American Dream Mall Sued Over Bergen County Blue Laws and Sunday Shopping Ban

In a stark illustration of how historical legislation can intersect with contemporary commerce, the massive American Dream mall in New Jersey is currently embroiled in a legal dispute over alleged violations of the county’s blue laws. This high-profile case pits one of the nation’s largest retail and entertainment complexes against long-standing local statutes that prohibit certain commercial activities on Sundays, highlighting the enduring relevance of such regulations in specific jurisdictions.

• The American Dream mall faces a lawsuit in Bergen County Superior Court over Sunday blue law violations.
• The suit alleges the complex has systematically disregarded prohibitions on selling non-essential goods.
• Key defendants include Ameream (the mall’s owner), East Rutherford borough, and the NJSEA.
• Blue laws, rooted in 17th-century English Sabbath traditions, are uniquely enforced in specific New Jersey localities, including Bergen County.
• Bergen County voters have twice rejected proposals to lift the Sunday shopping ban, demonstrating local support.
• American Dream counters that the blue laws do not apply to its state-owned property.

The Lawsuit Against American Dream

Filed in Bergen County Superior Court, the lawsuit asserts that the retail and entertainment complex, home to approximately 120 stores, has systematically disregarded Bergen County’s established blue laws. These regulations specifically restrict or prohibit the Sunday sale of non-essential goods, such as clothing, a practice the suit alleges has been ongoing for months. The legal action names Ameream, the Delaware LLC that owns the mall, as a primary defendant, alongside the borough of East Rutherford and the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA), which owns and leases property to the mall.

Historical Context of Blue Laws

Originating from 17th-century English Sabbath laws designed to promote a day of rest, blue laws have a deep historical lineage in the United States. While the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the constitutionality of states enforcing a mandatory day of rest, their practical application has largely diminished over the 20th century, with many jurisdictions repealing or simply ignoring them. New Jersey, however, stands out as one of the few states that continues to enforce such statutes in specific localities. Notably, Bergen County voters have twice, in 1980 and 1993, rejected proposals to lift the Sunday shopping ban, underscoring local commitment to the regulations.

Mall’s Defense and Broader Implications

An American Dream spokesperson has dismissed the lawsuit as a “meritless political stunt driven by private competitors’ interests.” The mall contends that Bergen County’s blue laws do not apply to state-owned property, arguing that retail sales have historically occurred on Sundays for decades on the specific land where American Dream operates. This assertion sets the stage for a judicial examination of the precise applicability of these historical statutes to modern, state-leased commercial developments, potentially impacting how retail operations are conducted in areas with similar legislative legacies.