Freehold Raceway Mall reveals new tenants for vacant Sears space

Several new retailers are joining the lineup at Freehold Raceway Mall, following the permanent closure of Sears in February 2020.

The Macerich Co., owner of the Route 9 shopping center, plans to redevelop the former department store space to include Dave & Buster's and a premier health club, according to a July 11 press release.

In June 2023, Macerich acquired five former Sears stores, including Freehold, from joint venture partner Seritage Growth Properties. In taking the remaining 50% interest of the boxes, the Santa Monica, Calif.-based regional mall and center owner said it wanted to refresh the Monmouth County space with “multiple, high-traffic-generating retail/entertainment/restaurant uses that are a great fit."

Now, Macerich is ready to reveal which tenants it plans to welcome to the empty space:

• Dave & Buster’s: Scheduled to launch next year in the lower level, the 41,000-square-foot venue will include over 100 arcade games, a new food menu and sports bar. Within New Jersey, the company also has spots in Blackwood, Woodbridge, Wayne and Atlantic City .



• Freehold Athletic Club: Set to open later this year, the gym, sports & health club will span 32,000 square feet of the former lower level. It will include a state-of-the-art gym, pickleball courts, diverse group classes, a dedicated yoga studio and a cryo room.

 

Other changes

According to Macerich, additional planned openings include:

• Lidl US: Known for fresh produce, meat, bakery items and an array of household products at low prices, the discount grocer plans to open near the mall’s Route 537 entrance . Within New Jersey, Lidl has nearly two dozen other locations. An anticipated opening date was not announced, but it follows a series of decisions by the chain in 2022 to close nearly a dozen underperforming locations across the U.S. , including two in New Jersey: Howell and Burlington Township.



• Dick’s House of Sport: Set to open next year in a former Lord & Taylor space, the 10,000-square-foot store will sell various sporting goods and offer experiences like golf bays, a climbing wall and a multi-sport cage. It will be the first Dick’s House of Sport location in New Jersey. Since launching the concept in 2021, the company has opened 14 Dick’s House of Sport stores nationwide.

 

About five years before Sears permanently closed at Freehold Raceway, the chain entered a lease agreement with Primark to open a standalone store in the upper level of its space.

Primark, a popular international value fashion retailer, remains open and is “performing well,” Macerich said.

However, the space’s other tenant, discount apparel seller Bob’s Stores, will soon close after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month. Freehold is Bob's only site in New Jersey.

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