Remember back in the day you could find just about anything inside a mall in New Jersey?

You could grab a piece of really good pizza, buy a new cassette from your favorite band, maybe check out some new Z Cavaricci jeans (vintage pairs now sell for, like, almost $200 online), and just have fun.

Those were the days.

Sadly, times have changed. And so have malls.

While some malls are hanging in there, others are not.

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One of those struggling malls is Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing.

Now, let me say that the purpose of this blog is not to bash the mall. However, anyone can tell that the Hamilton Mall isn't what it used to be, both inside and out.

Graffiti at Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing NJ - Photo: Chris Coleman
Graffiti at Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing NJ - Photo: Chris Coleman
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And it was what I found outside of the mall this past weekend that caught my eye.

As I was driving through the parking lot, what looked like part of a bike got my attention.

Sure enough, the frame of a bike from Showboat was in the middle of the parking lot.

What's left of a bike from Showboat at Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing, NJ - Photo: Chris Coleman
What's left of a bike from Showboat at Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing, NJ - Photo: Chris Coleman
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From doing a little research, it appears that these bikes are (or were) part of a ride sharing service that started back in 2021.

And they look like pretty nice bikes, too.

To anyone at Showboat looking for bike #8, I found it.

What's left of a bike from Showboat at Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing, NJ - Photo: Chris Coleman
What's left of a bike from Showboat at Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing, NJ - Photo: Chris Coleman
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That prompted me to see what else I could find in the Hamilton Mall parking lot.

I didn't have to go too far to find another bike that someone ditched.

Abandoned bike at Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing NJ - Photo: Chris Coleman
Abandoned bike at Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing NJ - Photo: Chris Coleman
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Ironically, if someone stole this bike, they left it right under some security cameras.

Abandoned bike at Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing NJ - Photo: Chris Coleman
Abandoned bike at Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing NJ - Photo: Chris Coleman
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Intrigued, and at this point on a scavenger hunt, I continued.

In front of the old Sears store, someone has decided to start an artificial flower garden.

Artificial flower garden at Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing - Photo: Chris Coleman
Artificial flower garden at Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing - Photo: Chris Coleman
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This doesn't appear to be a roadside memorial and I don't recall anything tragic ever happening at Sears. I'm sure someone will tell me if I'm wrong.

As you make your way around the front of the mall, this is where they have heavily invested in traffic control devices.

Stop, stop! - Photo: Chris Coleman
Stop, stop! - Photo: Chris Coleman
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And there is also a bizarre collection of random chairs everywhere.

Have a seat at Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing NJ - Photo: Chris Coleman
Have a seat at Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing NJ - Photo: Chris Coleman
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There's one over here, too.

Have a seat at Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing NJ - Photo: Chris Coleman
Have a seat at Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing NJ - Photo: Chris Coleman
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And while not a "treasure" that I found, I had to laugh at the very non-Macy's-like scribble on one of the delivery ramps at Macy's.

Not sure if anyone can use this or not - Photo: Chris Coleman
Not sure if anyone can use this or not - Photo: Chris Coleman
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And so while the Hamilton Mall can be quite adventurous, what about some ideas to turn it around?

Attention Shoppers: 14 Ways to Revitalize Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing, NJ

So how can Hamilton Mall be revitalized and become a giant hub of shopping for all of South Jersey? Let's make it a destination.

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