It's sad walking through Livingston Mall nowadays - especially if you've grown up in the area and were here when it was a thriving shopping center. It was always overshadowed by the nearby malls of Short Hills and Willowbrook - but it had what you needed and still could satisfy the needs of teens looking for a place to hang out and loiter. Right now, there are still a few business tenants there, but the premier anchor stores have been long gone - no more Lord & Taylor, no more Sears. Now it's just the Macy's and the Barnes & Nobles, so there isn't as much foot traffic as in the past. The escalators no longer run, and the building management has cut down the AC and lighting (I think in an effort to reduce operating costs). Most of the retail units are vacant, unleased. They no longer repair the potholes on the premises, so be careful driving around there (especially by Sears and Lord & Taylor sides). There are still some businesses there, and I hope that they will be able to sustain or be included in whatever redevelopment plans will be designed because I can't image the mall making it through the winter this year. read more

Livingston Mall - Vestige of past glory - Shopping Centers Near Me - Livingston, New Jersey

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I moved to the area in April, and every trip to the grocery store takes me past Livingston Mall. Curiosity eventually got the best of me. I stopped in to browse Barnes & Noble, hoping to leave with a new book. Instead, I found blocked-off sections, surprisingly sparse inventory, and the unmistakable feeling that the store was halfway through moving out. It was also the only business still open. The rest of the mall felt frozen in time. I briefly considered coming back to take photos of the dead mall scene (there's an entire internet subculture devoted to these places, after all). Then I started hearing about burst pipes, poor air quality, broken HVAC, and lights that weren't working. My curiosity has limits. The parking lot deserves an honorable mention. Potholes everywhere. Someone even reported a sinkhole, although I can't personally verify that one. The mall has since closed to the public, and the latest rumor is that it'll eventually be demolished and replaced with apartments. We'll see. Pros: * Barnes & Noble was still hanging on when I visited. * Plenty of parking. (When there are no stores, this becomes less impressive.) Cons: * Everything else. I have to give Livingston Mall two stars instead of four or five. Not because it was always a bad mall--but because I happened to meet it during its final chapter. read more

