New Jersey town will see American Dream in court over Sunday openings
New Jersey’s Bergen County refused to take Triple Five, owner-operator of the American Dream mall in the Jersey Meadowlands, to court over violating blue laws that forbid stores being open on Sunday.
But the borough of Paramus — one of the top shopping destinations in the United States — continues to pursue its lawsuit against the mall, the borough of East Rutherford, and Bergen County over letting American Dream pass on this decades-old policy, according to NJ Spotlight News.
The blue laws that date back to the 1600s ban the sale of clothing, furniture, home décor, appliance, and building supply stores. Restaurants, grocery stores, and entertainment venues can remain open on Sundays.
American Dream management claims that it is exempt from blue laws since the Meadowlands is state-owned land.
Rutgers Law School professor Sarah Swan told NJ Spotlight News that Paramus’s filing does not seek monetary damages. It just seeks a court order binding American Dream to remain fully closed on Sundays.
Bergen County earlier asked that case be dismissed because it does not believe it has the power to enforce blue laws in East Rutherford.
The Meadowlands — an 8,400-acre ecosystem of wetlands that sits across the Hudson River from Manhattan — also includes portions of Jersey City, Kearny, and Secaucus, which are situated in New Jersey’s Hudson County.
The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority — also a defendant in the suit — has argued that Paramus failed to follow legal procedures and lacks standing to enforce a countywide law.
Additionally, the NJSEA maintains that its lease with American Dream does not require it to enforce the blue laws and that oversight of the mall should not be dictated by a neighboring municipality.
Bergen County remains the lone county in New Jersey with a broad Sunday shopping ban. Supporters say the rules limit traffic and preserve a weekly pause. Critics argue they are outdated and bad for business.
