Walk into The Mills at Jersey Gardens on a Saturday afternoon and your ears will ring. It’s loud. It is a chaotic, sprawling, multi-level maze of deal-seekers, and right at the heart of that ecosystem is the Burlington Jersey Gardens Mall location. Honestly, if you’re looking for a peaceful, curated boutique experience, this isn't it. But if you want a designer coat for $60 or a set of high-end cookware that fell off a metaphorical truck (legally, of course), this is the ground zero of discount retail in New Jersey.
People travel from all over the world to shop here. Seriously. You’ll see tourists from Brazil and Europe dragging literal suitcases through the aisles of Burlington. They aren't just browsing; they are on a mission to fill those bags before heading back to Newark Liberty International Airport, which is conveniently just a stone's throw away across the highway.
The Burlington at Jersey Gardens is different from your neighborhood Burlington. It’s a "high-volume" store. This means the inventory flips faster than a pancake on a Sunday morning. What you see at 10:00 AM might be in someone’s trunk by noon. It’s a retail environment that rewards the aggressive and the patient simultaneously.
The Tax-Free Advantage Everyone Forgets
New Jersey has a bit of a reputation for high taxes, but when it comes to the Burlington Jersey Gardens Mall experience, the state actually does you a favor. There is no sales tax on clothing and footwear in NJ. None. Zero.
When you combine Burlington’s already slashed prices with a 0% tax rate, the math starts looking very attractive. Think about it. If you’re buying $500 worth of back-to-school clothes for three kids, you’re saving forty or fifty bucks just by standing on the Jersey side of the Hudson River. This is exactly why the parking lot is a sea of New York license plates. New Yorkers hate paying the 8.875% tax in the city, so they hop the Goethals Bridge and storm the Burlington racks instead.
It’s worth noting that the mall itself is an "Urban Enterprise Zone." This usually means a reduced sales tax on other items—like home goods or toys—often around 3.3125% instead of the usual 6.625%. At Burlington, which sells a massive amount of home decor and baby gear, those pennies add up. You’re basically getting a discount on top of a discount just for showing up.
Navigation is a Survival Skill
Let’s talk about the layout because it’s easy to get turned around. This Burlington is massive. It’s situated on the upper level of the mall, near the entrance that leads toward the AMC movie theater.
The store is roughly divided into worlds. You have the "Man Cave" section which is surprisingly robust for a discount flyer. Then there’s the women’s department, which feels like it spans several zip codes. The baby section—Burlington’s old bread and butter back when they were "Burlington Coat Factory"—is still one of the best places in the tri-state area to find strollers and crib bedding without losing your mind over the price tag.
- Pro Tip: Don't grab a cart if you're just looking for one thing. The aisles can get tight when the mall is busy, and navigating a bulky plastic cart through a crowd of shoppers is a specialized skill most people don't possess.
- Timing: If you go on a Tuesday morning, the store is your oyster. If you go on a Sunday at 3:00 PM, God bless you. The lines for the fitting rooms can get legendary, and the checkout queue sometimes snakes all the way back into the luggage department.
What You’ll Actually Find on the Racks
Burlington doesn't do "fake" discounts. They buy overstock and end-of-season goods from major department stores. We're talking brands like Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors, and Nike. At the Burlington Jersey Gardens Mall branch, the selection of heavy outerwear is particularly deep. Maybe it’s the proximity to the coast, or maybe it’s just the sheer size of the store, but the coat selection here remains elite.
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You’ll find puffer jackets that should cost $200 sitting there for $79. You’ll see name-brand sneakers for $35. But there’s a catch: the "treasure hunt" aspect is real. You might find a gorgeous Italian leather handbag, but it’ll be the only one in the store. If you put it down to "think about it," it will be gone by the time you turn around. That’s the Burlington law.
The home goods section is a sleeper hit here. People sleep on it because they’re too busy looking at sneakers. You can find high-thread-count sheets, ergonomic pillows, and kitchen gadgets that look like they belong in a fancy Williams-Sonoma catalog. They also have a weirdly great selection of gourmet snacks and coffee syrups near the checkout line. It’s how they get you.
Why This Specific Location Outlasts the "Retail Apocalypse"
We’ve all seen the headlines about malls dying. Malls across America are being turned into pickleball courts and data centers. So why is Jersey Gardens—and specifically its Burlington—thriving?
