The Mall at Short Hills
An upscale regional shopping mall in Short Hills, Millburn, New Jersey, serving affluent communities in northern New Jersey and the wider New York metropolitan area.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
The Mall at Short Hills is an upscale enclosed shopping mall in the Short Hills section of Millburn, New Jersey. It is positioned near the junction of New Jersey Route 24, John F. Kennedy Parkway, and Route 124, close to the Passaic River and communities in Morris and Union counties. The property is approximately 10 miles west of Newark Liberty International Airport and about 19 miles west of Manhattan, giving it access to both affluent suburban households and shoppers from the broader New York metropolitan area. The mall developed from a longer retail history on land acquired by Prudential Insurance Company of America in 1949. A B. Altman & Company department store opened there in 1956 and was later enlarged. During the early 1960s, the site gained a small open-air shopping center that included retailers such as Bonwit Teller, FAO Schwarz, Pottery Barn, and Brentano's. Bloomingdale's opened at the location in 1967 with a large store that included a floor dedicated to furniture and decorative accessories. The property was subsequently expanded and repositioned as a major enclosed luxury-oriented shopping destination. Prudential began working with The Taubman Company in the 1970s, and a two-year, approximately $100 million redevelopment completed around 1980 enclosed the center and brought it to roughly 1.16 million square feet of gross leasable area. The renovation added retailers including Godiva Chocolatier, Black Star and Frost, The Limited, and Gap. Abraham & Straus joined the center in 1981 and was later converted to Macy's. A further expansion during the 1990s strengthened the mall's department-store and luxury profile. A first phase completed in November 1994 added a Saks Fifth Avenue store and renovated Bloomingdale's. A second phase, completed in August 1995, added Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, together with specialty retailers such as Tiffany & Co., Crate & Barrel, and DKNY. The mall is known for a concentration of premium and luxury retailers, with more than 150 specialty stores and restaurants and numerous brands using the property as their only New Jersey location. The department-store lineup has changed over time. Saks Fifth Avenue closed its Short Hills location in September 2016, following the decision to place a larger Saks store at American Dream Meadowlands. The former Saks space was slated for redevelopment with additional retail and service uses, including the United States debut of Indigo Books, a relocated Crate & Barrel, and Industrious, a pet-friendly coworking concept. In the 2020s, Simon Property Group became the mall's owner after the ownership transition from Taubman. The center remains an active luxury and high-end regional retail destination anchored by Macy's, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, and Neiman Marcus.
History
The retail history of The Mall at Short Hills began before the present enclosed mall was built. As suburban communities around Short Hills expanded during the first half of the twentieth century, local residents sought a substantial shopping destination closer to home. Prudential Insurance Company of America acquired a large tract in 1949, occupying land that would later host the mall and part of Canoe Brook Country Club. In 1956, B. Altman & Company opened a 130,000-square-foot department store on the site. The store was eventually expanded by another 50,000 square feet as demand increased. In the early 1960s, a smaller open-air shopping center was developed nearby. Its tenants included Bonwit Teller, FAO Schwarz, Pottery Barn, and Brentano's, establishing the property as a destination for both department-store and specialty shopping. Bloomingdale's arrived in 1967 with a 243,000-square-foot store. Its merchandising emphasized the increasingly upscale character of the area and included a full floor devoted to furniture and decorative accessories. The property then entered a major redevelopment period. In 1974, Prudential began working with The Taubman Company, which was the mall's owner at the time. Their cooperation produced a two-year redevelopment completed around 1980. The open-air retail environment was enclosed, and the center reached approximately 1.16 million square feet of gross leasable area with three anchor stores. The project also introduced retailers including Godiva Chocolatier, Black Star and Frost, The Limited, and Gap. Abraham & Straus joined the center in 1981. That department-store banner was later replaced by Macy's, which became one of the mall's continuing anchors. The property expanded again during the 1990s. The first phase, completed in November 1994, added a 100,000-square-foot Saks Fifth Avenue store and renovated Bloomingdale's. The second phase, completed in August 1995, added a 129,000-square-foot Neiman Marcus and a 172,000-square-foot Nordstrom. It also broadened the specialty mix through stores such as Tiffany & Co., Crate & Barrel, and DKNY. The resulting center became one of northern New Jersey's most prominent luxury-oriented malls. It combined four major department-store anchors with a large collection of specialty shops and restaurants. The property has been described as having approximately 150 specialty stores and restaurants, and more than 40 boutiques have used the mall as their only New Jersey location. Its location near affluent communities in Morris and Union counties, as well as its proximity to Newark Airport and Manhattan, supports a trade area extending beyond Millburn itself. The mall's tenant mix changed in the 2010s. Saks Fifth Avenue closed its Short Hills store in September 2016 after the company chose to open a larger store at American Dream Meadowlands. The vacated space was planned for a combination of retail and service uses, including the United States debut of Indigo Books, a relocated Crate & Barrel, and Industrious, a pet-friendly coworking office concept. Ownership also changed in the 2020s, when Simon Property Group took over the property from The Taubman Company. The mall continues to operate as an upscale enclosed shopping center anchored by Macy's, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, and Neiman Marcus, with a focus on luxury fashion, jewelry, beauty, home goods, dining, and other premium services. Its public profile also received unusual attention in 2021 after a viral dispute at the property became known online as the “Victoria's Secret Karen” incident and later figured in a civil lawsuit.
