A rendering from 1954, showing the prospective "Paramus Bergen Center." Most of what is depicted here came to fruition. A second -west end- anchor store was completed 10 years after the mall's 1957 grand opening. However, the south parking area office tower would never be built.
Drawing from http://ntl.bts.gov/lib / "Shopping Centers: Locating Controlled Regional Centers" Eugene J. Kelley / 1956

By the time that the shopping hub was completed, its name had been changed to BERGEN MALL. Stern Brothers (a.k.a. "Stern's") anchored the complex with a huge 4-level, 320,000 square foot store. The high-end ultra-modern structure was the second branch in the New Jersey-based chain.

Photo from Allied Stores Corporation Annual Report 1957

 

The first six stores in BERGEN MALL opened in November 1957. The shopping venue was one of -if not- the first in the nation (or world) to be officially promoted as a quote-unquote "Mall." The complex, depicted in this circa-1958 plan, encompassed approximately 902,800 leasable square feet and contained over 100 stores and services.

BERGEN MALL TENANTS 1958:

STERN'S (with Beauty Salon, Skyline Restaurant, Coffee Shop, Basement Store and freestanding Auto Center) / J.J. NEWBERRY 5 & 10 (with William Tally House restaurant and Snack Bar) / A.S. Beck Shoes / Baker's Shoes / Barricini Candy / Brill Hardware / Broadstreet's men's wear / Cards Galore / Chandler's Shoes / Fanny Farmer Candies / Finley-Straus Jewelers / Horn & Hardart Retail Store / Kinney Shoes / Konner's Apparel / Lady Rose Specialty Shop / Law, Incorporated men's wear / Lerner Shops ladies' wear / Lobel's Youth Center / Maisel Restaurant / Melburn Specialty Shop / Miles Shoes / Milmar Hosiery Shop / Miss Josephine Gifts / National Key Company / National Shirt Shops / Paris Hats / Ripley's Men's Store / Rose's Specialty Shop / Slenderella Figure Salon / Stenchever's Shoes & Women's Apparel / Taft Cleaners / Teen Towners Shoes / The Corset Bar / Thom McAn Shoes / The Midland Bank / Tony Richard Ties / Trepel Florist / US Post Office / Veltri Travel Bureau

BERGEN MALL FOOD CENTER

Food Fair supermarket / Penn Fruit supermarket / Walgreen Drug (with luncheonette)