American Dream Mall Expands with Climbing Gym Amid Paradox Museum’s Financial Struggles
This January, adventure seekers can climb the walls at a huge indoor climbing facility in East Rutherford’s American Dream Mall. This massive complex, second in size only to Minnesota’s Mall of America, keeps adding new features to its mix of stores and entertainment venues.
At Hapik’s new climbing center, guests will find 24-foot walls with safety harnesses. A 90-minute session costs $35 for adults, while kids can climb for $19.90. For regular climbers, monthly passes cost $69 for individuals or $89.90 for families. Safety is top priority at the climbing facility. Workers regularly check all gear, and every climbing route has backup protection against falls: important precautions as indoor climbing gets more popular.
āBy finally expanding into New Jersey, we hope to bring our unique brand of fun and educational climbing experiences to a whole new audience that will benefit from a massive boost in self-confidence,ā Hapik President Antoine Richard said in a statement to North Jersey.com.
With 50 climbing walls and a dozen rope courses, this newest addition hopes to bring more energy to the mall’s 200-plus shops and restaurants. But behind the scenes, troubles are brewing.
Since opening its doors in 2019, the East Rutherford location has struggled. COVID hit hard at first. Now red flags are popping up, like the Paradox Museum getting kicked out over $1.7 million in unpaid rent. The mall’s store lineup keeps changing. As some shops close due to money problems, new ones quickly take their place. Big names like Toys R Us and Babies R Us remain popular anchor stores.
Inside this huge 3-million-square-foot complex, visitors can go from shopping to hitting the ski slopes or swimming in water parks. It’s part mall, part theme park, all in one building.
By combining shopping with entertainment, this New Jersey mall shows how shopping centers need to evolve. But questions remain about whether these changes will keep it afloat.