Rita’s Water Ice on Blackwood-Clementon Rd. is hoping for an end-of-April opening, in their brand new location just a half mile away from where they were located previously!
Ice cream isn’t the only twist to the new location as it will have a drive-thru! I can’t immediately think of any other Rita’s in the area that offers one!
And they are actively hiring!
The new location is still on Blackwood-Clementon Rd, but located a half mile away at the Laurel Rd intersection in Lindenwold, in a free-standing building at the Sav-A-Lot shopping center.
Rita’s Water Ice – Delicious Cold Treats
If you are unfamiliar with Rita’s Water Ice, they are a frozen treat store offering the best Italian Water Ice and Ice Cream Custard.
They have innovative varieties that burst with flavors!
They are well know in the Philadelphia area but spread to have locations in over 30 States!
Rita’s Water Ice Blackwood – A New Location, With a Twist
For many years the owners operated a Rita’s Water Ice location on Blackwood Clementon Rd at Cherrywood Drive.
Bigger plans arose for that lot…namely the development of a new “Super” Wawa, which caused the Rita’s team to look for a new location.
For all of 2022 the Rita’s in Blackwood was not open, as the owners looked for a new location and were granted approvals.
The found their new home just a half mile away at the intersection of Blackwood Clementon road and Laurel Rd.
The new Rita’s home is a free-standing building in the same shopping center that features Sav-A-Lot on one end of the strip mall, and Don Tequilas restaurant on the other end.
To be very clear the new Rita’s Water Ice is a freestanding “pad site” building in the parking lot, which sits closer to the intersection. The distinctive building stylings should give it plenty of free advertising to the traffic driving by.
The building was originally developed as a bank, and spent most of the recent years as a dry-cleaning business.
Like A Spring Flower The New Rita’s Blackwood Blooms
I reported on the plans for the new Rita’s just a few months ago in December when they were granted approval by Lindenwold Land Use Board.
The owners wasted little time getting started on the conversion process to turn what was previously a dull, earth-toned, drab, non-exciting building into something that is fun and eye-catching.
Honestly the transformation is amazing!
In my visit today work was still progressing on the construction, but the distinctive red and white striped exterior was completed, and nicely presented logoed signage was in place around the buildings perimeter.
From my quick look at the progress it appears that likely the one remaining big task was to lay the parking and driveway asphalt around the building, including the drive-thru!
I can’t believe it’s the same building! Even the shape seems different.
The main walk-up ordering windows face towards the shopping center and feature four different windows.
Directly above them is the iconic Rita’s logo with a gelati/custard caricature, and a slogan saying “Ice Custard Happiness”
When I stopped today I spoke briefly with one of the construction workers. With the owners busy I left a card… but the Rita’s Blackwood Facebook page has all the answers I needed for now. But I’ll be back for the opening.
So as a recap, the Rita’s Blackwood Clementon…
- …confirmed that this new location will have a drive-thru
- …state their goal is to open by the end of April
- …they have been actively hiring staff for their opening, are still looking for team members, and you apply online!
Links and Location
Rita’s Water Ice Blackwood-Clementon (Opening Targeted End of April)
825 Blackwood-Clementon Rd
Lindenwold NJ