History: Renovation of Airport Plaza, Hazlet (1976-77)

Plaza Arena opened at Airport Plaza in early 1977.

Victor Scudiery, owner of Interstate Electronics Inc (IEI), bought Airport Plaza in February 1976 for $700,000 and proceeded to renovate what had become a rundown shopping center. According to page 6 of the 27 October 1976 edition of The Independent, W T Grant's bankruptcy had left a big vacancy in the 20 year old retail site, so Scudiery made space for smaller stores and added professional offices. Marvin Schneider of Matawan signed a lease to bring a roller rink to fill a large vacancy; the Plaza Arena was set to open in January 1977. (The photo above, which appeared on page 7 of the 16 March 1977 edition of the Independent, featured Carol Shepherd, skating instructor, with her two students, Larry Wolfe and Jill Schoellner.) Scudiery even moved his own business from Keyport into the shopping center. All the improvements convinced charter stores Rite Aid and Thom McAn shoes to stay.