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The Retail Apocalypse: Ridgewood’s Battle with Store Closures

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, brick-and-mortar stores have been grappling with significant challenges over the past decade. The COVID-19 pandemic and the meteoric rise of e-commerce have severely impacted traditional retail, leading to widespread closures. This phenomenon, often referred to as the “retail apocalypse,” has dramatically reshaped the commercial landscape since it began around 2010.

Impact of the Pandemic and E-Commerce

The pandemic played a crucial role in accelerating store closures. Forced to shut down for much of 2020, many stores have yet to recover their pre-pandemic foot traffic. The shift towards online shopping, driven by convenience and safety concerns, has further exacerbated the decline of physical retail spaces.

Ridgewood’s Struggle

During Wednesday night’s Village Council Public Meeting, Ridgewood Guild Executive Director Tony Damiano highlighted the local impact. He reported that there are currently 23 vacant commercial and retail properties within the Village’s Central Business District, a significant increase from 12 vacancies in January of this year. This local snapshot reflects a broader national trend.

National Retail Trends

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau reveals that the U.S. lost 60,000 retail stores between 2011 and 2021. Traditional stores struggle in the digital economy, where web-based retailers like eBay and Amazon benefit from lower operating costs and greater flexibility for customers.

Local Challenges

Beyond the pandemic and e-commerce pressures, local issues compound the difficulties for brick-and-mortar stores. High taxes, steep rents, stringent regulations, congestion, and parking problems all contribute to the challenges faced by local businesses.

Moving Forward

The future of retail in Ridgewood and beyond requires adaptation and innovation. Communities need to support local businesses by addressing these challenges and fostering an environment where traditional stores can coexist with the digital economy.

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54 thoughts on “The Retail Apocalypse: Ridgewood’s Battle with Store Closures

  1. I thought the parking garage was going to fix this.

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  2. Here’s a thought from a long time resident (since 1969)
    Get rid of the paid parking
    Put a 1 hour limit & higher fines (enforced by license plate readers or chalk tires) to replace revenue
    No limit reasonable rate parking in the garage.
    Use the empty garage for monthly paid parking for CBD employees of stores.
    I don’t patronize the stores due to the parking fees and its easier to go to the mall, and for post office simply park free in waldwick, midland park or glenrock.
    Its time to re-think this. How much is revenue, less salaries, pensions, benefits and park-mobile commissions.
    Its more important to revitalize downtown

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    1. don’t confuse the situation with logic, facts and practical solutions.

    2. Totally agree (also longtime resident 1964)
      Glen Rock, Allendale, Midland Park, Wycoff don’t have parking meters. It matters, even on the margins.

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    3. Also a long time resident (1969), I won’t pay for parking, so I don’t shop in Ridgewood. Only banking with free parking, hair salon free parking, Grocery stores free parking, Renatos Piazza free park/pick up. Shop Glen Rock, and elsewhere. Post office in Paramus, or Glen Rock – no charge to park.

      1. Me too.

      2. Wow, thanks for your support. There are plenty of free parking options around, which you should be aware of since you’ve been here since Noah’s flood. Plus, it’s pretty cheap to park even if you have to pay. Not an excuse.

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        1. Its also about the traffic, you have to drive around jammed CBD streets to even find an open metered park spot.
          Worse when weekends and the streets are barricaded off for street dining! and people dashing out in front of cars. its Out of control. Not worth it. Not quite the Norman Rockwell scene.

          1. What are you even talking about? The last time they barricaded the streets for curbside dining was last year’s failed and prematurely aborted pedestrian plaza.

            I’m in the CBD daily. The streets are not packed, paid (and affordable) parking is plentiful, to say nothing about the free spots that anyone can take advantage of if they’re willing to walk an extra block or two. And definitely could benefit from walking an extra block or two. You clearly have zero idea about the actual situation on the ground, which is not surprising considering you’re expecting a some queer Normal Rockwell-esque reality that never existed.

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      3. Just park in Columbia Bank parking lot and only a short walk to everything

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        1. Shame on You. NOT during banking hours. As a bank customer, many times I cannot get a spot to do business inside, and they have warning signs “Parking For bank customers Only”!
          You probably would park in the ‘handicap spot’ also?

          1. Not only that, but I also park in the Purple Heart spot at WholeFoods. And if you think that’s bad, just talk to all the moms who use the WFs lot when they go to hot yoga across the street.

          2. Police are too busy making sure our beautiful town is safe to worry about who parks at the bank.

      4. Or how about having a post office parking lot at all.

    4. Damiano wantsto opoen a mini performing arts center 800 seats downstairs 200 upstairs, so all of these people can pay to park in the garage. No one would be able to park if events are taking place if this happens. maybe the cost of parking could be added to their ticket. Otherwise i agree with your points that parking should be free.

    5. “Its more important to revitalize downtown”

      You don’t understand.

