Bridgewater Commons facts for kids
Southern side of Bridgewater Commons
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| Location | Bridgewater, New Jersey |
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| Coordinates | 40°35′11″N 74°37′06″W / 40.586492°N 74.618415°W |
| Address | 400 Commons Way |
| Opening date | February 26, 1988 |
| Developer | The Hahn Company |
| Management | Trademark Property Company |
| Owner | JPMorgan Asset Management |
| No. of stores and services | 170 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 3 |
| Total retail floor area | 970,000 sq ft (90,000 m2) |
| No. of floors | 3 (2 in Bloomingdale's) |
| Parking | Parking lot and 3-story parking garage east of AMC |
| Public transit access |   NJ Transit bus: 65, 114 |
Bridgewater Commons is a large indoor shopping mall in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey. It's easy to find, located where Route 22 meets Route 202/206, and close to I-287. The mall first opened its doors on February 26, 1988. It's a very big place, covering about 900,000 square feet. Today, JPMorgan Asset Management owns Bridgewater Commons.
In 2005 and 2006, the mall got even bigger. They added a new outdoor area called "The Village at Bridgewater Commons." This part has stores like Crate & Barrel and restaurants like Maggiano's Little Italy. Overall, the mall and The Village have about 170 stores and places to eat.
The main big stores, called anchor stores, are Bloomingdale's, Macy's, and AMC Dine-In Theatres. Lord & Taylor used to be an anchor store but closed in 2021.
Places to Eat and Have Fun
Bridgewater Commons has many choices for food and entertainment. The Food Court was updated in 2008 with new lights, floors, and seating. It's a great spot to grab a quick meal.
Besides the Food Court, you can find other restaurants throughout the mall. There's also a movie theater, AMC Dine-In Theatres, where you can watch movies and eat at the same time.
How Bridgewater Commons Started
Back in the 1960s, some land in Bridgewater was put together to create a large area. In 1985, Bridgewater Township made a deal with The Hahn Company, a company that builds malls. Later, The Prudential also joined the project.
Bridgewater Commons officially opened in February 1988. Some of the first big stores were Macy's, Hahnes, and Sterns. A special event happened on June 18, 1988, when a Disney Store opened. This was the very first Disney Store outside of California!
Over the years, some stores changed. In 1989, Hahnes became Lord & Taylor. Then, in 2002, Sterns changed into Bloomingdale's. The mall also grew to include two tall office buildings and a hotel. These buildings now house offices for companies like Sanofi-Aventis.
Since it opened, the mall has offered a "HealthHike" mall walking program with Somerset Medical Center. This lets people walk inside the mall in a safe, climate-controlled space, especially useful when the weather is bad. They even have monthly meetings to talk about health topics.
The mall also celebrates holidays. Every year, you can find a Christmas display and take photos with Santa Claus. Around Easter time, there's a chance to take pictures with the Easter Bunny.
In 1993, Bridgewater Commons was one of the first malls in New Jersey to ban smoking inside. This helped make the air cleaner and healthier for everyone.
The mall had a big makeover in 2005 and 2006. The Food Court was temporarily closed for updates. They also added two new elevators. In 2006, they added "The Village at Bridgewater Commons," which is a separate outdoor shopping area with more stores and restaurants.
The original Disney Store closed in 2008 after 22 years. But good news! A new Disney Store reopened on August 13, 2016. In August 2010, The Cheesecake Factory also opened its doors at the mall.
Bridgewater Commons is a very popular spot in the area. It brings many shoppers and new residents to Bridgewater Township. You might often see students from Immaculata High School or Somerville High School visiting the mall after school because it's so close by.
In January 2019, McCormick & Schmick's restaurant closed. About a year later, in February 2020, Uncle Julio’s opened its first New Jersey location in that same spot. In November 2019, JPMorgan Asset Management bought the mall.
A new hotel, AC Hotels by Marriott, opened near the mall on January 31, 2020. It also has a rooftop restaurant called The Bradford.
On August 27, 2020, it was announced that Lord & Taylor would close all its stores, including the one at Bridgewater Commons. The store officially closed on February 23, 2021.
