Kids Empire may be coming to the Mid-State Mall in East Brunswick

Susan Loyer, MyCentralJersey.com
·2 min read

EAST BRUNSWICK - Kids Empire, an indoor playground for children, wants to open in the Mid-State Mall on Route 18.

Mid State Owner, LLC, the owner of the mall, wants to lease a portion of the vacant space previously occupied by New York Sports Club, to Kids Empire.

Kids Empire, with other area locations in Woodbridge, Watchung and Linden, is an indoor playground for children aged 12 and under. The plan calls for is a large two-story playground and a smaller playground for toddlers and infants.

Kids Empire is also preparing to open in the Marketplace at Manville in the former space occupied by Retro Fitness.

According to the application before the township Zoning Board of Adjustment, the proposed hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

There will be five to seven employees during the peak shifts. Peak hours are expected to be 4 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The application estimates there will be about 142 guests per day with an approximate parent/child ratio of 90 parents and 52 children.

Though the indoor playground is a conditionally permitted use within the HC-2, General Highway Commercial District Zone, a variance is required because amusement or recreation establishment is allowed within 500 feet of a residential zone.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment public hearing on the application is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 in the Courtroom of the East Brunswick Municipal Building.

Kids Empire's move into the 60-year-old mall is part of a national trend as malls adapt to an evolving retail market as more and more shopping is conducted on-line and malls are looking for new ways to fill vacant spaces. Mall owners are increasingly turning to restaurants, medical offices and entertainment venues to attract shoppers.

For example, Woodbridge Center, the granddaddy of Central Jersey malls, has a carousel, an aquarium, an indoor playground, All in Adventure escape rooms, an indoor gun range and Bungee Zone.

More:Milltown Acme, shopping center may be replaced by 190 apartments

Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Kids Empire may be coming to the Mid-State Mall in East Brunswick