      Parking issues and shopping issues have been traditional in Ridgewood since the days of the Holy Roman Empire.

      Oh, yes, and crappy streets so that the blind can tell when they have entered the blessed village.

      With a pleasant and invigorated CBD, what reason would there be to have an ineffective VC and job suporting programs?

      You still don’t understand that the purpose of Government is to create the illusion of frenzied activity while accomplishing little or nothing so that the frenzied activity continues or increases.

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      1. Not to mention the 100% lack of transparency despite non stop talking abtout things while concealing important details and later creating a shitstorm, lying, manipulation, deceipt…the list goes on with Vagianos, Winograd, Weitz and Perron.

  3. The only brick and mortar retail establishments that have any economic future are food/drink and hair/nail/spa. Absolutely everything else is fading fast and are only staying on life support due to a fading population that hasn’t embraced the power of their smartphones.

    Banks have been a major part of the retail space but they too are being eliminated.

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  4. Trump can’t get re-elected fast enough.

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  5. My 2 cents, one of the features that Ridgewood downtown is lacking is well known anchor stores such as Lulu Lemon, Anthropologie, etc. to draw shoppers. The smaller mom&pop stores would benefit from the foot traffic from the more established retailers. Retail has changed to largely online however there are stores still thriving. Also, we need to stop blaming the pandemic for everything, it is over. People are shopping online for convenience of having the items arrive at their doorstep, not because they are fearful of being around other people and catching an illness.

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    1. Agreed
      Empty store fronts and vendor duplication compound the issue. How does the chamber of commerce allow 10 barber shops to open in a less than 1 mile stretch?

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      1. YEAH.
        Bring in a Walmart!

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    2. Lulu Leomon? Anthropologie? specialty stores? Ridgewood Used to have many well known specialty stores for decades, Sealfones, Mc Hughes, Country Curtains, Jewelry stores, others, they’ve gone and out of business like many of mall big name anchors and specialty stores. Malls are going empty.
      The mix of population has changed what they want and buy.

  6. I remember in 2000 they were between 54 to 58 stores empty throughout the c b d . It’s the rent.

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    1. I had a wonderful tailor who immigrated from a country with religious persecution who was living the American dream with a shop on Ridgewood Avenue after moving from Franklin Avenue.

      He closed some years ago, many at this point, and he had tears in his eyes when he told me all about the situation in Ridgewood and with his landlord that made it impossible to continue.

      His location has had several less productive businesses since then.

  7. Parking problems? We have a monstrosity of a garage that is always empty.

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    1. good news is that we get to keep paying for this ugly eyesore

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  8. The occupancy has been low for 20 years. Originally blamed on nail salons.
    Supply and demand drives the market.
    Landlords seem able to carry their properties even with low occupancy.
    Professional focus group studies may shed light on what will bring consumers downtown..

    1. “Professional focus group studies may shed light on what will bring consumers downtown..”

      Right. Let’s start another study to tell us what we already know.

      Frenzied activity…………………………grandstanding opportunity

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  9. Stop blaming covid on everything wrong! It’s the democrats running this country that is the problem!

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    1. And the terrible Democrat Mayor Ridgewood has voted in.

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  10. First, I must say yes we need Donald Trump to be elected immediately like yesterday to fix many of the problems, it doesn’t matter if you like them or not. Who is better for the job and that’s him bottom line. Next regarding the parking I will never pay for parking when I can go to other towns and shop there, Imagine paying for parking to go into the post office or go pick up lunch or dinner. Not gonna happen. The rent is ridiculous. How can anyone open up a store. I would love my wife to open up a store in town, but I’m a pay that kind of rent , why would I, and if you go back into the 80s, when there was only a few food establishments and bars in the town, and we had a vast of other stores throughout the village. Now it’s like the post top with salons, and restaurants, if these restaurants leave , the villages done. Because people families come into town to eat and drink walk around if those establishments are not there guess what see you go to another town. And for salons they come and go there really only one or two old beauty salons in town and they own the buildings. They don’t pay rent , you don’t need at this time parking enforcement, you need to have free parking and that just may help a bit give it a try. Right now the parking Authority is losing business in the village. That parking garage will never recoup the money what it cost. They should rent out the garage cord dealers so I can book brand new cars there. Like all the towns. Time to wake up we’ve been telling you this for years.

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    1. How does Trump or any president have anything to do with Ridgewood downtown shopping

    2. Dude you need to use spell check or wait to drink after you comment

  11. Vacant stores?
    Lower the rent or sit there empty.
    Supply and Demand.

  12. there are 10-12 barbershops in Ridgewood
    absurd

    1. Are there enough follicles in RW to support those businesses?

  13. Call me when Pee Wee’s diner closes….

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  14. Make Ridgewood and America great again.

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  15. Face It folks , Ridgewood is not what it used to be and is fading further into the abyss..

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    1. It faded about 25 years ago.

