Home Care In Moorestown, NJ

Ryfe Bar and Restaurant is coming to Moorestown NJ, taking over the recently closed Hash House A Go-Go location in the Moorestown Mall.

This would be the second location for Ryfe who just a few years ago opened in Atlantic City, where they’ve quickly gained accolades for their delicious smash burgers, seafood.. and just being an amazing casual, neighborhood style pub.

For the Moorestown location the Legal notice for the plenary liquor license transfer was posted last week, but credit goes to Patch.com for attending the meeting, and being the first media outlet to get the news out about the upcoming Moorestown location.

The upcoming Burlington County Ryfe is moving fast on their plans to open, as they’ve already created a location page at their website announcing a March 2024 opening timeframe!

Additionally they are already actively hiring for positions including the restaurant General Manager as well as bartenders and servers. (Indeed.com)

This would seem to indicate that Ryfe Moorestown is not targeting a larger remodel of the mall location, mostly going with a design that’s similar to what was there for Hash House. I have a message into ownership for more details.

As mentioned the space in the mall was previously home to Hash House A Go Go. They originally operated with a liquor license but gave that up during the pandemic. They reopened later (just a year ago) as a BYOB brunch restaurant, and then closed in December of 2023.

So the plans for Ryfe Moorestown brings the liquor license back to the Mall restaurant space!

Ryfe Is owned by Moorestown resident John Murphy who opened the Atlantic City location in 2020. According to an article at Atlantic City Weekly, that location opened on March 13th of 2020… just three days before New Jersey shut down businesses for the COVID pandemic.

Despite those significant challenges from the start, Ryfe Atlantic City has gone on to become very successful, developing a huge following of customers who enjoy their casual menu which includes burgers, steaks and seafood as well as their delicious drinks and beer selection!

Popular reservation website OpenTable lists Ryfe Atlantic City location one of the top “Diner’s Choice Atlantic City Best Value Restaurants” award winners, with members giving them Five Stars across 700 plus reviews… earning an Exceptional rating! Very impressive!

Ryfe Bar & Restaurant

In effort to give 42Freeway readers an understanding of what we can expect from the upcoming Moorestown location of Ryfe, I’ll share some details on the Atlantic City location… with the assumption that Moorestown will offer a similar menu and experience.

For the “Chelsea Neighborhood” location, Atlantic City weekly called it a neighborhood pub… and owner Murphy identified it as ”comfortably swanky”, similar to restaurants you would find in major cities like Chicago and San Francisco

It seems the goal is to provide delicious high quality food and beverages, but with an environment and pricing which is very family friendly.

Ryfe seems to be in a similar category as the recently opened Tommy’s Tavern in Mount Laurel. Tommy’s is also coming to Cherry Hill.

Ryfe’s smash style burgers seems to be one of their signature items, and the classic American style 8 oz burger is priced at $13.

The sandwiches also include cheese steaks at $12 and $13 dollars, and they also offer a blackened tuna or lump crab cake sandwiches, as well as others.

The menu offers an extensive list of entrees featuring a variety of seafood, Italian and steak dishes.

An 8 oz Latin Sirloin includes chimichurri sauce, garlic mashed potatoes and street corn medley for $21. A massive 18 oz grilled bone-in pork chop, with Argentinian sauce, garlic mash and vegetables sounds like a deal at $21.

And the entries include a 20 oz bone-in rib eye, surf and turf or even lobster tail!

The bar menu also features wings, asiago artichoke dip, fish tacos and fries

Keeping with the family aspect of the neighborhood bar there is a kids menu offering cheeseburgers, fries, linguine and wings.

A signature dessert item is the Dim Sum Doughnut Centers which is house-made dough, shaped and stored so that they deliver a light and airy cinnamon sugar delight!

To be clear I am not fully aware of the model for the new Moorestown location, but making an assumption that they’ll carry the theme from the Atlantic City.

Links and Locations

Ryfe Bar & Restaurant Moorestown (Expected Opening March) 400 Rt 38 #1375 Moorestown, NJ 08057

MORESTOWN, N.J. (CBS) -- Voters in Moorestown are deciding on a unique ballot question on this Election Day: whether to legalize amusement games of chance or luck, such as arcade-style games, laser tag and go-karts.

