If you grew up anywhere near Clementon, New Jersey, the ShopRite of Laurel Hill wasn't just a place to buy milk. It was a time capsule. For over five decades, that building at 1224 Blackwood-Clementon Road stood as a gritty, reliable pillar of the community. But honestly, if you walked in there during its final months in 2025, you probably noticed the peeling paint or those vintage neon lights that felt more like a movie set than a modern supermarket.
Then, everything changed.
In December 2025, the "Old Laurel Hill" finally took its bow. It didn't just close; it evolved. The Zallie family, who owned the place for 52 years, moved the entire operation just down the road to the brand-new ShopRite of Cherrywood Plaza. It’s a massive 85,000-square-foot beast of a store. But to understand why people are so obsessed with this move, you've gotta look at what the Laurel Hill location actually meant to the neighborhood.
The End of an Era at 1224 Blackwood-Clementon Road
The ShopRite of Laurel Hill was the definition of "lived-in."
It served the Gloucester Township and Clementon area since 1973. Think about that for a second. That's a half-century of Sunday morning bagel runs and "Can Can" sales. While newer stores were installing high-tech self-checkouts and fancy juice bars, Laurel Hill kept it old school. For some, the lack of renovation for nearly 40 years was a charm; for others, it was a signal that the neighborhood was overdue for an upgrade.
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The Zallie family—specifically David Zallie who now leads Zallie Family Markets—knew the history better than anyone. His father, George Zallie Sr., opened this very store as his first supermarket. It was the foundation of a South Jersey empire that now includes 11 locations. Closing Laurel Hill wasn't just a business move. It was personal.
Why the move was actually necessary
- The Space Crunch: The old footprint simply couldn't hold the "Fresh Kitchen" concepts modern shoppers want.
- Infrastructure: Let's be real—fixing a 50-year-old building is often more expensive than starting from scratch.
- Competition: With newer stores popping up in Marlton and Mt. Laurel, the Laurel Hill crowd deserved a state-of-the-art experience.
What Replaced ShopRite of Laurel Hill?
The new spot, known as the ShopRite of Cherrywood Plaza (located at 1468 Blackwood-Clementon Road), is basically a grocery store on steroids. It opened on December 7, 2025, with a ribbon-cutting that felt like a town holiday. Santa was there. Live music was playing. People were actually excited to go grocery shopping, which says a lot about the community's relationship with the Zallies.
This isn't just "Laurel Hill 2.0." It’s a complete departure from the cramped aisles of the past. You've got an Asian Wokery and Sushi Bar now. There’s an indoor café where you can actually sit down and eat a meal without feeling like you're blocking a cart. They even put in an international cheese section that would make a specialty boutique blush.
Kinda wild, right? You go from a store that hadn't changed since the disco era to a place with fire pits in the outdoor café extension.
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The "Zallie Way" vs. Other ShopRites
If you aren't from South Jersey, the way people talk about "Zallie's ShopRites" might seem weird. Isn't a ShopRite just a ShopRite?
Nope.
ShopRite is a cooperative. That means individual families own different clusters of stores. In this neck of the woods, you’ve basically got the Zallies, the Ravitz family, and the Eickhoffs. There is a huge, unspoken rivalry here. People in local Reddit threads will argue for hours about which family has the best bakery.
The consensus? Zallie's usually wins on the bakery and catering front. The "Zallie’s Fresh Kitchen" brand is a real thing. When the ShopRite of Laurel Hill moved, they brought those recipes with them—the famous pound cakes, the store-made salads, and the catering platters that show up at every graduation party in Camden County.
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Common Misconceptions About the Closure
A lot of people thought the store was closing because the neighborhood was "going downhill." That’s a total myth.
Actually, the move was a massive investment in the area. By building an 85,000-square-foot flagship nearby, the Zallie family basically doubled down on Clementon. They didn't leave; they grew.
Another weird rumor was that the old staff was being let go. In reality, the Zallie Family Markets transition usually involves moving the veteran staff to the new location. You’ll still see the same cashiers you’ve known for a decade, they’re just standing behind much nicer counters now.
Actionable Tips for Shopping the New Location
If you're heading to the new Cherrywood Plaza spot to replace your old Laurel Hill routine, keep these things in mind:
- Download the Order Express App: Don't stand in line at the deli. The new store is bigger, which means the deli line can get hairy on weekends. Order your turkey and Swiss through the app while you're in the produce aisle.
- Check the Pharmacy: The new pharmacy is way more efficient than the old one. If you had prescriptions at Laurel Hill, they should have transferred automatically, but it’s worth a quick phone call to confirm.
- Explore the "Fresh Kitchen": Seriously, try the sushi. It’s a massive upgrade from the pre-packaged stuff you might have seen years ago.
- Visit the Café: It’s actually a great spot to work for an hour. Most people don't think of ShopRite as a "third space," but this new layout is designed for it.
The ShopRite of Laurel Hill served its purpose for 52 years. It saw generations grow up. While the old building might sit empty for a bit, the spirit of that community hub has clearly shifted down the road. It's bigger, it's cleaner, and it's definitely got better cheese.
Next Steps for You:
If you're missing the old nostalgia, take a drive past 1224 Blackwood-Clementon Road one last time, then head over to the new Cherrywood Plaza location to see the contrast. Check your Price Plus card at the kiosk near the entrance of the new store to make sure your digital coupons are synced—the new systems are sleek but sometimes need a quick refresh to recognize older accounts.