The Beloved Stores That Sparked Nostalgia For NJ Residents

Nostalgia is one heck of a drug.

There’s something near-euphoric about taking a walk down memory lane, whether it’s visiting the actual places from your youth or looking back on the fond memories.

It’s not always locations like friends’ homes or playgrounds that trigger these flashbacks; even stores hold a certain level of nostalgia.

Not all of these spots that we hold dear stick around forever, though. A recent study was performed by Market Beat to find out which defunct chains we’re still thinking about.

Top 3 stores that went away New Jerseyans miss the most

We’re a bunch of bookworms in the Garden State, because two of our top three missed brands were some of the best stops to go to when you wanted something to read.

The third of our top three was one that I remember fondly from its brief time in my teenage years going to the Freehold Raceway Mall.

Borders

There was something peaceful about walking through a Borders. It was more than a bookstore; there were other media or items to look at.

It had the quiet feel of a library without the strict rules of needing to be silent.

Chris McGrath | Staff | Getty Images

Waldenbooks

Waldenbooks was the reliable mall companion. It was small, cozy, and familiar. The kind of calming place that easily became part of your routine.

Bookstores aside, people in New Jersey are missing a different kind of store that provided generations with entertainment.

New Jerseyans named Blockbuster the brand they want back

As someone who became interested in the behind-the-scenes factoids of movies and TV shows early on in life, it was legitimately one of my “dream jobs” as a kid to eventually work at a Blockbuster.

Admittedly, this was also partially influenced by my love of ’Scream’ and how I deeply resonate with the movie-nerd character of Randy Meeks.

Walking down the aisles to look at all of the VHS or DVD covers, making your case to friends or family on which movie to rent, and then getting the last-minute candy before checking out? Pure bliss.

As convenient as streaming may be, nothing will top the thrill of going to the video store and seeing that the movie you were dying to see was available.

🎶 Those were the days 🎶

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The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kylie Moore. Any opinions expressed are Kylie's own. You can follow Kylie on Instagram.

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