Popular mall finds sneaky way to get around ‘Sunday shopping ban’

A BELOVED shopping center is locked in a legal battle over a frustrating ban on Sunday shopping that has historically driven shoppers out.

After months of back-and-forth, the three-million-square-foot shopping and entertainment complex has apparently found a way around the shopping ban.

The American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey – one of the largest malls in the country – is grappling with a long-standing ban on Sunday retail sales, commonly known as “blue laws.”

The Borough of Paramus — a rival of American Dream — filed a lawsuit against the mall in August, alleging the mall violated Bergen County’s blue laws by allowing more than 120 merchants to operate on Sundays.

The borough claimed American Dream has ignored the ban since at least January 2025, with Paramus seeking fines of up to $5,000 per violation as well as a formal declaration that the mall’s actions constitute a public nuisance.

Bergen County is the only county in New Jersey with a Sunday shopping ban, which has religious roots and prevents the sale of clothing, furniture, appliances and building materials.

REMODE TO RETAIL

6 shopping centers get facelift as expert warns shoppers ‘have stopped tolerating boring stores’

SAD SHUTTER

Say goodbye to another retail legend: Popular mall will close for good

While the law remains popular with many residents and business owners, others are tired of what they view as an “outdated” law.

The dispute with Paramus — one of the nation’s most profitable commercial municipalities with more than $6 billion in annual sales — was sparked when American Dream began advertising Sunday shopping earlier this year.

By ignoring the shopping ban, the borough fears the beloved megamall could steal billions in potential revenue from businesses in Paramus, famous for strict enforcement of blue laws.

SAVE ME

American Dream now has the legal backing of its owner, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, or NJSEA, which owns the land it is built on, according to NJ.com.

NJSEA, a defendant in the lawsuit, has moved to dismiss most of the claims Paramus filed against American Dream.

In a court filing earlier this month, the NJSEA argued that Paramus failed to follow necessary legal procedures before suing the mall and did not have the authority to enforce a countywide law because American Dream is on state land, meaning the borough cannot enforce county laws outside its own borders.

Because the mall is on the public Meadowlands complex, the NJSEA said the mall is exempt from local and county ordinances — the same way MetLife Stadium can sell merchandise during Giants or Jets games on Sundays.

The authority’s filing also indicates that Paramus cannot sue for harm to Bergen County residents, only itself, and that the mall’s Sunday operations have no material impact on Paramus’ municipal operations.

“Simply put, Paramus is legally irrelevant to the question of whether the Sunday Closing Act applies to American Dream Mall,” the NJSEA motion to dismiss said.

“Paramus has no more (or less) interest in the answer to this legal question than any other citizen of New Jersey, or any of the other citizens of New Jersey.
more than 500 other municipalities across the state.

NJSEA also argued that its lease with American Dream did not require the mall to enforce blue laws and that its oversight should not be dictated by a neighboring municipality.

“The Authority should have discretion as to how best to manage its relationship with tenants, rather than allowing that business relationship to be micromanaged by the courts (or an outsider like Paramus),” the motion to dismiss states.

The case is pending in New Jersey Superior Court with oral arguments on the motion to dismiss scheduled for early 2026.