With only about 200 locations of fashion-forward retailer H&M in the United States, the newest one will open in Toms River next month with an Ocean County Mall store.
An area next to Old Navy in the Ocean County Mall is being revamped for H&M, and representatives from owner Simon Property Group said the store should open in June.
According to H&M, the Swedish-based company has more than 2,300 locations around the world. That includes stores at the Freehold Raceway Mall and Monmouth Mall, and 10 other New Jersey locations.
H&M's opening, slated for mid-June, coincides with the reopening of a fully remodeled Old Navy in the JC Penney wing of the Ocean County Mall.
Peter Lembo, general manager for Ocean County Mall, in a press release announcing the addition of H&M, said the retailer further establishes the mall as a shopping center aligned with current trends.
“Ocean County Mall has been steadfast in its approach to bring in the most current and sought-after retail concepts to pique the interest of our loyal patrons,” said Peter Lembo, general manager for Ocean County Mall in a press release. “We are pleased to extend these latest offerings to our shoppers to enjoy during the upcoming summer season and beyond.”
The H&M store will offer 17,000 square-feet of the fast-fashion concept the retailer is known for; that is, showcasing fashions that highlight just-announced runway trends.
The retailer features a "broad array" of fashion lines for men, women, teenagers and children, according to Simon. H&M also carries footwear, accessories and its own brand of cosmetics.
The Ocean County Mall most recently added Famous Footwear to its roster of stores, and the addition of H&M means the line-up of retailers now includes everything from Gap to Coach to Sears and Forever 21, totalling more than 100 vendors or storefronts at the Toms River mall. However, the mall continues to have vacancies, such as the Friendly's and former spots, while outside the mall there are plans to add a .
The fully remodeled Old Navy, encompassing 16,000 square feet, is also expected to host a grand re-opening after its construction is complete this month. The store has been open throughout the remodel.
Even the big anchor stores like JCPenney and Sears (is Macy's still there?) offer nothing special, and are cramped and dingy. But shopping on line is like shopping in an international mall; it's easy to compare prices and quality -- and finding unique stuff is only a matter of having the imagination to seek it out. That's why I like Pier 1 Imports or Home Goods in Toms River if I'm going to shop a brick and mortar store. Although Pier 1 has also changed a lot in the last several yrs. They are much less about quirky (mostly inexpensive) imported decor and accents, and more about very expensive, larger furniture of questionable "import quality". The Ocean County Mall was a "dinosaur" about 5 yrs after it opened.
As for the food offerings, it is abysmal at best. Yes, they lost Benihana, El Chico, and Friendly's to conditions outside their control. But the food court should have been planned better, rather than an afterthought when it opened in 1996. 4 Stores with no seating, really? If the mall manager was smart, he would revamp a new food court in the old Benihana/El Chico area with 8 units and give people a real choice. You can pay $5 for a slice of pizza, get horrible Chinese food, or $10 salads at that Everything Yogurt place which is a mystery as to how it is still open- I never see anyone eating there.