26 Things Every NJ Kid Remembers From the 1980s

If you grew up in New Jersey in the 1980s, you already know what a spectacular era that was. We didn't know how good we had it.

You remember your parents dragging you to who knows how many department stores for everything you needed for back to school (yes, Sears literally had everything before it was cool for stores to have everything under one roof).

And speaking of Sears, you probably remember strolling through your favorite mall. And you remember all of the stores that you used to visit. I also remember playing a short concert at the Deptford Mall when I was in Radix Elementary School in Williamstown (boy, were the acoustics wonderful - lol).

Echelon Mall in NJ - Photo: Chris Coleman

Not to mention the technology of the time. I remember my parents buying our first VCR; I think it was about $1,000. And I still remember visiting the video store on the Black Horse Pike in Williamstown to pick out the first movie that I ever rented -- it was some Charlie Brown cartoon.

And then there was Atari. If you were a kid in the 80s, Atari was amazing (I still have my original Atari 2600 with all of the original games and everything). Sure, it's comical to look back at it now, but the Atari version of Pac Man, as awful as it was, was pretty cool back in the day.

The 80s get romanticized a lot and most of it is well deserved.

Of course, growing up in New Jersey also meant summers on any number of beaches and boardwalks. Hunt's Pier in Wildwood is at the top of my list. I also vaguely remember walking through the Playboy Casino in Atlantic City when I was a kid.

With those memories in mind, let's take a stroll through this walk back in time...

Chris Coleman is a South Jersey native and has been a cornerstone of the Atlantic City radio market since 1998. He serves as Brand Manager for WPG Talk Radio 95.5 and afternoon on-air personality for Cat Country 107.3. A five-time President's Circle award winner and Townsquare Media's 2024 Content Creator of the Year, Chris covers news, events, and stories of interest across Southern New Jersey. Story tips: chris.coleman@townsquaremedia.com