SEE MORE: Election 2023 guide: What to know for Pennsylvania, New Jersey general elections

A 1959 law currently prohibits the operation of amusement games of chance or luck in the township, but the Moorestown Mall hopes voters will change the law through Tuesday's ballot question.

"This is not gambling," Mayor Nicole Gillespie said. "I tell folks, this is more Chuck E. Cheese than it is casino."

She said the mall, like many shopping centers, has been struggling, and she said the mall's owners hope bringing amusement games of chance or luck to its property would boost revenue.

READ MORE: PA, NJ Election 2023: Here's what's on your ballot this year

Mayor Gillespie supports legalization.

"Having a thriving business there is certainly better for our tax base," Mayor Gillespie said. "Also, vacancies tend to breed other vacancies, so one thriving business can really support all the others."

Valorie Larkins said she didn't realize until this election that amusement games are illegal in the township.

"I don't understand why [they're outlawed]. I never even noticed it was outlawed," Larkins said. "The kids would love it."

Gus Slotman is voting against the measure.

"I like the family-oriented conservative things rather than have a big amusement area," Slotman said. "So, I'm voting against it."

Bill Doert is also voting against the ballot question.

"Since when do kids need go-karts to learn how to drive too fast?" Doert asked. "They already drive too fast when they get older."

Colleen Johnson said she's concerned about congestion around the mall.

"I don't know if that's really going to benefit us," Johnson said. "I think with the traffic and, possibly, it might be a little bit too much. I think there's a lot going on there."

The polls in Moorestown remain open until 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Brandon Goldner

Brandon Goldner is an award-winning reporter/multiskilled journalist for CBS News Philadelphia, where he primarily covers South Jersey.

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The future of a Burlington County shopping mall is the focus of an unusual municipal ballot question that local residents will decide on this Election Day.

Voters in Moorestown are being asked to reverse the results of a referendum first approved six decades ago that banned amusement games involving games of chance or skill in the township.

While the language of the public question does not specify the location or any prospective businesses, the accompanying statement clarifies that approving the ballot question would allow the Moorestown Mall to bring in “family-friendly entertainment.”

It lists about a dozen possible examples, including laser tag, arcade game rooms and virtual reality games.

The proposal has the support of Moorestown Mayor Nicole Gillespie and the Moorestown Business Association.

It is also backed by PREIT, the publicly traded real estate investment trust that owns the mall. The Moorestown Mall has lost tenants, including Macy’s and Lord & Taylor, in recent years.

“By voting yes, Moorestown residents would not only bring accessible, family fun to the community but also help fuel the growth of our local economy by creating jobs and boosting revenue for the businesses in and around the mall,” Maria Butkovic, the mall’s general manager, said in a statement to NJ Advance Media.

“Moorestown Mall has been undergoing a remarkable transformation, evolving into a lively space for families to enjoy, and this addition is poised to be a key component in securing the mall’s future as a central community hub,” Butkovic said.

The Moorestown Mall opened in 1963, one year after residents voted to opt out of the New Jersey State Amusement Games Licensing Law, which would allow games of chance or skill in the community, Gillespie said.

Reversing that old referendum would open the door to businesses with amusement games, which could include places such as Dave & Buster’s and Chuck E. Cheese, the mayor said. But, it would not allow any gambling.

“It wouldn’t permit gambling in any way, shape of form,” Gillespie said.

Moorestown is located about 14 miles from Philadelphia and is home to about 21,000 residents.

Approval of the ballot question would not result in a tax increase, but it would boost the value of the mall, currently the township’s second-largest taxpayer behind only Lockheed Martin, the defense contractor, the mayor said.

“This will bring in more businesses at the mall,” Gillespie said.

The Moorestown Mall describes itself on its website as a destination retail hub with national and local retailers and a range of dining options. Shops at the mall include Bath & Body Works, Five Below, H&M, Michaels, HomeSense, Sierra, Victoria’s Secret, Champs, Hot Topic and Daily Thread, according to the mall.

The Moorestown Business Association’s board of directors is supporting the ballot question.

“It will lead to more foot traffic for the mall, which in turn will lead to more business for the other stores and restaurants. It will hopefully lead to more family time, for families with children. There will be a destination with fun, food and stores,” said Craig Dennin, president of the Moorestown Business Association.

