MOUNT HOLLY, N.J. – Burlington Stores is taking its headquarters — and thousands of future jobs — across the Delaware River.
The Fortune 500 retailer, which has long been headquartered in Burlington County, New Jersey, announced Thursday that it is relocating its corporate headquarters to Philadelphia’s University City neighborhood as part of a major investment expected to create at least 2,000 jobs over the next five years.
Pennsylvania Democrat Governor Josh Shapiro joined Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and company officials Thursday morning to celebrate the move.
Pennsylvania is sweetening the deal with $30 million in taxpayer incentives, according to NBC10: a $20 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant and another $10 million through the Pennsylvania First program.
Burlington is expected to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in the new Philadelphia operation.
“Pennsylvania is competing to win,” Shapiro declared, calling the Burlington move the city’s largest corporate headquarters relocation in years and arguing that his administration’s economic development strategy is making the Keystone State an attractive destination for major employers.
For New Jersey, however, Pennsylvania’s “win” comes at the Garden State’s expense.
The relocation represents another unwelcome economic headline for a state already wrestling with affordability concerns, high taxes and questions about its business climate.
And there’s no shortage of irony: Burlington Stores is leaving Burlington County.
New Jersey officials will now have to explain why one of the state’s most recognizable corporate names found greener pastures just a few miles across the Delaware.
Burlington is on the latest in a growing line of New Jersey companies to head for the exists or reduce their Garden State operations in recent weeks including HelloFresh, Mars, and Samsung.
BIG NEWS: @Burlington is moving from NJ to Philadelphia.
I’m with DCED Sec. Siger to announce a $370 MILLION deal that will move Burlington’s HQ to West Philly and bring 2,000 jobs to the city. WATCH: https://t.co/IvTKnKEwFO
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) September 3, 2026
