You've probably driven past it a thousand times if you live anywhere near Aberdeen, New Jersey. The Aberdeen Town Square Center, located right on Highway 35, is one of those places that feels like a permanent fixture of the local landscape, yet most people don't realize how much the retail climate there has shifted over the last few years. It's a shopping hub that sits at a weirdly specific intersection of suburban convenience and the harsh reality of modern brick-and-mortar economics.
Retail is changing. Fast.
If you grew up in Monmouth County, you remember when these types of strip centers were the absolute lifeblood of a Saturday afternoon. Now, they're transitioning into service-oriented hubs. You aren't just going there to "shop" in the 1990s sense of the word; you're going there to get your teeth cleaned, grab a quick workout, or pick up a very specific prescription.
The Layout and Why Location is Everything for Aberdeen Town Square Center
The center's biggest asset is, frankly, its proximity to the Garden State Parkway. It’s basically a stone's throw from Exit 117. That sounds like a boring real estate stat, but it’s the only reason the center has survived while other Monmouth County plazas have crumbled into vacant asphalt lots. It captures that "on the way home" traffic from commuters heading back from the city.
The Aberdeen Town Square Center is anchored by some heavy hitters, but the smaller storefronts are where the real story is.
You have the massive Stop & Shop, which basically acts as the gravitational pull for the entire property. Without that grocery store, the ecosystem would collapse. But look at the neighbors. You have a mix of everything from a Livoti’s Old World Market nearby—which, honestly, is a local legend for their catering—to various fitness centers and medical offices. It’s a classic "Value Add" property in real estate terms.
The Anchor Effect
Grocery stores like the one in Aberdeen create "sticky" foot traffic. People don't just visit once a month; they visit twice a week. This "halo effect" keeps the smaller tenants, like the local pizzeria or the nail salon, in business. However, there’s a tension here. As more people use grocery delivery services like Instacart, that foot traffic is thinning out. Small business owners in the center have to work twice as hard to get people to actually walk through their doors instead of just watching a delivery driver do it for them.
The Tenant Mix: More Than Just Groceries
What's actually inside?
It’s a bit of a grab bag. You have the Aberdeen Family Dental office, which is a perfect example of the "med-tail" trend—medical services moving into retail spaces because the parking is better and the rent is cheaper than a hospital-affiliated building. Then you've got the fitness crowd. Places like the local gym options give the center a different energy during the "off" hours when people aren't usually buying milk.
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- The Big Box Presence: Stop & Shop remains the king here. It’s large, relatively modern, and handles a massive volume.
- Service Providers: Think hair salons and dry cleaners. These are "Amazon-proof" businesses. You can't download a haircut.
- Dining: It's mostly quick-service stuff. You're getting a slice or a sandwich, not a five-course meal with a wine pairing.
Honestly, the food options are decent for a suburban strip, but they face stiff competition from the surrounding dining scenes in Matawan and Keyport. If you're looking for a sit-down experience, you're probably heading into the more historic downtown areas nearby. But for a Tuesday night when the fridge is empty? This center is the savior of the neighborhood.
Why Investors Keep Watching Aberdeen
Real estate developers look at the Aberdeen Town Square Center and see something different than we do. They see "redevelopment potential."
There has been a lot of chatter over the years about how to make these centers more "walkable" or "lifestyle-oriented." In places like Long Branch or even nearby Holmdel (think Bell Works), the trend is to turn everything into a mini-city. Aberdeen hasn't quite gone that far yet. It remains stubbornly, and perhaps refreshingly, a strip center. It knows what it is.
But the vacancy rates in New Jersey retail are a rollercoaster. According to market reports from firms like CoStar or Cushman & Wakefield, the North Jersey/Central Jersey retail corridor is seeing a flight to quality. If a landlord doesn't keep the facade clean or the parking lot paved, tenants flee. Fortunately, this center has stayed relatively well-maintained compared to some of the aging plazas further down Route 34.
The Misconceptions About Local Retail
People think retail is dying. It’s not. It’s just getting weirder.
The biggest misconception about the Aberdeen Town Square Center is that it’s just a place to buy things. It’s actually a community anchor. When the power goes out during a Jersey storm, this is where people go to charge phones and buy ice. It serves a civic function that often goes unmeasured in corporate profit-and-loss statements.
Also, let's talk about the "Matawan vs. Aberdeen" confusion. This center is firmly in Aberdeen, but the zip codes and town lines around here are so tangled that half the people calling it the "Matawan shopping center" are technically wrong but practically right. It serves the entire Bayshore region.
What's Next for the Property?
If you're a local resident or a business owner looking to set up shop, you have to look at the demographics. Aberdeen is getting younger.
As people get priced out of Brooklyn and Jersey City, they're moving down the Parkway. They want the same things they had in the city: good coffee, boutique fitness, and high-quality prepared foods. The Aberdeen Town Square Center is eventually going to have to pivot to meet those tastes. We’re already seeing it with the rise of more specialized food offerings and health-conscious services.
The "Old Guard" of retail—the dusty card shops and the generic clothing stores—are largely gone. What’s left is a leaner, more efficient version of suburban commerce.
Actionable Insights for Visitors and Business Owners
If you're frequenting the center or thinking about your own business strategy in the area, keep these points in mind:
For Locals:
Timing is everything with the Stop & Shop. Avoid the 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM rush when the Parkway commuters descend. If you’re looking for the freshest produce or a quiet shopping experience, Tuesday mornings are your best bet. Also, check out the smaller service businesses; many of them offer "local-only" discounts that aren't advertised on their websites.
For Prospective Business Owners:
Don't open a business that relies on "discovery." People don't wander through the Aberdeen Town Square Center just to browse. They go there with a specific mission. Your business needs to be a destination or a service that complements a grocery run. Think "convenience plus." If you can save someone a second stop on their way home, you'll win.
For Real Estate Watchers:
Keep an eye on the zoning board meetings in Aberdeen. Any talk of "mixed-use" or "residential density" near the center is a sign that property values are about to spike. If they ever decide to add apartments to these large retail footprints—a major trend in 2025 and 2026—the entire dynamic of Route 35 will change overnight.
The reality of the Aberdeen Town Square Center is that it’s a survivor. It’s adapted to the rise of e-commerce by leaning into things you have to do in person. It’s not flashy, and it doesn’t try to be a high-end mall, but it is a critical piece of the Monmouth County infrastructure that keeps the local economy moving.