Not that I'm in the habit of writing about large shopping malls, which are obviously in a state of perilous decline and have been for years, but I've been wanting to write about this particular mall for a long time because it (and a few others) did play a significant enough part during some of my formative years into at least a part of my adulthood. Outside of my subjective experiences, let's face it-- malls were once a mainstay of the American economy and culture. They were ubiquitous. Not anymore. Like the notorious Deuce of 1970s/80s Times Square in NYC, they now belong to another era. They're a relic of the past. My 1st experience in writing about malls on Yelp concerned the Phillipsburg Mall, which I visited only once. At that point, I hadn't been to any kind of mall other than a strip or mini mall in years, and it was a genuine shock. I knew that Amazon had altered the shopping landscape forever but until that visit to Phillipsburg, I had had no idea how profound that alteration was. The Phillipsburg Mall was eerie and downright spooky, with empty stores and a few lost souls (like me) wandering about in the dim lighting and the abundant shadows. I also wrote about the former Morris County Mall in Cedar Knolls, where I had a long history. That review was removed at the behest of Planet Fitness, which had opened a facility at that "ghost mall" and I guess felt that potential "gym rats" might be scared away by my 2 or 3 paragraphs of perceived negativity (I thought the review was more bittersweet and sad than actually negative, but...never mind...let it go, Ed...). Still, I've been hesitant since then in writing about any malls, as it's almost a given that the review isn't going to be positive. When my family moved to Bernardsville in the 1970s, the Livingston Mall was the 1 we generally came to in order to shop (as well as the Morris County Mall). I remember that there was a Sears on 1 end (my parents were always fans of Sears), a Walden bookstore (which I was a regular at) and a Hong Kong shop, which sold rolling papers, weed paraphernalia, and copies of High Times magazine (weed was never my drug of choice, so this place had limited interest for me). My father still drove me to the Sam Goody's at Willowbrook for my records, so I can't remember whether Livingston had a record store, or food courts, or whatever. Years later, I worked in nearby Florham Park, and on my lunch break, I'd sometimes drive over to the Barnes & Noble (Walden's long gone by then). Ten minutes to drive over, 10 minutes in the store, and 10 minutes back. It was something to do. Once I left that job at Florham Park, however, I never really ventured over here. I came yesterday to the mall for the purpose of wandering, for the 1st time in years, maybe decades, through its halls, seeing what remained open, what had closed. I must admit to feeling unsettled that the entire mall, pretty much, has shut down and locked up tight. The Macy's that was at 1 end of the mall is a forlorn structural shell. Weeds and grass grow in wild abundance everywhere. At the other end, the Sears sign still hangs outside of what has become a monolith of sterile tan stone. All of the buildings are like forgotten tombs, crumbling mausoleums, a monument perhaps to lost dreams and increasingly dim memories. I got out of my car and made my way uneasily around. Doors to the mall are securely locked. A few empty cups litter the sidewalk, a coat hanger. Situated incongruously in 1 section of the vast ravaged emptiness of the parking lot is a green book donation kiosk. Elsewhere, there are signs testifying to what once was. A Lord & Taylor sign. One for Lane Bryant. A sign for "Exotic Nails." A sign that reads "Today's Deals/Steals!" Another that reads, "Your Restaurant Belongs Here. For leasing opportunities, including a NJ liquor license, contact..." A name is given but the phone nbr underneath is emphatically crossed out in the darkest black. This isn't a "ghost mall." This is a "dead mall." With 1 exception. The Barnes & Noble is still hanging on. Underneath the name of the store is a banner that reads, "Still Open." There were a few cars parked in front of it. I ventured inside. Portions of the store have been closed, blocked off, and the stock available definitely has diminished. How long can they hang on? I don't know. Until whatever contract they've signed for space runs out? I don't know. I once wrote a less than complimentary review of them, which I'll have to update, but I really hope they can make it. I hate to see any brick-and-mortar store close its doors, especially a brick and- mortar store that sells books. My favorite Barnes & Noble store in Paramus has closed, and while the Livingston store location isn't close to what the Paramus 1 once was--- I genuinely wish them well. It's the reason why I've given this review 2 stars instead of just 1. The mall itself is dead and gone. But Barnes & Noble is still hanging on. Good luck to them. read more

Well Now the Mall has closed, but before than the mall was totally empty. When I went to this mall I saw a B&N that looked sad with no selection. Same thing with the Macy's which was at the time closing. read more

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Livingston Mall is in a lot of trouble. To start, we entered the parking lot on the Barnes & Noble side of the mall, and the pavement there is still in good condition. The Barnes & Noble is a solid store and with Macy's are the only remaining anchor stores. When we entered the malls concourse...its was cold and clearly the mall was unheated. This is not a surprise as the mall is now owned (this is complicated) by the Kohan Retail Investment Group, a known slum lord. The interior is a nicely designed two-story mall, and that's about the end of the good points. Since my previous visit, many stores have left the interior, and some still have their signage up. The 1st floor by the Macy's is the only part of the mall with a decent number of stores. The center court elevator was broken, but both sets of escalators remained functional. The TVs in the mall were all shut off or malfunctioning. At the one escalator bank there is clear signs that major repairs had been made to the ceiling many times. The food court is down to two stalls, being Popeye's and an Asian place. Even Auntie Anne's is gone. The only reason left to shop in the interior of Livingston Mall are the several toys and collectables shops. There's a good variety of different items in each. Fixing/Redeveloping Livingston Mall will also be complicated due to the ownership situation, with Kohan, Macy's, Transformco (ex-Sears), and the former Lord & Taylor owner all controlling portions of the property. After seeing the mall in person again, will Livingston Mall be here in a year? Questionable at best. Doing anything with the site will be complicated, and even if the mall closes, the Livingston Mall site could remain in limbo for some time. read more

I visited Livingston Mall early on a Saturday morning, and unfortunately, about 90% of the stores were closed because there was no air conditioning. It was too hot to stay for long, though Macy's seemed to have its own functioning air conditioning. A few stores were open, but you have to feel for the workers dealing with the sweltering heat. Definitely not the best experience if you're looking for a comfortable shopping trip. read more

