The basics:

• Crunch Fitness leased 25,000 SF at The Shops at Brick
• Health Village, Bubble Island also signed new leases
• Three transactions total more than 40K SF of retail leasing activity
• TFE Properties continues upgrades after acquiring Ocean County center

A deal with Crunch Fitness leads 40,799 square feet of new leasing activity at The Shops at Brick.

JLL secured three tenants for the open air retail center located at 131-191 Van Zile Road in the Ocean County township.

The trio of new tenants, led by Crunch Fitness’s anchor occupancy, follows a change in ownership and exterior improvements at the property. Since adding the nearly 103,832-square-foot shopping center to its portfolio in 2025, TFE Properties has worked to create “a modern neighborhood destination,” while doubling down on Ocean County more broadly.

A JLL retail leasing team led by Vice President Alana Friedman, Executive Vice President Craig Parcells and Managing Director David Townes serves as the exclusive leasing agent for The Shops at Brick. The group represented ownership in all three transactions.

Friedman noted, “Successful neighborhood shopping centers are built around complementary uses that give customers multiple reasons to visit throughout the day. Fitness, healthcare and family entertainment each generate repeat visitation on their own, but together they create a destination that serves the daily needs of the community while strengthening the performance of the entire property.”

Crunch Fitness

Primetime Fitness brand Crunch Fitness will occupy 25,000 square feet at The Shops at Brick. This latest deal continues the brand’s expansion in the Garden State and metro region. In February, the banner took over a former Bed Bath & Beyond space in Aberdeen.

It also underscores demand for fitness concepts in the retail sector. In May, the Townes-Friedman team secured 31,000 square feet in commercial fitness space across North Jersey.

The Brick location will feature the Crunch 3.0 design, JLL said. The layout combines modern aesthetics with enhanced functionality. RIPCO Real Estate Managing Director Brian Von Schmid represented the tenant in the lease negotiations.

Health Village

Health Village, part of Hackensack Meridian Health, signed on for 7,799 square feet. The occupant brings essential healthcare services to the mix at The Shops at Brick. Health Village will operate a comprehensive medical office and radiology center, according to JLL. CBRE Senior Vice President Carolyn Sica and Associate Stephen Hanscom represented the tenant.

Bubble Island

Fast-growing children’s entertainment concept Bubble Island joins the roster with a lease for 8,000 square feet. The indoor play venue brings a recreational concept to the tenant mix. The brand entered the state in 2024. EXP Realty represented Bubble Island.

Noted TFE Properties Principal Carey Tajfel, “Refreshing the property’s appearance was an important first step, but the real opportunity lies in assembling a thoughtful mix of retailers and service providers that complement one another. We’re thrilled to welcome these new tenants who will create an even stronger experience for shoppers while generating consistent traffic that benefits every tenant in the center.”

Upgrades to The Shops at Brick have so far included new signage and enhancements to the arrival experience. Current availabilities range from 1,392 square feet to 24,934 square feet.

In May, TFE further expanded its growing Ocean County presence by acquiring two former Rite Aid locations, in Manchester Township and Lacey Township.

At the time, the East Windsor-based real estate investment and land development company characterized both as strong retail redevelopment locations with leasing potential in growing commercial corridors.

The former is a freestanding 11,206-square-foot building located at the signalized intersection of Route 70 and Ridgeway Road.  The latter, zoned Commercial C-150, is a vacant 10,908-square-foot structure on approximately 1.76 acres located at the corner of Route 9 and South Main Street at a signalized intersection.

TFE Properties said it plans to actively market both locations to retailers, medical users, service-oriented businesses and other potential tenants.