Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus — Courtesy: Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield
By Joshua Burd
A fast-growing concept that combines Italian and American cuisine with bowling, bocce and banquet space is coming to Paramus’ iconic Westfield Garden State Plaza.
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, the mall’s owner, announced Wednesday that it has signed leases with Pinstripes Inc. to bring the experiential dining chain to both northern New Jersey and Los Angeles. Both represent first-to-market locations for the Chicago-based operator, which plans to open the new sites and three others in 2022, adding to its 12 existing locations.
“We’re so excited about this new partnership with Pinstripes as their unique offering is a perfect fit for the dynamic experiences we are creating at our flagship centers across the country,” said Colin Shaughnessy, executive vice president for U.S. leasing at URW. “As demand once again increases for places to gather — for business and pleasure — we look forward to introducing concepts like Pinstripes to our premier destinations, and providing new opportunities for our guests to shop, dine, work and play.”
Slated to open late next year, the Paramus location will join a dining and entertainment lineup at Garden State Plaza that includes Arena Stem, a retail edutainment concept, along with AMC and restaurants such as Capital Grille, California Pizza Kitchen and Grande Luxe Café, among others.
In Los Angeles, Pinstripes will be a part of a 180,000-square-foot expansion at Westfield Topanga that is currently under construction, according to a news release. The expansion includes demolition of a former department store building into a new, vibrant district at the corner of Victory and Topanga Canyon Boulevard that will feature a chef-driven food hall, lounges, cocktail bars and an AMC theater, among other offerings.
“We’re equally excited to work with the Westfield team to tailor our unique spin on dining and entertainment to two of the most dynamic centers in the U.S.,” said Dale Schwartz, founder and CEO of Pinstripes. “Our iconic venues feed the souls of our guests, young and old, and are yearned for more than ever in this post-COVID environment. We look forward to creating extraordinary, magical connections in these two communities — from the first strike, to the first bite, to the first kiss, to the first laugh — that bring out the best in everyone.”