“Our mission is to enhance the business experience for those located in Moorestown. We feel this is a step in the right direction,” Dennin said.

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MOORESTOWN, NJ — Despite internal doubts about its parent company's future, plans to develop a massive entertainment center at Moorestown Mall continue to progress.

The envisioned entertainment center — featuring Go Kart racing, bowling, laser tag and more — has an anticipated opening in early 2025, according to a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT), which owns the mall.

On Election Day, Moorestown residents voted 2-to-1 in favor of a ballot question to move the proposed family-entertainment center forward. But PREIT, which has long struggled financially, faces a critical juncture in securing its own future.

PREIT has about $1.1 billion in debt payments due Dec. 10 that it cannot afford, according to its filing submitted Tuesday to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Philadelphia-based corporation is working with lenders to develop a restructuring plan. But if that doesn't materialize, PREIT has "substantial doubt" about the company's ability to operate within a year, the SEC filing says.

The company, which also owns Cherry Hill Mall, doesn't expect any service interruptions during restructuring negotiations or during any potential transactions.

As it stands, the entertainment center will go in the vacant mall building that once housed Lord & Taylor, which closed in 2019. The amusement venue would occupy the entire two-floor, 120,000-square-foot building and "could expand a bit," according to a PREIT spokesperson.

PREIT hasn't announced which business will operate the venue, but the company hopes to reveal more information soon.

The planned complex will be "unlike anything else in the region," according to PREIT. Activities will include arcade games, escape rooms, virtual-reality games and a range of dining options.

To move the plan forward, PREIT backed a local referendum to rescind Moorestown's longtime ban on "games of chance," such as arcade games. After collecting enough signatures to get a ballot question, 67.2 percent of township voters opted for the project to move forward during the November election.

"We are thrilled to be able to take the next step in transforming Moorestown Mall into an all-encompassing community hub complete with fun for everyone," PREIT CEO Joe Coradino said in a statement after the vote. "We look forward to sharing more details about this exciting venue in the coming weeks. This result is another step in furthering the township's economic growth, providing job opportunities, and boosting tax revenue, and we are thankful to Mayor (Nicole) Gillespie for her support."

Moorestown residents voted 2-to-1 to allow Moorestown Mall's proposed entertainment center to move forward, per the unofficial tally.

This article was last updated at 10:44 p.m. Tuesday.

MOORESTOWN, NJ — Two incumbent candidates and one newcomer lead Moorestown's school board election with all precincts reporting. Local residents also voted 2-to-1 to pave the way for Moorestown Mall to build a massive entertainment complex.

Jaclyn Barnes led all Moorestown Board of Education candidates with 3,196 votes as of 10:45 p.m. Tuesday. Board Members Maurice "Mick" Weeks (3,107 votes) and Brooke Mailhiot (2,538) held the second- and third-highest vote totals, respectively.

Marisa M. Cohen received 2,448 votes, while David C. Hoffman held 1,946 votes.

All Moorestown districts have reported vote totals, but Election Night results remain unofficial until certified.

Find out what's happening in Moorestownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Meanwhile, 67 percent of Moorestown voters opted to rescind a township law that bans "games of chance," such as arcade games. The referendum's passage gives Moorestown Mall the opportunity to build a proposed entertainment complex featuring go-karts, a trampoline park, laser tag and more.

PREIT — the mall's parent company which has financially struggled in recent years — launched a campaign last summer to collect enough voter signatures for a November ballot question to rescind the law.

The entertainment center can help secure the mall's future as a community hub and aid Moorestown's economy, PREIT CEO Joe Coradino said earlier this year.

"By voting yes, residents will be able to access family-friendly entertainment in their backyard, while furthering local economic growth, job opportunities, and revenue for businesses in and around the mall," Coradino said in September.

In 1959, Moorestown opted out of the state's New Jersey State Amusement Games Licensing Law. The state measure allowed municipalities to permit "games of chance" that involve the award of prizes or issuance of amusement tickets. Local governments can only authorize the licensing of such amusement games via referendum.

New Jersey's amusement-gaming law does not apply to gambling. So the referendum's passage won't bring a casino to Moorestown.

View the election tallies below:

Moorestown Board of Education (vote for three):

100 percent of districts reporting

Ballot question to rescind a law that prohibits certain amusement games in the township:

100 percent of districts reporting

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