Bon Jovi nonprofit will be developing former Walgreens site in Asbury Park

️📑 Center plans to turn a vacant Asbury Park Walgreens into a larger food pantry and new JBJ Soul Kitchen restaurant.

🍞 The expanded 3,000-square-foot pantry would triple current space and serve thousands of local families.

️🍽️ The partnership marks the third Shore town for Jon Bon Jovi’s pay-it-forward Soul Kitchen.

ASBURY PARK — A local nonprofit has announced plans to transform a vacant store into an expanded food pantry alongside a new restaurant by the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Kitchen.

Mercy Center will be relocating a few blocks in Asbury Park to the empty Walgreens building at the corner of Main Street and Second Avenue.

Vacant Walgreens on Main Street to become food pantry and Soul Kitchen

Last month, the nonprofit started offering the space as a temporary warming center during this winter's freezing Code Blue nights.

The effort drew online support from JBJ Soul Foundation, which shared details on social media.

At a meeting on Feb. 11, the Asbury Park City Council voted in favor of amending the Main Street Redevelopment Plan to clear the way for the exciting partnership,The Coaster first reported.

Mercy Center to triple pantry space, serve more families

With a food pantry of just 900 square feet, 130,000 people were served after last year, Mercy Center President and CEO and former Lt. Governor, Kim Guadagno said at the public meeting.

The plan means Mercy Center can now open a pantry that has 3,000 square ft. Guadagno said, “in effect a free grocery store for the people that live here in Asbury.”

Read More: Brick restaurant’s pay-it-forward meals help families in need 

Third Shore town for Jon Bon Jovi’s pay-it-forward restaurant

Guadagno said during the meeting that the front of the space would be a kitchen run by the JBJ Soul Foundation.

This would mark the third Shore town to host one of the pay-it-forward restaurants operated by rockstar Jon Bon Jovi and his wife, Dorothea Bongiovi.

Bongiovi is founder and program director for JBJ Soul Kitchen, which recently celebrated a community win in Toms River.

Its pop-up location at Ocean County Library was extended through April.

Read More: JBJ Soul Kitchen pop-up extended in Toms River

The flagship JBJ Soul Kitchen location in Red Bank is celebrating 15 years of service, after opening in 2011 with just 33 seats.

Ten years ago, JBJ Soul Kitchen expanded to include The B.E.A.T. Center in Toms River along Hooper Avenue.

The resource hub offers a JBJ Soul Kitchen, choice food pantry in partnership with Fulfill, and a culinary training program.

JBJ Soul Kitchen has also expanded to in-season locations at Rutgers University-Newark (starting in 2020) and New Jersey City University (since 2023), addressing food insecurity among students.

Messages sent to JBJ Soul Kitchen and Mercy Center were not immediately answered on Wednesday.

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