The mall first opened on Labor Day Weekend of 1977. It was built on top of a wetland, which was not protected in New Jersey until 1988 with the passage of the New Jersey Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act, and the former Dover city landfill. A time capsule was enclosed in the interior of the mall, marked with a plaque. The contents were unveiled on August 22, 2000. Upon opening, the mall contained five large sculptures by Rita Blitt. Most were located on the first floor and reached up through openings to the second. A twenty-foot stainless steel and brass American flag hung from the ceiling. The silhouette of one of these sculptures, the yellow Stablitt 55, became the mall's original logo. Although the other sculptures have been removed, Stablitt 55 still stands outside the mall, on the corner near the three-store strip at the entrance off the main road. Major stores that have since closed include: Bamberger's which was in the location currently occupied by Macy's, Hahne's which was in the location currently occupied by Lord & Taylor, Child World, which was occupied by Kids "R" Us after Child World went out of business in 1992, though was occupied by Office Depot after the majority of standalone KRU locations closed in 2003. AMC Theatres had screens 1–6 in the location currently occupied by Forever 21 located inside the mall, as well as screens 7–12 in the location currently occupied by Best Buy in one of the strip malls located on the perimeter road. The 1–6 screens closed in 1998 and the 7–12 screens in 2002. When the theaters originally expanded from 6 screens to 12 in February 1981, it became the first 12-screen multiplex in America. On August 25, 2009, a small plane crash-landed in the parking lot. The only injury was the pilot, who walked away and was treated. In 2016, Sears subleased part of the lower level to Raymour & Flanigan. On December 18, 2017, The Cheesecake Factory opened at Rockaway Townsquare located on the lower level of the mall. On December 3, 2018, Simon Property Group announced that it will renovate the food court and children's play area at Rockaway Townsquare. Construction began in January 2019 and finished by Fall 2019. On January 28, 2019, it was announced that PF Chang's will open across from the Cheesecake Factory, however, those plans have since been cancelled. In August 2019, Party City opened in the former toys r us. On July 1, 2020, Sears announced that it's store would be closing as part of a plan to close 28 stores nationwide. This store will be closing on September 13, 2020 after being at the mall for 43 years since it opened along with the rest of the mall.
Expansion
The mall has undergone several expansions since it opened. These include a strip mall in the southeast corner of the property, and a Hilton Garden Inn. The Shops at Rockaway Mall, a strip mall, opened in the corner near Interstate 80.
In popular culture
A scene from the 1984 film Firstborn starring Sarah Jessica Parker features Parker's character Lisa shopping at Rockaway Mall.
