Chevy's Closes Doors on Restaurant at Mercer Mall

Anyone visiting or driving by Mercer Mall in Lawrence Township lately may have noticed something missing. 

Chevy's Fresh Mex restaurant is gone, having closed earlier this month. 

"After extensive negotiations, it was decided the lease for that property would not be renewed," a spokesperson for Chevy's said.  "Closing a restaurant is always the last option and we hope everyone will accept our apology for the inconvenience."

The mall is owned by Mercer Mall Federal Realty Investment Trust, based in Rockville, Md., according to the Lawrence Township tax assessor's office said. A spokesperson for the owner could not be reached for comment for this story.

Lawrence Township Mayor Greg Puliti thinks the chances are good the Chevy's site won't be vacant for long, saying "The good thing is we rebound faster from closings like this than some other towns do, because of our location.”

The mayor said he doesn't know of any plans for a new occupant for the building Chevy's left vacant in the mall in the 3300 block of Brunswick Pike (Route 1).  But he thinks it's likely the next occupant will be a restaurant as well.

"Chevy's was on a restaurant pad," he said.  "In this economy, I think it's unlikely anyone would want to do the renovations necessary to turn the building to another use.  Some jobs were lost when Chevy's closed, and you don't like to see that happen, but the tax impact of its closing will be minimal."

He said that's because property taxes will still be paid on the site previously occupied by Chevy's.  Lost will be taxes on the income the restaurant generated, he said.

Puliti said it's too soon to tell what will happen with the liquor license previously used at Chevy's.

"Someone else could wind up using it at the same location," he said.  "Or Chevy's could hold onto it for awhile – keep it ‘in pocket,' as the saying goes."

While the owner of Quaker Bridge Mall, located on the opposite side of Route 1 from Mercer Mall, has received at QBM that will be occupied by Cheesecake Factory, it has not been revealed from where the new Cheesecake Factory will obtain the liquor license needed for its bar.

In addition to speculation by some that the liquor license currently held by the existing Lawrence Grill at QBM will be transferred to the new Cheesecake Factory, the closure of the restaurant at Mercer Mall now makes it possible the Cheesecake Factory could acquire its liquor license from Chevy’s.