NJ Mall Struggles While Its Luxury Rival Thrives Four Miles Away

After more than half a century, the Livingston Mall is all but dead. Four miles down the road, shopping in northern New Jersey is very much alive.

The Livingston Mall is a remnant of an era that has long passed. Once anchored by department stores like Sears and Lord & Taylor, the shopping complex was for decades a social and economic hub of the affluent commuter town. It hosted an annual high-school art show, was a go-to spot for photos with Santa and offered teenagers their first jobs.

Livingston Mayor Shawn Klein, 52, vividly remembers its heyday. At least once a ...