Downtown Jersey City shopping news you can use.

While word is a new Hollister store is a year away in SoHo, Newport Mall's massive first-floor branch will be opening this summer - they're hiring now - as the mall continues its shift from downscale 20th Century local residents to upscale 21st Century local residents whose children want to dress slutty. The anchoring of Macy's helped make this evolution possible and with more recent additions like Sephora and Coach still in existence (Tommy Hilfiger before them was short-lived here) the mall's clearly building up from the lower end of Short Hills.

The plywood is down too on Hale & Hearty Soups in the third floor food court but now it's just barren but for Help Wanted signs. Apparently the approach of a girl sitting behind the counter reading a book, a stack of applications on the counter in front of her, was no more effective.

There is paper up though on two windowfronts down our block on Washington Street between Morris and Sussex Streets where outdoor brunch spots John's, Light Horse Tavern and Triumph congregate, bringing what appears to be some retail destinations to browse on weekends. Signs were in the window for a matter of hours before the paper replaced them - one was for something called Citiroots and the other for a baby shop - anyone have more details?