After 30 Years, Popular EHT Restaurant Abruptly Closes

Jo Jo's Italian Grille in Egg Harbor Township has closed permanently.

The abrupt closing of the popular eatery on the Black Horse Pike in Risley Commons happened at the beginning of the week.

The news isn't much of a shock.

Jo Jo's changed owners in 2023, with longtime employee, Chris D'Alessandro buying the business.

In January, JoJo's started a GoFundMe for the business, saying that the financial pressures in the post-pandemic world are tougher for a small restaurant than they had expected.

Aleigh Czerwinski wrote the message in the GoFundMe...

 Chris has worked for Jo Jo's Italian Grille for over 30 years. He started out working at the Pleasantville location, which is where we met 17 years ago. He started as a busboy, then continued over the course of 15 years to work his way up from busboy to delivery, counter help, and then finally manager....

 

He felt a responsibility to preserve the spirit of Jo Jo's and ensure the loyal customers would continue to see a familiar, friendly face, so he stayed on as manager when the restaurant was sold, not once, but twice.

 

It had always been a dream of his to own a restaurant one day, like his father did while he was growing up. So, when the restaurant was going to be sold for a third time in May of 2023, we took our life savings and a chance, and bought it.

 

Facebook Post About Jojo's is heartbreaking.

I found out about Jo Jo's closing from a thread on the Egg Harbor Township Facebook page.

On Tuesday, Stewart Klein posted on the page, asking, "Anyone know what’s going on at JoJos EHT? Went by there and they were temporarily closed?"

After a day or so, owner Chris D'Alessandro responded with the official word on Jojo's status.

Unfortunately, we had to close our doors. We tried our best and did all we could have done. A very sad day for our family after pouring my heart into Jo Jo’s for over 30 years. I want to thank all of our amazing customers who have been so supportive.

Chris is right about the warmth of the response. So many people responding are genuinely sad to hear about Jojo's closing.

Many wrote about their favorite Jo Jo's dish they will miss.

There were raves about Jo Jo's garlic knots, pizza, lamb chops, meatballs, backend chicken Caesar salad, cheesecake, and more.

It seems especially sad that a business with owners who loved what they did and did a good job at it, a business that had so many customers who appreciated the restaurant and liked the food and had been going there for years can't make it work.

Isn't that the American dream?