Shopping At The Gap At The Mall May Be A Thing Of The Past Soon

If I was asked to name some classic American shopping mall stores, The Gap would definitely be high on that list.

But, according to a recent report, going to your local mall to shop at The Gap could soon be a thing of the past.

Late last week word came out that The Gap would be closing more than 200 mall locations in just a few short years, by 2024.

The Associated Press report said that The Gap's CEO pointed to the high rent costs of mall stores and the fact that shoppers have been flocking to online shopping more and more, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

And it's not just Gap stores that will be shuttering in the next few years, the same report said that company's sister-brand Banana Republic would be closing 130 stores over the next three years, bringing the total for the company to more than 300 stores closing by 2024.

There are more than two dozen Gap locations in New Jersey, locally with locations in Jackson, Shrewsbury, Sea Girt, and Tinton Falls.

The Jackson and Tinton Falls Gap stores are both Gap Factory Outlet stores in outlet malls, at the Jackson Premium Outlets and Jersey Shore Premium Outlets respectively.

The Shrewsbury and Sea Girt locations are standalone stores, with the Shrewsbury location in The Grove shopping center on Broad Street, and the Sea Girt store in Route 35's Brook 35 Plaza.

The report goes on to say, however, that the company's Old Navy brand is thriving and is expected to add billions in profits over the next few years with a few dozen new locations expected to be added.

There are currently 35 Old Navy stores in New Jersey, with 5 locations spread out between Monmouth and Ocean Counties; in Brick, Toms River, Freehold, Eatontown, and Holmdel.

You can read the full AP report by clicking here.