After COVID Closure, NJ Woman Gives Dream Business 1 More Chance

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — A little more than a year after she shut down her dream business in Gloucester Township, Shana Mastranduono has decided to give Shana’s Wild Fig one final shot.

“Few things in life are worth fighting for,” Mastranduono told Patch on Wednesday. “This business was one of them for me.”

That’s why Mastranduono announced this week that she was reopening Shana’s Wild Fig five nights a week, effective Dec. 14.

“I have patiently been waiting for this moment,” Mastranduono said in a Facebook post. “Lots and lots of prayers, hope, dedication and love have gone into this.”

It will be open Tuesday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. each night, with no reservations. Private parties will continue on Sundays and Mondays.

Shana’s Wild Fig, located at 57 South Black Horse Pike in the Blackwood section of Gloucester Township, offers outdoor dining, as well as dine-in and in-store pickup options.

“I am so overwhelmed by the love and support you have all shown,” she wrote.

Last year, Mastranduono closed her business that she had built from the ground up. It had opened 14 weeks earlier, and was personified by the Jazz music and by the art on the walls.

"The decor and ambiance was an environment I wanted to be in, along with sharing this experience with my beloved customers," Mastranduono told Patch previously. "These guests became great friends and part of my family. My restaurant was becoming a huge success. I had accomplished what my heart was guiding me to do from childhood."

The business was growing, and had become a financial boon. But Mastranduono struggled financially amid a statewide shutdown that was brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, and reluctantly closed what had been turning into a highly successful business. Read more here: Gloucester Township Woman's Dreams Hit Hard By Coronavirus

Her financial struggles continued over the course of the next year. In June, she brought her business back as a private catering business. Read more here: Shana's Wild Fig Returns As Private Caterer In Gloucester Twp.

“The catered events are going well, but we can take on more,” Mastranduono said.

About a month ago, she reopened two nights a week, on Wednesday and Thursday. Those are not ideal nights for a restaurant to be open, though, so she decided to go all in.

She opened the business with her children, who have since pursued new careers. She does have the help of some “good relatives who are willing to give me a shot,” she said.

“I lost everything,” Mastranduono said. “I might as well give it one more shot.”

A menu example and some images of the food served at Shana’s Wild Fig can be found in the embeds below. Follow Shana’s Wild Fig on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date with menu changes and upcoming events.