      It’s currently in its death throes…

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  16. So Pedestrian Plaza was another epic fail for this Mayor and Council. Get them out of office.

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  17. Almost all of the above is true. The prohibitive RENT charged by landlords is the primary reason that folks don’t open businesses, or leave. Triple net means the store owner pays the property TAXES too. Combined with parking and enforcement that keeps customers AWAY, the recipe for disaster is complete. Less to do with a pandemic, online sales, or changing tastes. It’s RENT, TAXES & PARKING. That simple.

    1. The truth? Come on!!! Ridgewood is the hottest town in Bergen County and beyond. With all the Spas, Restaurants, Outdoor Entertaiment and more… people from as far as Fort Lee come over to enjoy this lovely and lively town. The problem is not the rent, the problem is that there are very few quality restaurants with good food and good service and yes it would help if they were able to get a liquor license. We live in a beautiful town go out and enjoy it!

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      1. ….and the main reason there are not enough quality restaurants (along with shops) is b/c of the rent. With so many empty store fronts and no movie theater it is not quite the destination it once was. But haircuts and frozen yogurt for everyone!

        1. Wait, wait, wait … so garbage restaurants that serve crap food can afford the exorbitant rent (at least for a few quarters before their stupid concept fails) but quality restaurants with viable business models that cater to more sophisticated customers (who don’t want vegan poutine, soggy tacos, or smash burgers) can’t?

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  18. It’s that terrible Mayor. Just look how bad his restaurant is run. Plus the terrible food being served is horrible

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  19. And the terrible Democrat Mayor Ridgewood has voted in.

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  20. Street parking should be free just limited time

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  21. Re. The performing arts center, parking is free after 6 pm weekends. There is the big lot on cottage and behind SB/Daily Treat, not to mention 50 or so spots that are always free behind Fox’s . There is always parking within a block or so of there b/c the restaurants are all a couple of blocks.

  22. We lived in Ridgewood since before the flood! (51 years and my husband is a native since age 10). We had parking problems then but we also had reasonably priced timed parking that was enforced. I was always able to park within a reasonable distance of the store I was going in to shop. Our marvelous Parking Garage was built in the absolutely most inaccessible spot in Ridgewood. There were hopes that all the car dealers would park their extra cars there–as was being done at the Mahwah parking garage–and that the commuters would love it. It was also placed there as our current Mayor and some of his friends (many in business locations owned by him) wanted it to be convenient to their businesses and who cared about the rest of the town. The car dealers had apartments built on their properties (thus the contaminated soil) and Covid had many people working from home. This was a painful blow to the builder’s high hopes. (If the Arts Center could be built in that end of town the parking garage–if they charged at night–would probably be used at that time.) Otherwise the few stores in town are mostly located closer to Maple Avenue. The other problem is that most Ridgewood residents and people from other towns are not willing to walk any distance. The teens are but, except for food, there is not much left in town for them to do. But the biggest current problems are the extremely high rents (which have always been a problem but prior landlords were mostly willing to be realistic about them) and the unrealistic amount of time they have to pay rent BEFORE they can do anything to their store, much less move in!

    1. There’s certainly a lot to agree with here.

      The rents are high, sure, but even if the landlords were strong-armed into lowering their rents, and all the empty storefronts were flooded with fresh, new businesses, who would care? What would those businesses even be? More salons, coffee and bake shops? Can you think of a need that could be filled by any of the vacant brick-and-mortar establishments in town? The same people who refuse to walk anywhere are also the same ones who will opt to buy anything and everything from Amazon, et al. if they can get away with it.

      This is not just a Ridgewood issue, it’s an everywhere issue. Things are different now and they’re not going back to the way they were. It might be better to bring out of the bulldozers and consider a building a completely different sort of CBD, one more in alignment with the needs of the present and the foreseeable future. If you catch my drift.

  23. Regarding parking, it is true that the price is exorbitant, but the fuss and wasted time of using the parking kiosks is worse.

    If the weather is bad, you are standing there for far too long in the rain, wind, or whatever.

    I have friends in other towns who refuse to come to downtown Ridgewood at all because they are unwilling to deal with the kiosks.

    I have seen people utterly befuddled by the kiosks and gone over and helped them. These machines are not user friendly.

    More than once I have been forced to use a credit card because the parking kiosk would not accept cash.

    No, not in a million years would I use a smartphone for this and pay a fee to some outsourced company on top of the parking price. Never.

    1. Ugh. So annoying! And forget about trying to get the kiosk to accept drachma or wampum.

      Do you not hear yourselves? You people bitch about the decline of Ridgewood and the sad state of business in town and then refuse to use even the post office because a de minimis transaction fee breaks your budget. Meanwhile, I bet you and your friends are really scraping your pennies together over there and only washing your burlap sack clothing every other week in the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook. People must look at you funny on the bus though, eh?

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