Elizabeth Center

The Elizabeth Center is a power center located off Exit 13A on the New Jersey Turnpike in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The location near the exit is incorporated into the center's logo, as El13Abeth Center. The first tenant, IKEA, opened in 1990. It is right next to the Jersey Gardens mall and also located in an Urban Enterprise Zone.

History

Built on a former landfill, in 1990 the Swedish-based home furnishings store, IKEA, opened. It became very successful, and by the mid-1990s, an Incredible Universe store opened next to IKEA. Toys "R" Us Kid's World, a prototype store also opened which included 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m²). of space, including Toys "R" Us, Kids "R" Us, Babies "R" Us, the Warner Bros. store, Kids Foot Locker, a photo studio, children's hair salon, play area, candy store and Pizza Hut. Only one other Kid's World location was built in Fairfax, Virginia, but was later converted into a regular Toys "R" Us store.

The IKEA store was renovated and expanded in 1998. The Incredible Universe store was closed in 1996 after the chain went under. In 1997, Here Comes The Place, "RexPlex", a large indoor theme park, skate park, and arena park. It also featured a soccer field in the parking lot. It closed in 2004 and the soccer field has since been paved over. In 2011, Big Lots was opened next to Babies "R" Us.

Tenants

• IKEA (opened 1990/remolded 1998)
• Kids Foot Locker (opened 1996 - closed 1999)
• Pizza Hut (opened 1996 - closed 1999)
• Warner Bros. Studio Store (opened 1996 - closed 2001)
• Toys "R" Us/Babies "R" Us (opened 2006)
• Toys "R" Us KidsWorld (opened 1996 - closed 2006)
• Incredible Universe (opened 1995 – closed 1996)
• RexPlex (opened 1997 - closed 2004)
• Big Lots (Opened in 2011)

External links

• Exit 13A
• Elizabeth Ikea
• 40°40′07″N 74°10′16″W / 40.6685°N 74.1712°W / 40.6685; -74.1712Coordinates: 40°40′07″N 74°10′16″W / 40.6685°N 74.1712°W / 40.6685; -74.1712