Burlington Stores unveiled a new store format in 2025. - PROVIDED BY BURLINGTON
Burlington Stores unveiled a new store format in 2025. - PROVIDED BY BURLINGTON
Kimberly Redmond//April 6, 2026//
Burlington Stores is getting ready to launch its newest outpost in New Jersey.
Scheduled to open next month at Blue Star Shopping Center in Watchung, the South Jersey-based off-price retailer’s new store will feature a more streamlined, easier-to-shop format. Formerly known as Burlington Coat Factory, the chain sells branded apparel, footwear, accessories and home goods at up to 60% off other retailers’ prices.
Its footprint of 1,212 stores throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico includes 55-plus locations in New Jersey. Besides Watchung, Burlington also expects to begin welcoming shoppers to a store at Hudson Mall in Jersey City soon.
Hiring efforts are underway for both full- and part-time positions at the soon-to-open stores in Jersey City and Watchung.
After debuting a refreshed store layout last year, the chain said it has converted half of its existing locations to the new format. Most remaining locations will feature the design before 2026 winds down, according to Burlington. The updates come as Burlington pursues a plan to add roughly 500 new stores by 2028. After unveiling more than 100 outposts last year, the retailer expects to open about 110 sites as well as a new distribution center in Georgia in 2026.
At Blue Star Shopping Center, Burlington is taking a 26,495-square-foot portion of the Route 22 shopping center that formerly housed a ShopRite supermarket, according to exclusive leasing and managing agent Levin Management Corp.
The 62,200-square-foot area became available last spring when the supermarket relocated to a newly constructed 72,000-square-foot store adjacent to its former location.
Burlington will share the old ShopRite space with Marshalls, according to LMC. The longtime Blue Star tenant and discount retailer is relocating to an updated 27,000-square-foot space in a portion of that building, the North Plainfield-based commercial real estate services firm said.
At the 420,000-square-foot retail hub, the tenant roster also includes Kohl’s + Sephora, Dollar Tree, honeygrow, Five Guys, Five Below, Planet Fitness, The Children’s Place, Taco Bell and KidStrong.
LMC recently announced that popular chicken finger chain Raising Cane’s is coming soon, as well.