Phillipsburg NJ Logistics and Distribution Hubs {VLOG}
In today’s NJroute22.com VLOG – we’re going to talk about how the Phillipsburg, NJ area is primed to become a big logistics and distribution hub in the future.
As you might be aware – we’ve been talking a bit about how “retail” businesses are starting to evaporate in this country. In particular, some “big box” stores in the Phillipsburg, NJ vicinity in the western-most portion of The Garden State.
But in the near future – this area will have FIVE massive “logistics centers,” which in our opinion are the modern way of saying “warehouses.” They were (and still are) also called “distribution centers.” Anything to make the dingy warehouse sound more important, right?
I guess with today’s technology it’s probably accurate to call them by the new names. Nothing is just boxes on shelves anymore. There is SO MUCH more behind this industry.
From none to FIVE massive hubs in short order
A few years ago – this area had NO major “hubs” or logistics centers. Even common map programs online still do not show them
This is what this area looked like just a short while ago.
Now there are FOUR with a fifth one coming aboard.
As of October 2020 – there are FOUR big warehouses with approximately 2 million square feet of space.
The latest logistics center to the east will have over 500,000 square feet of space in the summer of 2021.
No word on exactly who will fill these spaces – and how many jobs will come to the region.
Are “distribution centers” what our country is ultimately becoming?
What we’re witnessing here is the “changing of the guards.”
A slow change, that is for sure.
Old brick and mortar businesses really don’t have much of a chance these days, in our opinion. They’re just not cost-effective anymore. Maybe for a little while – but this doesn’t seem sustainable as other crafty businesses figure out ways to undercut the existing business AND offer convenient perks.
So as stores shut down one by one – we’ll start seeing these massive centers opening up. Many prudent businesspeople are years ahead in fact.
And the mall and retail jobs will eventually be just jobs at a warehouse. Most likely paying more – but certainly not as interesting and fun, that is for sure.
What if everything is just online with delivery in the future?
Some argue that there will ALWAYS be a need for at least SOME “brick and mortar” stores – such as food.
But even those are getting challenged by online entities. Heck, even cars can be bought (and test-driven) online.
We went through this thought-experiment in our head recently. Online shopping offers incredible “perks” these days (free shipping and returns – plus much much more), it’s getting harder and harder to justify any overhead expense when it can be done cheaper in other ways.
And when drones start delivering in an hour or less – we got some serious issues.
It may be at least a decade away – but the tide is definitely turning towards this “DIGITAL” model of consumerism.
Heck, even the little guys selling things are all doing them via Shopify, Amazon, or eBay.
What will the world be like if there were literally NO stores? Just logistics warehouses and shipping companies?
We suppose there still will be stores – but they’ll be selling “experiences.” Or maybe unique artwork. Who knows.
Perhaps this is how things MUST happen in the future. Because some enterprising people figured out how to not only make things cheaper – but also MONOPOLIZE the business world.
What would it take to reverse this trend? Anything? A massive EMP that sets humanity back 200 years?
