BurgerFi leaves South Jersey just six months after opening; Haddonfield bakery shuts down

Celeste E. Whittaker, Cherry Hill Courier-Post
·2 min read

CHERRY HILL - BurgerFi in Cherry Hill has closed permanently just six months after opening.

The fast-casual burger concept has approximately 120 franchised and corporate-owned restaurants. The Cherry Hill location opened at 1584 Kings Highway North after partial demolition and reconstruction of a mattress store at the Ellisburg Shopping Center at Kings Highway and Route 70.

“Unfortunately, construction delays were about eight months and the landlord wanted the eight months of rent even though we were not open,” said Matthew Daniel, the franchisee at the Cherry Hill location, in an email response to the Courier Post. “Rent was ($15,000) a month. They also owed us 60k of tenant allowance but kept that also because of the delays. Being such a new business, there was no way we could pay that off so we had to close, unfortunately. We had great customers and loved the area.”

The tenant improvement allowance is a specified, pre-negotiated amount of funds, normally calculated per square foot, that a landlord will provide a tenant to help pay for improvements to a space.

BurgerFi opened at the Ellisburg Shopping Center in Cherry Hill six months ago and has permanently closed.
BurgerFi opened at the Ellisburg Shopping Center in Cherry Hill six months ago and has permanently closed.

Daniel, a self-described serial entrepreneur, believed the fast-casual burger franchise would do well in Cherry Hill. A fitness trainer, Daniel previously owned a Frutta Bowls and a vape shop.

“Cherry Hill is a very sought-after area, very high-end area,” Daniel told the Courier Post in the fall.

Originally established in 2011 in Florida, BurgerFi has become known for its all-natural premium burger experience in contemporary and sustainably designed restaurants. BurgerFi uses 100% American Angus beef with no steroids, antibiotics, growth hormones, chemicals or additives.

BurgerFi opened a location at Newark Liberty International Airport on Jan. 16, but previous brick-and-mortar locations in Secaucus and New Brunswick are closed now, the latter after only 18 months. There are two Philadelphia locations.

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The exterior of DiBartolo European Bakery in Haddonfield is shown. DiBartolo recently closed this Haddonfield location but is still operating its Collingswood location.
The exterior of DiBartolo European Bakery in Haddonfield is shown. DiBartolo recently closed this Haddonfield location but is still operating its Collingswood location.

Dibartolo bakery closes storefront

DiBartolo European Bakery recently closed its Haddonfield store at 115 Kings Highway East but continues to operate in Collingswood.

DiBartolo's opened the bakery cafe, called DiBartolo European Bakery, in Haddonfield in October 2020. The Collingswood site had remained the primary baking location.

“Thank you to our loyal customers for your amazing support,” DiBartolo’s Bakery wrote on its Facebook page. “Although we are closing our Haddonfield location, we can continue to be a part of your special gatherings and celebrations at our Collingswood location and the upcoming expansion of its hours.”

Celeste E. Whittaker is a news features reporter for the Courier Post, Daily Journal and Burlington County Times. The South Jersey native started at the CP in 1998 and has covered the Philadelphia 76ers, college and high school sports and has won numerous awards for her work. Reach her by email at  cwhittaker@gannettnj.com. Follow her on Twitter at @cp_CWhittaker.

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This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Cherry Hill NJ: Fast-casual burger joint closes permanently