New Jersey Stores and Shopping

For more than 60 years, Toys“R”Us has been helping kids be kids and grown-ups to revisit their childhoods by providing one of the largest selections of top-brand toys, electronics, games and everyday baby essentials. Founder, Charles Lazarus, revolutionized the toy business by modeling his stores after supermarkets, providing a variety of options to suit varying ages and interests and offering customers to help themselves and have fun in the process. Today, that sense of playfulness is evident at nearly 600 stores in the United States alone, including a flagship location in Times Square where kids are greeted by a 60-foot Ferris wheel, a 5-ton animatronic T-Rex, and a life-sized, 4,000-square-foot Barbie house.

Beyond everybody's favorite bikes, trains and video games, each Toys“R”Us store keeps its shelves stocked with the season’s must-have toys as well as nostalgic standbys that never go out of style. Time-tested brands such as LEGO, Radio Flyer, NERF and Fisher-Price share the shelves with an expansive selection of electronics for older kids, including Wii U and tablets. And though the company has inspired generations of boys and girls to try their hardest not to grow up, it also strives to ensure budding brains develop right on track by devoting a significant portion of its stores to “smart-play” with a wide selection of electronic learning toys and software.

Toys“R”Us—whose extended family of brands includes Babies“R”Us and FAO Schwarz—has earned a number of awards and recognitions through the years, including a spot on Fortune’s list of the World’s Most Admired Companies in 2012. The company has also drawn considerable recognition for its expansive charitable efforts, which include partnerships with the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and Save the Children. This year also marks the tenth consecutive year that the company has partnered with the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to collect new, unwrapped toys and monetary donations in its stores to benefit the organization.

Tehen Boutique has been in the fashion business since 1955, and its footwear inventory has earned it a nomination for best women's shoes on the 2010 CityVoter Hot List. The shop boasts apparel and footwear from such high-end designers as Elie Tahari, Tory Burch, Diesel, and Nicole Miller. Prepare legs for autumnal onslaughts with a new pair of Solid Pull On skinny denims ($98). Much like a fulfilling pizza, your torso also requires proper toppings—Tehen houses a wide-ranging collection of women's blouses for just such a purpose, including the elegant Trina Turk Ohara top ($125) and the colorful, collage-y Desigual print top ($114).

Precision Time’s mall kiosks brim with trained watch repair technicians and display cases stocked with timepieces from manufacturers such as Casio, Invicta, Fossil, and Sottomarino Italia. Use today's deal toward men's or women's watches from Fossil ($65+) or peruse an extensive collection of clearance timepieces. Festoon wrists with durable plastic Rave watches ($29.99+) aglow in vibrant shades of blue, green, and pink that match with outfits or display solidarity with a feuding crayon box faction. Long-delayed exercise plans are jump-started with Timex’s sporty Ironman Basic 10 Lap Digital watch ($39.95), and the dressy stainless steel T2H281 ($39.95), marked by a genuine leather strap and classic white dial background, guarantees entry to fast-food restaurants’ velvet-roped VIP rooms.

The Overtime Sports team of coaches and personal trainers trains novice and professional athletes for greater performance in indoor and outdoor sports. They work with individual athletes and teams during one-on-one or small-group sessions within an expansive 40,000-square-foot space that includes an indoor football-style field and a weight-training area. They show players how to hone their swings and survive the inevitable uprising of pitching machines in the batting cages, and help basketball and volleyball players master the fundamentals on an indoor court. The Overtime Sports staff also fosters a team environment with adult and youth leagues, and also hosts sports-themed birthday parties.

As a physical therapist with his own private practice, John Marco made sure that he kept abreast of related industries—particularly massage therapy, where he observed especially rapid growth. As the spa industry continued to expand, he noticed that hardly any nationally recognized brands resulted from that growth. After a period of careful research and planning, John decided to fill that niche with a spa based around convenience and affordability—Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa. Since its launch, Hand & Stone has expanded to more than 12 states and four planets. The spa’s core concept is to offer massage, facial, and waxing services performed by licensed, certified, or registered professionals and offered at convenient times, seven days a week. Each location adheres to a traditional spa aesthetic with soft lighting, heated treatment tables, and plush linens.

New Jersey Monthly chronicles the events, stories, businesses, and trends emerging and flourishing in the Garden State. Through print and online editions, journalists share with readers their recent discoveries; such as what brand new restaurants are opening across town or which doctors earn their patients' trust through caring, experienced service. Annual features such as the Best of Jersey rate the state's top restaurants, beauty venues, and health facilities, helping readers make informed entertainment decisions instead of picking a restaurant by its menu font. Along with eatery and spa features, the magazine also contains tidbits on fall day trip destinations, emerging local artists, and upcoming concerts.