Elmer NJ’s iconic Kountry Kitchen property was sold last fall to an area business owner who plans on making it the new home for his Max Payment Solutions and Max Communications companies.
Originally opened in 1965 on Rt 40, the Kountry Kitchen was an iconic roadside cafe known throughout South Jersey for its delicious home cooked meals served in a friendly atmosphere. It was a place where you would always see half a dozen friends when visiting, plus the Kountry Kitchen also pulled customers in from all over… drawing large crowds for their chicken pot pie on Sundays!
The tall vertical sign still stands at the property but now gone is the lower segment of the sign announcing “Good Vittles”
Kountry Kitchen closed several years ago, and the building then became home to a pest control business. A new owner again took over the just a few years ago and was deep into the effort of turning the cider brewery.
Despite having brewing equipment on the site for some time (as they waited to finalize all of the necessary approvals), in 2024 they decided not to move forward with the cidery idea, and instead sold the property to the Max Communications owner.
Max Communications and Max Payment Solutions
Max Communications and Max Payment Solutions are currently based in Millville. Seeing significant success and growth it appears their their current North High Street location has a limited amount of space for the rapidly growing companies… factoring in necessary office space, employee parking and company vehicle parking.
With the new property in Elmer, the building and four acres of land should provide plenty of space to support max growth… for the Max Companies.
The Max Communication website states they were founded in 2004 by Scott Fransko, who is a Cumberland County resident.
Just this week news of the sale to an unnamed buyer as well as information on some upcoming upgrades at the property were shared by a contractor hired to work on the building.
Soon after, property buyer Scott broke the news on Facebook of the purchase.
In the commentary he does add “… as well as other surprises to come on the property” but I think we’ll have to wait and see what all of those plans are!
Elmer Train Station
For 45 years the Kountry Kitchen property was also home to the Elmer Train Station which originally was located in the center of the small town. That train station was purchased in the 1970s by the Kountry Kitchen founder who placed the building in the back of the property behind the restaurant and used it as a collectible museum and gift shop.
Around 2011 the Township was making plans to purchase and relocate the train station back to its original location in town, but those plans fell apart. For several years the building sat quietly unused and according to a July 2020 Facebook post from a local, the building had collapsed or was demolished although I do not have any details on that aspect.
Links and Location
Kountry Kitchen – Max Communications (Coming Soon)
373 Rte 40
Elmer, NJ 08318