“Petal” is a beautiful bronze statue of an elephant with a boy on her back that was cast in 1982 by a foundry in Chester PA and installed at The Burlington Center, a now abandoned mall in Burlington County NJ. The mall was sold with the statue inside and the new owners gave the statue to the Arts Alliance in Burlington but their original plans to display the statue on the Riverfront in Burlington were changed when the artist, Zenos Frudakis who created “Petal” told them it would be better to keep the statue inside to protect it against degradation from rain, snow, temperature changes and local gang-bangers if it was kept outside. 
In January of 2018, frozen pipes burst, damaging the fire alarm system, forcing officials to finally close the Burlington Center Mall. Petal became the last inhabitant and orphaned. The malls owners, Moonbeam Capital Investments, offered to donate the elephant to any organization free of charge, providing the new owners would move the one-ton, 11-feet-high, and 8-feet-wide statue. The New Jersey Arts Guild, a nonprofit organization in Burlington City, took on the project. On Feb. 3, 2019, during a snow storm, Petal was loaded on a flatbed truck and made a 50 trip to Chester, Pa. to Laran Bronze, a foundry at 310 East 6th Street, Chester, PA–19013 610 874-4414, 610 874-4844 fax: laranbronze@nullcomcast.net, for restoration. The Rotary of Burlington financed the majority of this on behalf of the guild. The Arts Guild hopes that city officials will decide on a final location near or within Riverfront Park.
Artist Zenos Frudakis has established a GoFundMe page for Petal’s restoration and move. For Emporium, located in shoppers who wish to assist the Arts Guild specifically with this project, a donation jar for Petal will be on site during the month of June.
Also, the Emporium’s seasonal display case for the month of June, 2019 will be filled with elephants and other wildlife. The multi-dealer shop is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours until 7 p.m. on Thursdays. The Emporium is located at 424 High St., Burlington City, N.J.
For additional information, call 609-474-8333.
In November, 2019, a new proposal was introduced for the redevelopment of the mall, including retail, restaurants, 400 to 500 housing units and several large warehouses.[20]
A beautiful mall with many, many great stores and a great set of restaurants on the second floor Food Court.
Gang-Bangers Controversy
The mall was closed early on January 13, 2007, due to gang-related violence that may have involved 20 or more individuals connected with the Bloods and the Next Level Gang (considered a stepping stone to the Crips). Workers were warned to be careful leaving and travelling home. A sad day in Burlington.
A small glass building could do the job to house the elephant but so far the statue remains safe in storage.
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