It’s the ecosystem. The Mills at Jersey Gardens is an outlet mall, but it's indoors. In the Northeast, weather is a huge factor. When it’s snowing or 100 degrees outside, people want climate-controlled shopping. Burlington acts as an "anchor-lite." It provides the value that draws the budget-conscious shopper, while the nearby luxury outlets provide the aspiration.
Moreover, the staff here are retail veterans. They deal with thousands of people daily. While some reviews might complain about the messiness—and let's be real, the shoe department can look like a tornado hit it by 6:00 PM—the sheer volume of merchandise they process is staggering. They are constantly restocking. If a rack is empty, wait ten minutes. A rolling rack of new arrivals will likely appear from the back.
Common Misconceptions About Shopping Here
A lot of people think Burlington only sells "factory seconds" or items with defects. That's mostly a myth. While a "B-grade" item might slip in occasionally (usually marked with a specific tag), the vast majority of the stock is simply "past season." Retailers like Macy’s or Nordstrom need to clear their floors for new arrivals every few months. They sell the "old" stuff to Burlington in bulk.
Another misconception is that the prices are the same as the Burlington in a quiet suburb. Usually, they are, but the clearance section at the Jersey Gardens location is often more aggressive. They need to move units to make room for the next truckload. If something hasn't sold in two weeks, they mark it down ruthlessly.
Essential Logistics for Your Visit
Parking at Jersey Gardens can be a nightmare. There, I said it. If you are going specifically for Burlington, try to park in the multi-level garage on the side closest to the theater. It’s usually easier to find a spot on the upper levels, and you won't have to walk a mile just to get to the entrance.
The mall has free Wi-Fi, which is helpful because cell service inside the giant concrete box of Burlington can be spotty. You'll want that Wi-Fi to price-check items on your phone. Most of the time, Burlington wins, but it’s always satisfying to see that an item is selling for double the price on Amazon.
- Check the hours: They typically open at 10:00 AM, but holiday hours vary wildly.
- Bring your own bags: While they provide them, New Jersey has strict plastic bag laws. Having a sturdy reusable bag will save you from carrying a flimsy paper bag that might rip under the weight of three pairs of jeans.
- The "Hold" Policy: Generally, they don't do it. If you want it, buy it. You can always return it later (check the receipt for the 30-day window), but you can't come back for it tomorrow.
The Strategy for Maximum Savings
If you want to win at Burlington Jersey Gardens Mall, you have to be tactical. Start at the very back of the store in the clearance sections. Work your way forward. The stuff at the front is what they want you to buy because it’s the newest and highest margin. The stuff at the back is what they need you to buy to clear space.
Check the labels. Look for the "Compare At" price, but take it with a grain of salt. Do your own quick search. Look for "Irregular" stamps—these are rare but mean there's a slight stitch out of place. If you can find the flaw and it’s hidden (like on the inside of a hem), you’ve just found a massive bargain.
The baby department is particularly good for "big ticket" items. If you’re looking for a car seat or a high chair, they often have last year's color model for $50 to $100 less than the big-box stores. Safety standards don't change every year, but colors do. If you don't mind a "navy blue" stroller when "midnight blue" is the new trend, you're going to save a lot of money.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Trip
- Sign up for the loyalty program before you go. It’s simple, but it occasionally triggers "bonus" notifications or extended return windows that are actually useful.
- Wear comfortable shoes. You will easily clock 5,000 steps just walking from the parking lot through Burlington and back.
- Go solo or with a focused partner. Shopping here is a sport. Bringing kids or someone who hates browsing will only slow you down and lead to "mall fatigue" before you find the good stuff.
- Inspect every inch. Because it’s a high-volume store, items get handled a lot. Check for missing buttons or stuck zippers before you head to the register.
- Check the "New Arrivals" racks near the fitting rooms. This is where the stuff people tried on and liked (but maybe didn't fit) ends up. It’s a curated shortcut to the best items in the store.
Shopping at Burlington in Jersey Gardens isn't just a trip to the store; it's a social experiment in modern commerce. It's loud, it's crowded, and it's a bit overwhelming, but it is undeniably one of the most effective ways to stretch a dollar in the entire New York metropolitan area. Set a budget before you walk in, or you’ll leave with a trunk full of things you didn't know you needed.