Hobby Lobby, Korean BBQ Coming To Neptune Township

NEPTUNE, NJ — A Hobby Lobby and a KPot Korean BBQ are coming to Neptune Township:

Both have leased spaces at the Neptune Plaza shopping center on Rt. 66, confirmed Azarian Realty, the leasing agent of that shopping complex.

Hobby Lobby, the craft store owned by a conservative Christian family, will move into the 58,952-square-foot prime anchor space directly facing Rt. 66, formerly occupied by Marshalls/HomeGoods.

The decision by Hobby Lobby to open an outpost there was just finalized this January. Construction on the store will begin in the next few weeks.

However, it will not open until 2024, said Azarian.

The Korean BBQ location will open much sooner, as the restaurant is currently under construction and will open sometime this spring, if not earlier.

In July of 2022, KPot leased a 10,000-square-foot space at Neptune Plaza.

If you are not familiar with KPot, it's a restaurant chain that sells Korean BBQ and Asian hot pot soups, where you cook seasoned meats on a grill at your table, or in a hot steaming bowl of broth in front of you. KPot is in the midst of a major New Jersey expansion, with locations also opening in Hazlet, South Plainfield and Toms River in 2023.

KPot is $28.99 per person for all you can eat and servers bring unlimited meats, seafood and vegetables you grill yourself, plus rice. It is very tasty.

The addition of Hobby Lobby brings the Neptune Plaza Shopping Center to 99.3 percent occupancy , with one currently vacant retail space of 1,621 square feet available for immediate occupancy.

“When Marshalls/Home Goods relocated in the market, it left considerable upside and opportunity to reposition the Neptune Plaza shopping center," said Kevin Pelio, senior director of leasing at Azarian. "Hobby Lobby was able to see that long-term vision and their future success at the property as well. We are slated to begin oversight of renovation and construction in the next few weeks and look forward to Hobby Lobby’s highly anticipated opening."

Other nearby business news: Oakhurst Red Lobster On Hwy. 35 Permanently Closes (Dec. 2022)