Jersey Shore Premium Outlets
Jersey Shore Premium Outlets is an outdoor outlet shopping center in the borough of Tinton Falls in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. Operated by Simon Property Group through its Chelsea Property Group division, the open‑air complex encompasses about of gross leasable space. It contains roughly 120 designer and name‑brand outlet stores and was marketed as Simon’s third and largest Premium Outlet in New Jersey. The center is situated off exit 100A of the Garden State Parkway along New Jersey Route 66.
History
Planning and development
In 2007 Simon Property Group announced plans for a major outlet mall in Tinton Falls. The company’s third‑quarter 2007 filing described “Jersey Shore Premium Outlets” as a 435,000‑square‑foot upscale manufacturers’ outlet center, wholly owned by Simon, with construction costs projected at about US$157 million and an anticipated 12 percent return on investment. Construction began later that year, and a new road, Premium Outlets Boulevard, was built from Route 66 to provide access.
Local officials touted the project’s economic benefits. A Monmouth County press release issued ahead of the opening described the outlet mall as a US$150 million investment that would provide about 430,000 square feet of high‑end retail space and had already created roughly 800 jobs. County officials predicted that the center would generate tax revenue, attract bus tours to the Jersey Shore and stimulate tourism and local spending.
Construction and opening
The mall was designed by Hennon Group Architects and The Collaborative Inc. The firms created a village‑style layout with open courtyards and pedestrian streets, featuring towers modeled on coastal lighthouses and finishes inspired by the colors of nearby shore towns. Jersey Shore Premium Outlets opened to the public on November 13, 2008. Simon’s annual report noted that the Tinton Falls center opened with roughly 120 designer and name‑brand outlet stores and approximately of gross leasable area, and that the new outlets in Tinton Falls and Houston were well‑leased and expected to deliver a 13 percent return on investment.
NJBIZ characterised the opening as significant to the state’s outlet industry, calling Jersey Shore Premium Outlets the third and largest Premium Outlet in New Jersey and reporting that it created more than 800 jobs. According to that article, the trade journal Retail Value News ranked the center as the second‑largest outlet mall in New Jersey after The Walk in Atlantic City.
Layout and facilities
The mall covers about of leasable space arranged in a single‑story, open‑air “village” with landscaped courtyards and surface parking lots. Architectural features include lighthouse‑like towers and pastel colours intended to evoke the Jersey Shore’s beach towns. Simon Property Group’s 2019 property portfolio lists the property as having about of gross leasable area and serving the Metro New York–Jersey Shore trade area.
Sustainability
In January 2019 Simon Property Group announced a major solar‑energy initiative at Jersey Shore Premium Outlets. Working with Safari Energy, the company planned to install nearly 700 additional solar panels on the mall’s roofs to augment an existing 1,300‑panel array installed in 2012. The combined system was expected to generate more than 302,000 kilowatt‑hours of electricity annually and reduce the center’s energy costs and carbon footprint by at least 55 percent. General manager Janet Porter said the project demonstrated Simon’s commitment to renewable energy and innovation.
Tenants
Initial and long‑term retailers
When Jersey Shore Premium Outlets opened in November 2008 it was reported to be 92 percent leased. A Simon Property Group press release issued in January 2009 listed early tenants such as Ann Taylor, BCBG Max Azria, Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Cole Haan, Elie Tahari, Geox, Guess, J.Crew, Juicy Couture, Kate Spade, Kenneth Cole, Lucky Brand, Michael Kors, Nike, Sony, Theory and Tommy Hilfiger. By 2019 many national fashion and lifestyle brands continued to operate at the center, including Ann Taylor, Brooks Brothers, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Coach, Cole Haan, Express, Gap, J.Crew, Kate Spade New York, Lacoste, Michael Kors, Nike Factory Store, Polo Ralph Lauren, Puma, Talbots, Theory, Tommy Hilfiger, UGG, Under Armour and Vera Bradley.
Recent additions
In March 2023 the Asbury Park Press reported that several new retailers were joining the outlet center. Marketing director Michele Baboomian said leasing demand remained strong and that customers valued the ability to “touch, feel and try on products before they buy”. The article noted that Windsor Fashion had recently opened near the Gap factory store, Lovia planned to open in mid‑April, Under Armour Factory House would relocate to a larger space in May, the luxury men’s shoe maker VellaPais was scheduled to open in May, and Spencer’s, a gift and novelty retailer, was slated to open in July.
Economic impact
The outlet center has been credited with boosting the economy of Monmouth County. In the weeks before its opening, county officials described Jersey Shore Premium Outlets as “a sign of economic life” during a nationwide recession and highlighted the hundreds of jobs the project created. NJBIZ reported that the development generated more than 800 jobs and ranked it among the largest outlet malls in New Jersey. County tourism officials expected the mall to draw bus tours to the Jersey Shore region, increasing hotel stays and spending at nearby restaurants and attractions.