL).They could -pray tell- (IF anyone in that organization had ANY creativity OR originality what-so-ever) restore BERGEN as a mid-century modern renovation...an historic structure REBORN. If they did it right, they could capitalize on media coverage of such a new and inventive concept. Maybe the Today Show could even revisit the place upon its second grand opening...hee hee.Of course, I am dreaming here. *They* (Vornado) probably have no desire to put any brain power (or extra work) into anything pioneering......they just want a quick turnaround of a real estate investment...and do not want to go out on a limb trying anything novel."WELL PUT! Thanks for your accurate summary of this terrible plan to ruin the Bergen Mall!!