Muhammad Ali’s former home is for sale for nearly $2M | Inquirer Cherry Hill
Plus, The Kibitz Room’s future remains unclear.
Hello, Cherry Hill! 👋
Muhammad Ali’s one-time home has hit the market again, this time with a higher asking price. Also this week, The Kibitz Room’s future remains unclear after it unexpectedly closed last week, township council has approved over $15 million in bond ordinances, plus sewer work on Kresson Road has begun and will continue for several months.
We want your feedback! Tell us what you think about the newsletter by taking our survey or emailing us at cherryhill@inquirer.com.
If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.
Champion boxer Muhammad Ali’s one-time Cherry Hill home has hit the market again, this time with an asking price of $1.975 million. That’s an increase from the last time the Mediterranean-style home was listed three years ago.
The sprawling, nearly 6,700-square-foot Voken Tract home has six bedrooms, a greenhouse room, a gym, and a 12-foot wet bar. Situated on 1.5 acres, it also has an in-ground pool, a hot tub, and a tennis court.
While the home has been updated since Ali lived there over 50 years ago, his prayer room remains.
💡 Community News
One person died and a firefighter was injured over the weekend after a fire broke out at a Cherry Hill home Saturday night. (Patch)
Township council last week voted unanimously to pass several ordinances appropriating over $15 million for improvements and purchases. The ordinances include nearly $5.6 million for township equipment, information technology equipment, parks and recreation site improvements, facility upgrades, and property or open space acquisition; over $7.7 million for road, sidewalk, and storm drainage improvements; and over $2 million for equipment upgrades and sewer improvements. Council also passed an ordinance appropriating an additional $50,000 for sewer improvements.
Beck Middle School Spanish teacher Kelly Harris is thanking members of the community for their emotional and financial support after a car crashed into her family’s Mullica Hill home several weeks ago, causing a fire and destroying nearly all their possessions. She and her husband Steve are also using the unexpected attention to remember their neighbors, Tom and Lisa Hengel, who were in the SUV and died that day. (Courier Post)
New Jersey American Water has begun construction to replace nearly one mile of an aging water main along Kresson Road between Springdale and Cropwell Roads. The $2.5 million upgrade is expected to take until June. Crews will be working most weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This week, Red White & Blue Thrift Store announced an opening date for its Cherry Hill location. The store at 949 Church Rd., formerly a Big Lots, will host a grand opening on March 26. Red White & Blue Thrift is known for its selection of discounted clothing and accessories, houseware, toys, and sports equipment.
🏫 Schools Briefing
The school’s board of education will give a presentation on elementary enrollment balancing at its meeting on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The need for balancing comes as five of the district’s elementary schools face overcrowding by 2028.
Preschool registration opened this week and continues through Feb. 13. Find more information on registration for 3- and 4-year-old preschoolers here.
Superintendent Kwame Morton released the district’s latest quarterly goals update last week, outlining this academic year’s initiatives. Recent highlights include integrating career readiness standards into the curriculum, launching a new online internship portal and tracking system, and adding over 200 new preschool students at the Malberg Early Childhood Center and Joyce Kilmer Elementary School. In the next couple of months, the district is planning pre-Advanced Placement training for middle school teachers, and focusing on more career readiness initiatives, including a district-wide framework with grade-specific benchmarks. The district continues to work on elementary enrollment balancing and construction work funded by bonds.
East boys basketball’s top scorer Jamieson Young was scheduled for surgery last week after suffering a fracture to the inside of his right ankle in a Jan. 17 game. Young was averaging 21.8 points per game. (NJ.com)
🍽️ On our Plate
Popular Jewish deli The Kibitz Room closed unexpectedly last week, and its future remains unclear, The Inquirer’s Michael Klein reports. Owner Sandy Parish has been running the Shoppes at Holly Ravine staple solo after her former husband, Neil, and son, Brandon, left to open a King of Prussia location last year.
Work continues on the H Mart on Route 70, including a new food court, and while there’s no reopening date yet, two new eateries have announced they’ll have locations there when it does. Jaws Topokki, which specializes in Korean dishes gimbap and topokki, is targeting a July opening date. It will be joined by Kyodong Noodles, which specializes in Korean-Chinese comfort foods like jjajangmyeon and jjambbong. Chain bakery Paris Baguette is also slated to have a location within H Mart.
Bahama Breeze at the Cherry Hill Mall is closing its doors this spring. Darden Restaurant Group, which owns the tropical-inspired brand, announced yesterday that it was closing or converting 28 restaurants nationwide. The Cherry Hill location is expected to remain open through April 5.
Looking to lock down your Super Bowl menu? The Inquirer’s reporters have put together guides to the best cheesesteaks, hoagies, tomato pies, and more. For party trays, Indeblue in the Barclay Farms Shopping Center offers an assortment of tandoori lollipop lamb chops, shashlik, and samosas, in addition to desserts. If you want wings, NJ.com put together a list of the best in the state, including two Cherry Hill spots, Dolsot House and Hen Vietnamese Eatery.
Looking for a romantic place to dine out this Valentine’s Day? The Courier Post recently rounded up several South Jersey spots, including Caffe Aldo Lamberti, noting the Marlton Pike spot has an award-winning wine list, seafood, steaks, pastas, and a raw bar.
Or if you want a sweet experience, Insomnia Cookies is offering 45-minute reserved seatings at its Cherry Hill outpost. The pop-up event takes place from 8 p.m. to midnight on Feb. 12 and 13, but seats are going fast. Order from the usual menu or try the holiday-themed pre-fixe menu that includes six cookies, three dips, and two bottles of milk.
🎳 Things to Do
💃 The Swing Loft Social Dance Party: Learn the popular “modern swing” at this all-levels dance class, where you can come alone or with a dance partner. ⏰ Saturday, Feb. 7, 7-11 p.m. 💵 $20 📍Storm Ballroom Dance Centre
🎨 I Heart Art: Check out works created by some of the township’s young artists in kindergarten through eighth grade. ⏰ Tuesdays and Thursdays, Feb. 10-19, 4-7 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Croft Farm Arts Center
🍿 Rom-Com Watch Party: Teens in sixth through 12th grade can watch a romantic comedy together. Registration is required. ⏰ Tuesday, Feb. 10, 7-8:30 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Cherry Hill Public Library
🧁 Cocktails and Cupcakes: Get tips and hands-on experience mixing up cocktails and decorating cupcakes at this 21-and-over event. Registration is required by Feb. 8. ⏰ Wednesday, Feb. 11, 7-9 p.m. 💵 $20 📍Congregation Kol Ami
🏡 On the Market
Located in Short Hills, this spacious four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom home features a two-story foyer, a living room, a dining room with coffered ceilings, a step-down family room with a fireplace, an office, a den, and an eat-in kitchen with an island, granite countertops, built-in wine storage, and high-end appliances. All four bedrooms are located on the second floor, including a large primary suite with a sitting room, dual walk-in closets, and a bathroom with dual vanities and a whirlpool tub. Other features include a finished basement with a wet bar, and a deck with a retractable awning.
See more photos of the home here.
Price: $1.4M | Size: 4,262 SF | Acreage: 0.67
🗞️ What other Cherry Hill residents are reading this week:
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.