U.S. strip malls suffer as retail tenants disappear

By Chelsea Emery

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Along a congested highway in New Jersey lies a small strip mall whose challenges illuminate those of malls throughout the the United States as their tenants are brought low by the economic slump.

In the past several weeks, the eight-store Paramus Towne Square mall in Paramus has seen the parent companies of two of its anchor stores, home goods seller Linens 'n Things and electronics center Circuit City, file for bankruptcy.

And, earlier this year, the mall had to find new tenants for a Borders bookstore, which closed when its parent company cut costs.

"If you are an owner of a mall or a small strip center, it's been a very difficult year and likely to get worse next year," said Mark Claster, a partner at the turnaround and financial advisor, Carl Marks Advisory Group LLC.

Even more so than mega-malls, strip malls -- with a dozen or so stores stretched along busy U.S. highways -- define the American retail landscape, and their owners are suffering.

"Landlords are taking a beating," said Bob Carbonell, chief credit officer for retail credit rating service Bernard Sands.

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