Rutgers Plaza at 940 Easton Ave. in Somerset — Courtesy: Levin Management Corp.
By Joshua Burd
Wingstop has secured another location in Central Jersey with a new lease in the Somerset section of Franklin Township, according to a brokerage team with Levin Management Corp.
The fast-casual chain, which operates more than 50 stores in the state, will occupy 1,848 square feet at the 268,000-square-foot Rutgers Plaza at Easton Avenue and John F. Kennedy Boulevard. It’s also among several recent additions to the Stop & Shop-anchored center, following deals earlier this year by coffee and espresso concept MAWJ and Bounce Air Adventure Park.
LMC leasing representative Ed Vasconcellos represented ownership in both the Wingstop and MAWJ transactions. Marta Villa of CBRE represented Wingstop.
“Wingstop is a great addition to Rutgers Plaza’s tenant mix,” Vasconcellos said. “The brand has strong consumer recognition and delivers exactly what today’s diners are looking for — quality, value and convenience. That’s a win for the center and for the community it serves.”
Founded in 1994 in Garland, Texas, Wingstop continues to expand its footprint in New Jersey and beyond, operating more than 3,000 locations worldwide. LMC noted that the chain is known for its classic and boneless wings, crispy tenders, chicken sandwich and distinctive flavor lineup.
“Restaurants and experiential concepts remain among the most active categories in retail leasing, and we are seeing that play out directly in our portfolio,” said Matthew K. Harding, Levin Management’s CEO. “Fast-casual operators in particular are targeting high-traffic suburban centers where daily-needs anchors drive consistent foot traffic — and Rutgers Plaza fits that profile well. Our team has completed multiple Wingstop transactions across the Northeast, and this location is a natural extension of that relationship.”
