Johnson's Corner Farm

     Tuesday, May 20, 2025: When I read that Johnson’s Corner Farm, 133 Church Road, Medford, New Jersey (609-654-8643), has been listed as a major attraction in Burlington County, I decided to visit and see for myself. Anyway, I’ve liked visiting farm markets, regardless of whether they were a major attraction or not. At this farm, I could see why: There was something of interest for the whole family! Among the offerings were hayrides to the fields that the family could take to pick the latest crop in season together for the price of a ticket. (If nothing else, children could learn that food doesn’t start at the supermarket.) Another ticket included a chance to feed and pet farm animals; plus, children could be active in the Discovery Barnyard playground where they could pretend to be farmers. For adults without children along, there has been a sizable farm market that sold both edible and non-edible merchandise: produce, jarred foods-both sweet & savory, and baked goods, as well as sandwiches, salads, entrees for dinner, ice cream, candy, etc. In addition, the non-edible items included tableware, decorative stuff for the kitchen, flowers, and so forth. If the weather was good, visitors could eat what food they purchased inside at the picnic tables outside. Throughout the year, Johnson Corner Farm played host to different seasonable events. 

Grist Mill Antique Center

      Wednesday, May 7, 2025: Back in April, I visited Haddon Heights Antique Center. On the date above, after seeing Second Time Books earlier, I went to Pemberton (Burlington County), New Jersey, and I stopped into the Grist Mill Antiques Center, Route 616, 127 Hanover Street (609-726-1588). Similar to the Haddon Heights store, this was a dealers’ co-op but larger: 125 dealers compared to 80 in Haddon Heights. Nevertheless, although this store was bigger, I didn’t find it as varied in merchandise as the other store. I did not blame the vendors; however, it seemed that most of the merchandise was glassware. Now I didn’t mind because I enjoyed looking at glassware—and they even had uranium glass! The problem was that some of the aisles were too tight. I feared going through some of them. So I did not. Anyway, I would suggest that if you saw something you liked and might want to buy, but you had second thoughts about navigating in that area, then ask the staff for help. While glassware seemed to dominate the merchandise, this store did sell other stuff in between the glass: toys, jewelry, and accessories, as well as artwork, furniture, and other items including pottery, books, etc. While browsing, words such as “They don’t make that anymore,” crossed my mind often. I also learned that this store had played host to outdoor flea markets at different times of the year. Overall, this place offered plenty of eye candy, but just watch where you are going. 

Second Time Books

 

     Wednesday, May 7, 2025: Because the weather on the date above was nice, I went antiquing. The first place I visited was the area called Rancocas Woods Shopping District in Mount Laurel (Burlington County), New Jersey. Therefore, along Creek Road, roughly between Fleetwood Avenue and Rancocas Boulevard, I noticed more than a dozen different businesses: retail stores, eating places, service businesses, etc. housed in mostly log cabin-styled and other quaint-looking buildings. The bookworm in me stepped into Second Time Books, 114 Creek Road (856-234-9335). Here, I looked at room-upon-room and aisle-upon-aisle of (You guessed it!) books. They sold almost everything from old magazines to leather-bound antique books—and anything in between of different genres and subjects. If you couldn't find anything here, you weren't looking very well. They said that they had over 69,000 titles in stock, and I believed it. Meanwhile, other businesses along Creek Road included retail antique stores, art galleries, furniture, jewelry, clothing, home decor, crafts, and so on. I also glanced at close to six eating places, and in addition, Rancocas Woods played host to events throughout the year: farmers’ markets, car shows, block parties, and so forth. Even if nothing special was going on, it was still interesting to see this shopping district.

