N.J. World Cup games will be in a county that bans most shopping on Sundays

"The stadium sits on state land inside a county that enforces 1700s-era blue laws, which limit what people can buy on the Christian Sabbath. Sales of clothing, furniture, home decor, appliances and building supplies are off-limits on county land, making the laws some of the strictest in the nation. Grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and other "essential" businesses are allowed to remain open."

"But just outside the stadium, past a few parking lots, is the anchor of the resistance to Bergen County's laws: the American Dream mall. The 3-million-square-foot shopping and entertainment center, located in the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, is locked in a divisive court battle over its decision to sell goods on Sundays."

"The outcome of the case, which is scheduled to be argued before a judge Friday, could alter the retail landscape and consumer behavior in one of New York City's most populated suburbs. Some have defended the owners of the nation's second-largest mall and argued that any retailer in the county should be able to sell what they want, when they want. Others want to keep the blue laws in place, saying they offer an important respite from consumerism in one of the most consumer-oriented parts of America."

"For decades, shopping in Bergen County malls or retail stores on a Sunday resembled museum visits: Certain areas were physically roped off while others remained accessible. The law is a throwback to a time when many U.S. municipalities restricted commerce on Sunday to respect religious tradition"

MetLife Stadium sits on state land within Bergen County, where 1700s-era blue laws limit purchases on Sundays. Clothing, furniture, home decor, appliances, and building supplies cannot be sold on county land, while essential businesses such as grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations may remain open. The American Dream mall in East Rutherford is located just outside the stadium area and is involved in a court dispute over its decision to sell goods on Sundays. The scheduled court argument could change retail options and consumer behavior across a densely populated New York suburb. Supporters of Sunday sales argue retailers should be able to sell when they want, while supporters of the laws say they provide relief from consumerism.

Read at The Washington Post