Livingston Mall - Shopping Centers Near Me - Livingston, New Jersey

I decided to go to the Livingston Mall because I wanted to shop at Macy's. It's a sad state of affairs at the mall. Many shops are closed, the air conditioning didn't seem to be working (at least not very well). The mall elevator was out of service, and the escalators (at least at one end) were also not working. Macy's escalators were not working, so the only way up or down was the elevator in Macy's. There are only three restaurants left in the food court - most have closed. This mall isn't going to make it to the holidays. There is nothing left, and it's clear they have stopped the upkeep. read more

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It is, still, astounding to see the pandemic's ongoing impact on shopping malls. Okay, let's be honest, maybe Livingston Mall wasn't at its most popular stage prior to the shutdown. However, this was one of my favorite places to go with my family as a child and teenager. When I think of this mall, each time I pass by, it fills me with nostalgia and smiles. Now, it's barely hanging on, but it's there. And oddly enough, I still love it BECAUSE it's practically empty these days lol. Not good for the mall, I know - but, good for my need for space and not wanting to always be around droves of people at the mall. If they have anything you need, it's still the place to go. I'll be sad to see it go, if/when that day comes. read more

This mall is very spooky. At least 90% of the lots are vacant and the ceiling lights flicker nonstop as if it was a mall in some old horror movie. The parking lot is the bumpiest terrain I've ever had the misfortune of driving through scattered with potholes and cracked pavement which will jar you and your car severely. Make sure you drive slowly because it could take out your wheels and tires if you're not careful. The stores that do remain in the mall are quirky and unique. There is an antique/memorabilia store which has some very interesting sports stuff. I'm sure this mall was the place to be 30 years ago during the mall heydays. I wouldn't go back there unless I wanted to get something like ab autographed Mike Tyson belt or something else like that at the antique shop though since there are better malls in NJ such as The Mall at Short Hills, Bridgewater Commons, Menlo Park Mall, and Rockaway Town Square within a 50 mile radius. read more

I see less and less stores now. I see only 3 places open for dining as well. I don't know if this mall will be still around in couple more years. So sad, I been coming here for years and now more than half of the store either closed down or vacant. Used to be Dunkin& Donuts here, but no longer around. read more

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No clue how this mall is still open. Many big name stores have left. The big name stores that remain don't have much inventory. The smaller stores sell very niche items. If you're looking to run to the mall to get anything specific really quick, in an emergency...go to a different mall! Automated doors don't work,l. Cigarette smell in some areas. read more

Nothing going on here. Many stores out of business or not open. It's almost spooky to walk around. read more

Livingston Mall - Shopping Centers Near Me - Livingston, New Jersey

Super hot inside, there's no air conditioning. Half of stores are out of business. Couldn't believe my eyes, after visiting this place 40 years read more

Services were very good. People didn't have to go to Short Hills may to shop there were very good selections, Sears had the car repair center to say the least. Lord&Taylor were still envy of the towns around Quality of their sales were very good n compare with New York markets. Most people usually go to NY to shop until now that Livingston mall appears closing read more

This is by far one of my favorite malls to go to. It has almost everything; Sports stores, clothing stores, jewelry stores, toy stores, a food court, a consignment shop, and the best part is that all the employees of these stores are friendly. Lots of parking obviously and the hours are great! read more

July 30, 2023 @12:15A (ET) This mall is on the fringe of being a dead mall. The A/C was for the most part off, public restroom near the food court was decent but several sinks and soap dispensers are not working. Many stores had inventory but were not open. Anchor stores Lord and Taylor and Sears have long gone from this mall. Barnes and Noble is literally right next to the mall and somehow survives? What you have are a handful of store such as Pink, 2 eyeglass store, Old Navy, etc. there are very few kiosks merchants as well (1 to my recollection). Food court still exists, Japanese, Popeyes, Aunt Annie pretzel, and Chinese. Burger King use to be there and now gone. I did notice a hockey, personal training, seemed to have popped into the mall. Bet steep discount on the rent making for a mom n pop business somewhat attractive. Open when one wants for their clients and parking is not an issue. read more

Very terrible mall. It is rundown, they have barely any anchor stores, and they have no restaurants. The food court is garbage. The stores in the mall were very weird. read more