Paramus hits American Dream mall with lawsuit over Sunday store openings in blue law battle
PARAMUS, NJ — Paramus is taking its fight to court after discovering that more than 100 stores inside the American Dream mega-mall have been operating on Sundays for nearly a year—despite Bergen County’s historic blue laws that ban most retail sales on that day.
The town filed a four-count lawsuit in Bergen County Superior Court targeting the mall’s developer, Ameream, as well as Bergen County officials, East Rutherford—the town where the mall is located—and the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which owns the land. Paramus is demanding that the court step in and stop Sunday retail activity immediately, calling it a direct violation of county law and a “public nuisance.”
In the suit, Paramus is seeking court-ordered enforcement, along with daily fines that could escalate into thousands of dollars for each Sunday the rules are broken. The town is also asking the court to officially declare the mall’s Sunday retail operations illegal and subject to closure.
Blue laws in Bergen County, in place since the 17th century, prohibit the sale of nonessential goods such as clothing, furniture, and appliances on Sundays. Exceptions include groceries, pharmacies, and entertainment venues, which is how American Dream’s indoor amusement parks and water features continue to operate legally on that day.
However, Paramus officials claim American Dream is going well beyond those exemptions by opening more than 120 retail stores every Sunday. Large signage on the property reportedly advertises Sunday retail hours, and the mall has publicly promoted weekend shopping through digital listings and advertisements.
According to the lawsuit, Paramus believes the mall’s Sunday operations undermine the county-wide tradition and create an unfair advantage over retailers in towns that comply with the ban. Paramus is home to three major shopping malls that observe the blue laws, including Westfield Garden State Plaza, which remains closed on Sundays.
The suit accuses Bergen County and East Rutherford of failing to enforce compliance and allowing the mall to continue operating outside the bounds of local law. It remains unclear whether any of the entities named in the lawsuit will contest the allegations or attempt to mediate a resolution before the matter proceeds in court.
No hearing date has been scheduled. The lawsuit is the latest flashpoint in an ongoing regional debate about the future of Bergen County’s blue laws, which have survived multiple repeal attempts and remain a defining feature of local commerce.