More Jobs Under Spencer’s Egg Harbor Township, NJ Expansion Proposal
Spencer Gifts has announced plans to expand its Egg Harbor Township headquarters and, in the process, add jobs.
According to the Egg Harbor Township Planning Board Agenda, Spencers Gifts has proposed a 27,322 SF addition to the existing Spencer’s Black Horse Pike Gifts headquarters building. Spencers Gifts has also proposed building a 4,700 SF bank with drive-thru lanes.
The proposal calls for parking spaces to be created on what's currently a baseball field, as well as seventeen parking spaces behind the Dubell Lumber Company. The vacant Trocki Hebrew School and Ocean Aquarium properties would be torn down.
Spencer Gifts is a novelty store based in malls throughout the country. They were founded in 1947, as a mail-order company. Although they were founded in Easton, Pennsylvania, the company has deep roots in South Jersey. Their first retail store opened in Cherry Hill Mall in 1963.
Spencer Gifts has gone through a myriad of ownership changes through the years. In 2003 the company dropped "Gifts" from its name, and became, Spencer's. Along the way, Spencer's has also gone through many cosmetic changes.
Spencer's has always been known to carry a selection of risqué, or "naughty" items, but through the years, those items have become more adult-themed, which has led to controversy at times.
In 1999, Spenser's bought the Halloween Specialty store chain, Spirit Halloween. Spirit Halloween operates approximately 1,000 pop-up store locations throughout the country in the months leading up to Halloween. They specialize in costumes, make-up, and Halloween decorations.
Mayor Paul Hodson told the Press of Atlantic City, “We’re pretty lucky to have Spencer’s, I think it’s a great accomplishment for the township to have that facility.”
Sources: Spencer's planning addition at Egg Harbor Township HQ (pressofatlanticcity.com), PBDecemberAgenda.22.pdf (revize.com)