- 2021
Viral incident draws public attention
[1]A dispute at the mall became a viral internet meme and later appeared in a civil lawsuit.
- 2016
Saks Fifth Avenue closes
[1]Saks Fifth Avenue closed its Short Hills store as the company shifted emphasis to a larger store at American Dream Meadowlands.
- 1995
Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom join the mall
[1]The second expansion phase, completed in August, added Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and numerous specialty retailers.
- 1994
Saks Fifth Avenue expansion phase opens
[1]The first phase of a major 1990s expansion was completed in November, adding a 100,000-square-foot Saks Fifth Avenue and renovating Bloomingdale's.
- 1981
Abraham & Straus becomes an anchor
[1]Abraham & Straus joined the mall; the location was subsequently converted to Macy's.
- 1980
Major enclosure and redevelopment completed
[1]A two-year redevelopment involving Prudential and The Taubman Company enclosed the shopping center and expanded it to approximately 1.16 million square feet of gross leasable area.
- 1967
Bloomingdale's opens
[1]Bloomingdale's opened a 243,000-square-foot store, including a floor dedicated to furniture and decorative accessories.
- 1956
B. Altman department store opens
[1]B. Altman & Company opened a 130,000-square-foot department store, later expanding it by approximately 50,000 square feet.
- 1949
Prudential acquires the development site
[1]Prudential Insurance Company of America acquired a large tract of land in the Short Hills area, establishing the future development site for the mall.
Simon Property Group becomes owner
[1]In the 2020s, Simon Property Group took ownership of the mall from The Taubman Company.
Products and positioning
An upscale enclosed regional mall focused on luxury, premium department stores, designer boutiques, specialty retail, dining, and affluent suburban consumers in northern New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area.
Apparel
Luxury and designer fashion
The mall's central retail proposition is premium and luxury fashion, delivered through department stores and specialty boutiques. The mix serves shoppers seeking designer apparel, accessories, footwear, and occasionwear in an upscale suburban setting.
Department stores
Department-store retail
Macy's, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, and Neiman Marcus provide broad merchandise ranges spanning apparel, beauty, accessories, home goods, and gifts. These anchors form the mall's principal traffic-generating retail infrastructure.
Luxury goods · 1995
Fine jewelry and luxury accessories
Specialty luxury boutiques, including Tiffany & Co. and other premium retailers, provide fine jewelry, watches, handbags, accessories, and gifting products. This category reinforces the center's high-end positioning.
Home retail · 1967
Home furnishings and décor
Home-related merchandise has been part of the site's identity since Bloomingdale's dedicated a floor to furniture and decorative accessories. Later specialty retail included Crate & Barrel and related home categories.
Food and beverage
Dining and hospitality
Restaurants and food-service venues complement the shopping offer and help position the property as a destination rather than only a collection of stores. The mall is described as having approximately 150 specialty stores and restaurants in total.
Controversies
2021
Victoria's Secret Karen incident
A woman identified in later reporting as Abigail Elphick was filmed falling to the ground and crying during an incident at the mall. The footage circulated widely online under the nickname “Victoria's Secret Karen.” A subsequent civil lawsuit brought additional public discussion of the incident and the woman's living arrangements.
Brand decisions
2016
Redevelopment of the former Saks Fifth Avenue spaceStrategyBackground
Saks Fifth Avenue closed its Short Hills location in September 2016 after choosing a larger store at American Dream Meadowlands.
Action taken
The mall planned to repurpose the former anchor space for additional retail and service uses, including Indigo Books, a relocated Crate & Barrel, and Industrious coworking offices.
Aftermath
The decision marked a shift from relying exclusively on a traditional luxury department-store anchor toward a more varied mix of retail, home, and flexible-work uses.
- Ownership transition from Taubman to Simon Property GroupM&A
Background
The Mall at Short Hills had been associated with The Taubman Company, which worked with Prudential during the property's major redevelopment period.
Action taken
Simon Property Group took over ownership of the mall during the 2020s.
Aftermath
The property continued operating as an active upscale regional shopping center under Simon Property Group ownership.
Sources2 sources
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