Where does South Jersey start anyway? | Inquirer Cherry Hill
Plus, a high-end gym is coming to Ellisburg Shopping Center.
Hello, Cherry Hill! 👋
It’s the great debate: Where does South Jersey start, and is there even a Central Jersey? Let us know what you think by marking South Jersey on our interactive map. Also this week, a high-end gym is opening in Ellisburg Shopping Center, plus a Tony Award-winning Broadway show currently at the Academy of Music has surprisingly local ties.
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It’s a longstanding question: Where does South Jersey start? Is the dividing line the same as where Eagles fans stop and Giants fans begin? Is it based on your area code? Is there some other sign that you’ve crossed from the North to the South?
The Inquirer is posing that very question to readers, along with one other hotly debated item: Is there such a thing as Central Jersey?
Readers can weigh in on both and see how others responded here.
💡 Community News
A high-end gym is taking over the former Buy Buy Baby space in the Ellisburg Shopping Center. Club Studio Fitness is expected to open a 30,240-square-foot gym in spring 2027. Club Studio Fitness, the boutique-style gym from parent company LA Fitness, is known for its premium amenities like cryotherapy and red-light therapy, a juice bar, stretch stations, and locker rooms, in addition to its fitness and wellness offerings. Memberships at Club Studio Fitness’ only other New Jersey location, in Edgewater, range from $189 to $249 per month.
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the township is hosting two service events in the coming week. On Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m., volunteers will help with trail maintenance throughout Croft Farm. And on Monday, kids 11 to 17 can participate in a youth leadership workshop with the police department. Advanced registration is required.
Two Cherry Hill residents are among the 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Medal recipients, awarded by Camden County. Artist Giselle Brown and Col. Ted Gallagher, director of veterans affairs for Camden County, will be recognized alongside nine other recipients next Wednesday. Brown is a 17-year-old whose work has been recognized at the local, state, and national level, and Gallagher is a decorated 28-year military veteran who went on to work at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services before joining the county.
Broadway show Suffs is currently in town and has two South Jersey connections, one far less obvious than the other. The touring musical, which is at the Academy of Music through Sunday, was created by playwright, composer, and actor Shaina Taub, whose mother is a Cherry Hill native. It follows the suffrage movement and centers on South Jersey Quaker activist Alice Paul, who was born in Mount Laurel. The Inquirer’s Rosa Cartagena dives into what inspired the Tony Award-winning production.
Washington, D.C.-based Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies has named a new principal to its Cherry Hill office. Braxton Plummer will help grow the government relations firm’s practice throughout New Jersey and the region.
Park Royal Orthodontics recently opened at 921 Haddonfield Rd. at Towne Place at Garden State Park. The practice offers orthodontic care for all ages.
A clarification: We noted in last week’s newsletter that Appliances Outlet will be moving into the space occupied by Whole Hog Cafe and Wine Legend. Appliances Outlet will only take over part of the space, and neither of the current businesses are slated to close.
🏫 Schools Briefing
There are no classes Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
There will be a preschool information session next Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at West’s new auditorium.
In case you missed it, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law last week that will ban student cell phone use in schools from “bell to bell.” Cherry Hill already had its own policy restricting phones.
🍽️ On our Plate
Chick’s Deli got a shout-out from BestofNJ.com as one of the best sandwich shops in New Jersey. The website noted specialty sandwiches like the chicken cheesesteak with broccoli rabe and sharp provolone “really shine.” It also suggested trying the mushroom cheesesteak.
🎳 Things to Do
♒ Napkin Wars: Battle of the Zodiac!: Represent your zodiac sign during this fun “napkin war” party, where three DJs will spin tunes. ⏰ Saturday, Jan. 17, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. 💵 $19.03 📍 Vera
👩⚕️ Game Plan for Wellness: Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital’s community health expo will include wellness stations and tables, healthcare screenings, cooking and exercise demos, and more. ⏰ Sunday, Jan. 18, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital
🧁 Valentine’s Day Cupcake Decorating: Registration opens tomorrow for this event geared toward kids in sixth through 12th grade. ⏰ Sunday, Feb. 8, 2-3:30 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Cherry Hill Public Library
🏡 On the Market
Located in the Olde Springs neighborhood, this four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom home blends classic and modern design elements. Its first floor features include a dining room, a multipurpose room with a tiled fireplace, a laundry and mudroom, and an open-concept kitchen and living room. The kitchen has a large island with white cabinetry that contrasts with the slate-gray cabinets throughout the rest of the space and matches the subway tile backsplash. It opens into a two-story living room. The bedrooms are upstairs, including a primary suite with a double vanity and soaking tub.
See more photos of the home here.
Price: $800,000 | Size: 4,053 SF | Acreage: 0.41
🗞️ What other Cherry Hill residents are reading this week:
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