Does Roy Rogers still have the goods? | Inquirer Cherry Hill
Plus, Classic Cake’s owner expands to a new restaurant and a Cherry Hill native wows on ‘The Voice.’
Hello, Cherry Hill! 👋
The Roy Rogers buzz continues, but does the food live up to the hype? Also this week, the owner of Classic Cake is serving up his sweets at a new restaurant, a Cherry Hill native made her debut on The Voice, and Halloween events are cropping up — and we’ve got tips for how to save on costumes this year.
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There’s been a lot of hype and nostalgia in recent months surrounding beloved chain Roy Rogers’ return to the region after nearly three decades. But is the food living up to those long ago memories?
The Inquirer’s Tommy Rowan recently ventured to Cherry Hill to see if it recreated what he remembered from childhood roadtrips, and he was pleasantly surprised. The crunch of the fried chicken nailed the texture, he noted, but the biscuit was the star.
While he was mostly pleased with his outing, one item left him a bit disappointed.
Read his take on the nostalgic chain’s return here.
💡 Community News
Cherry Hill native and Camden Catholic High School alum Natalia Albertini made her debut on NBC’s The Voice on Monday night, where she performed Irene Cara’s “Out Here on my Own” during the ongoing blind auditions portion of the show. Her performance was a hit, with two celebrity judges vying for her to join their team, but Albertini ultimately chose Snoop Dogg’s. Blind auditions are set to continue before the competition gets underway. See a clip of Albertini’s performance here.
A 41-year-old Washington man was killed last Wednesday in Cherry Hill after being caught between two unoccupied vehicles at the Walt Whitman Service Area on the New Jersey Turnpike when one rolled forward and pinned the pedestrian. And on Sunday, a 20-year-old Cherry Hill man, Ethan Knorr, died while trying to cross the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge when it was descending and closed to traffic.
It may only be the first day of October, but Spirit Christmas has already launched reservations for photos with Santa when he heads to Cherry Hill Nov. 21 for a one-month stint. The seasonal store is taking over the former Joann space at 2234 W. Marlton Pike that is currently occupied by Spirit Christmas’ spooky equal, Spirit Halloween.
If you’re still focused on spooky season, Spirit Halloween opened a second Cherry Hill store this week on Route 38 at the former LA Fitness. It’s open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., except Sundays, when it’s open until 9 p.m. If you’re looking for a costume that won’t cost a fortune, The Inquirer’s Erin McCarthy offers several tips on how to score better deals this season.
The township is hosting a Senior Coffee & Connections event on Oct. 8 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Carman Tilelli Community Center where senior residents can enjoy coffee, cider, and donuts, and learn about clubs, activities, dance classes, and more. Advanced registration is recommended.
Cherry Hill resident Andrew Passalacqua was recently profiled by South Jersey Magazine for his nonprofit work. The senior at Bishop Eustace Preparatory School in Pennsauken launched Crayons for Court as a service project, with a goal of providing entertainment for kids who had to be in court with their parents. The idea came to him after visiting his mom, a Camden County judge, at work. He initially donated over 6,000 packets of crayons, 3,000 coloring sheets, and 2,000 activity books and stickers to Camden County courts, and has continued that work, serving courts across South Jersey. Read more about Passalacqua here.
Registration is now open for New Jersey Film Academy, which offers college-level certification courses designed to prepare students for entry-level careers in the film, television, and digital media industry. The upcoming “Script to Screen” course runs Mondays and Thursdays from Oct. 20 to Dec. 8 at Camden County College’s William G. Rohrer Center in Cherry Hill.
🏫 Schools Briefing
Reminder for families: Schools are closed tomorrow in observance of Yom Kippur.
The Cherry Hill School District ranks No. 84 in New Jersey, according to Niche’s 2026 Best School Districts list, released this week. The data firm ranked the top 155 districts in the Garden State, taking into account reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education, state test scores, college readiness, graduation rates, teacher quality, and public school district ratings. SAT and ACT scores were excluded this year.
🍽️ On our Plate
Spanish-Italian restaurant Rhythm & Spirits opened last week above Suburban Station in Philadelphia — and it has a Cherry Hill tie. The new eatery is co-owned by Barry Kratchman, who is also behind Classic Cake on Evesham Road, and Lee Sanchez. Fittingly, Rhythm & Spirits has taken over Classic Cake’s former retail shop. In addition to meatballs, pastas, sandwiches, and pizzas, the restaurant is dishing up Kratchman’s desserts, like pumpkin cheesecake, an old-school Italian rum cake, and a chocolate-hazelnut torte.
Birdies Hot Chicken on Route 38 has rebranded to Chicksville Hot Chicken. (South Jersey Food Scene)
🎳 Things to Do
🎃 Pumpkin Picking Hayrides: Get in the fall spirit with a hayride and pumpkin picking. ⏰ Saturday, Oct. 4-Sunday, Oct. 26, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on weekends only 💵 $7.50 for the hayride, pumpkins are priced by pound 📍 Springdale Farms
🛍️ CHPL Flea Market: Shop from local vendors outdoors at this library fundraiser. ⏰ Sunday, Oct. 5, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. (Rain date: Oct. 12) 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Cherry Hill Library
🌸 Artist Reception: Flora: Explore three separate series of paintings with a shared focus on flowers. ⏰ Sunday, Oct. 5, 2:30-4:30 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Cherry Hill Library
🍝 Erev Sukkot Spaghetti Dinner and Sukkot Sing-Along Service: Congregation Kol Ami is celebrating the holiday with an outdoor dinner under the stars. ⏰ Monday, Oct. 6, 6 p.m. 💵 $6 per person or $18 per family 📍 Congregation Kol Ami
🛼 Jack-O-Skate: This Halloween-themed skate party includes a pumpkin hunt for prizes, and jack-o-lantern snow cones. ⏰ Tuesday, Oct. 7, 6-9 p.m. 💵 $3 admission, $6 skate rental 📍 Hot Wheelz
🏈 Sports Awards at the J: Tickets are on sale now for this event, which includes a keynote address from former Eagle and Super Bowl champion Nick Foles. ⏰ Thursday, Oct. 23, 5:30 p.m. 💵 $155.25 📍 Katz JCC
🏡 On the Market
Built in 1965 and since updated, this four-bedroom Springdale home has yellow siding offset by black shutters. Inside, it has a living room with a wood-burning fireplace, a family room with a fireplace, and a dining room adjacent to the kitchen. The kitchen features a Thermador range, granite countertops, and a pantry. Upstairs, there are four bedrooms and two full bathrooms, while the basement is partially finished. Out back, there’s a spacious patio surrounded by trees.
See more photos of the property here.
Price: $649,000 | Size: 2,337 SF
Have you seen an interesting listing in or around Cherry Hill? Share it with us in an email to cherryhill@inquirer.com.
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