Rockaway Townsquare

The mall first opened on Labor Day Weekend of 1977. It was built on top of a wetland, which was not protected in New Jersey until 1988 with the passage of the New Jersey Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act, and the former Dover city landfill. A time capsule was enclosed in the interior of the mall, marked with a plaque. The contents were unveiled on August 22, 2000.[2]

Upon opening, the mall contained five large sculptures by Rita Blitt.[3] Most were located on the first floor and reached up through openings to the second. A twenty-foot stainless steel and brass American flag hung from the ceiling.[4] The silhouette of one of these sculptures, the yellow Stablitt 55, became the mall's original logo. Although the other sculptures have been removed, Stablitt 55 still stands outside the mall, on the corner near the three-store strip at the entrance off the main road.

Major stores that have since closed include: Bamberger's which was in the location currently occupied by Macy's (it was converted along with the other Bamberger's stores to the Macy's nameplate in 1986), Hahne's which was in the location currently occupied by Lord & Taylor (converted to the L&T nameplate in 1988), Child World, which was occupied by Kids "R" Us after Child World went out of business in 1992, though was occupied by Office Depot after the majority of standalone KRU locations closed in 2003. (Office Depot has since closed as well; this space has since been converted to DSW, relocated from the existing Marketplace at Rockaway location), Acme Markets, which is currently occupied by Nordstrom Rack, and Party Fair, which is currently occupied by Five Below, moving it from the shopping plaza where Target Co is. The old location is currently occupied by Orange Theory Fitness.

AMC Theatres had screens 1–6 in the location currently occupied by Forever 21 (previously FYE and Record Town) located inside the mall, as well as screens 7–12 in the location currently occupied by Best Buy in one of the strip malls located on the perimeter road. The 1–6 screens closed in 1998 and the 7–12 screens in 2002. When the theaters originally expanded from 6 screens to 12 in February 1981, it became the first 12-screen multiplex in America.[5]

On August 25, 2009, a small plane crash-landed in the parking lot. The only injury was the pilot, who walked away and was treated.[6]

In 2016, Sears subleased part of the lower level to Raymour & Flanigan.[7] The store later closed on September 13, 2020 as part of a plan to close 28 stores nationwide. [8] On January 8, 2021, a COVID-19 vaccination center opened in the former Sears building.[9]

On December 15 2017, The Cheesecake Factory opened at Rockaway Townsquare.[10]

Between January 2019 and Fall 2019, the food court was renovated.[11]

On August 20, 2020, it was announced that Lord & Taylor would be closing as part of a plan to close 24 stores but then one week later on August 27, 2020, the company announced all stores nationwide would shutter. This store closed on December 29, 2020, leaving JCPenney and Macy's as the only traditional anchors left.[12]

On January 8, 2021, a COVID-19 vaccination mega-site began operating in the vacant Sears. The center can vaccinate up to 2,400 people a day.[13]

The mall has undergone several expansions since it opened. These include a strip mall in the southeast corner of the property, and a Hilton Garden Inn. The Shops at Rockaway Mall, a strip mall, opened in the corner near Interstate 80. Rockaway Town Plaza, a strip mall at the west side of the mall.

A scene from the 1984 film Firstborn starring Sarah Jessica Parker features Parker's character Lisa shopping at Rockaway Townsquare.[14]

In the 1980s, a local rock band by the name of Danger recorded a song about the mall. The song was accompanied by a video, which has since been uploaded to YouTube.[15] Little other information is known about the band Danger.

On January 8, 2020, a COVID-19 Pandemic vaccination center opened in part of the former Sears