Moorestown Mall

     Thursday, May 1, 2025: In 1963, a few years after Cherry Hill Mall opened about three miles away, a new mall opened: Moorestown Mall, 400 New Jersey Route 38, Moorestown (Burlington County), NJ (856-231-4444). This mall always reminded me of a smaller version of Cherry Hill Mall, but in these last few decades, Moorestown Mall has had more ups and downs. Currently, it has been going up, but it needed more tenants to get back to its former glory between 1963 and into the 1990s. In late 1992, the mall had a fire and had to be renovated, but even then, it did get plenty of tenants. Then in the early decades of the 21st century, this mall started to decline, just like many other malls in the USA. Of course, in 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic didn’t help either. Nevertheless, this mall, on the date above, contained about 90 Stores, including a food court, a cinema, and a medical center. Inside, it looked like a typical mall with title floors, fountains, a bit of greenery here and there, and the usual mall stores that have been similar to other malls. If you are in the area, it is worthwhile to take a look. As for me, I’m glad to see one of the few shopping malls making a comeback!     

Audubon Day

     Sunday, April 27, 2025: On a technicality, my story began in Audubon (Camden County), New Jersey. In 1956, I arrived at the old Audubon Hospital, but I grew up in Clementon, NJ. Other than an occasional shopping trip to the old Black Horse Pike Shopping Center (nowadays it is called Audubon Crossings), I spent most of my childhood in or near Clementon. Anyway, April 26th was the birthday of John James Audubon(1785-1851), the author of Birds of America, and several towns picked that day to honor him, including Audubon. For 2025, the town had their first annual Audubon Day at the Francis J. Ward Recreation Center & Audubon Family Park, 602 Hampshire Avenue, (856-547-0711). Nevertheless, because of the threat of rain, those in power changed the event for the next day. Therefore, on the date above, I bought a sandwich from one of the close to a dozen food trucks, and I ate it inside the recreation center. Later, I looked at tables, inside and outside, promoting different groups and causes: 18 altogether, including a historical society, different departments for the borough, and other community organizations. In addition, I noticed about two dozen vendors selling their merchandise. Meanwhile, I also saw other events that included children’s games and live music—but I didn’t see anything promoting John James Audubon. However, this has been their first time running this celebration. So maybe things will be a bit different next year! 

Gabreil Daveis Tavern

     Saturday, April 26, 2025: The Gabreil Daveis Tavern, 500 Third Avenue, Glendora (Gloucester Township), Camden County, New Jersey (856-228-4000) dated back to 1756, and despite the name, the restored rooms looked more like a circa 1756 house than a tavern. On the day I was there, I toured the following rooms: a kitchen, a dining room, a parlor, and a reception area containing literature about this place as well as other nearby historic places. Meanwhile, on the date above, the Gloucester Township Historic & Scenic Preservation Committee played host to a colonial re-enactment. Besides touring the tavern, I noticed people dressed in 1700s-style clothing taking part in 18th century crafts and trades: blacksmith, archer, flintlock rifle shooting, tomahawk throwing, cannon shooting, basketry, beading, etc. For a charge, visitors could take part in some of these activities. This was the first time I’ve seen the public invited to try some of these crafts and trades! Although, I just looked around, I found what I saw worth my time.

   

Haddon Heights Antique Center

     Tuesday, April 15, 2025: For this date, I went to a totally different business for retail: an antiques & collectibles store—but what a store it was! The Haddon Heights Antique Center, 531 Clements Bridge Road (at the corner of East Atlantic Avenue), Barrington (Camden County), New Jersey (856-546-0555), was an antique and collectibles mega store. On three floors, I browsed at almost every kind of merchandise: tableware, artworks, and books, as well as furniture, clothing, toys, glassware, jewelry, seasonable items, etc. This “store” contained a co-op that included items from about 80 dealers displaying their wares. If you couldn’t find something to interest you here, then you weren't looking very hard. There were so many isles that you could get lost, and the staff suggested raising your voice a bit to get help to find your way out. In addition, Haddon Heights Antique Center often had sales almost everyday. I’ve seen large antique stores in Northern NJ, but this is the first time I have seen one closer to where I live. Thus, I have said this before about other large antique stores, and I’ll say it again: I felt like I was in a decorative arts museum—except that this art was for sale. If you are in Southern NJ, don’t miss it.