By Joshua Burd
Dave & Buster’s is coming to Central Jersey.
On Thursday, Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac announced that the entertainment and restaurant chain will open a location this November at the Woodbridge Center mall. Construction is set to begin this month on the 34,000-square-foot store, which will occupy an upper level formerly used by Sears, now that retailers in the space have been relocated within the mall.
The news follows word last year that the company will open a complex at the Willowbrook Mall in Wayne. Published reports from last fall say the project was also expected to open by the fourth quarter of this year.
For the Dallas-based chain, its long-awaited entrance to New Jersey follows the passage of a state law in 2015 that allowed businesses to hold both liquor licenses and a license to operate amusement games. Supporters of the measure said it repealed an outdated ban, one that prevented the economic development benefits of a venue such as Dave & Buster’s.
Under the law, businesses can hold both permits as long as the operating facility is at least 20,000 square feet and offers a minimum of 100 amusement games.
The status of the Wayne location was not immediately clear Thursday, but McCormac said “(the) announcement that the very first Dave & Buster’s in New Jersey is set to arrive at Woodbridge Center represents a milestone in the continuing development of Woodbridge Township.”
“Woodbridge Township has quickly become a hub of new, exciting, innovative and casual dining restaurants and hospitality and we are thrilled to have Dave & Buster’s joining the Woodbridge Township hospitality community,” McCormac said. “Woodbridge Center is an integral part of the vibrancy of our community and their continued success helps build positive momentum for our entire area.
“The arrival of Dave & Buster’s solidifies Woodbridge Township as the innovative and dynamic destination to explore entertainment, dining and shopping well into the future.”
Dave & Buster’s, where patrons can have a drink while playing Skee-Ball and other arcade games, operates 93 locations across the country, including those in neighboring states of New York and Pennsylvania. The company’s entrance to New Jersey could be a boost for malls, as many of the state’s large commercial centers look to reinvent themselves amid declining sales.
“As the leading retail real estate property for the Woodbridge community, we are always focused on evolving to deliver key brands, dining and experiences that our shoppers have come to expect from us,” said Amy Bellisano, senior general manager of Woodbridge Center. “We are delighted to introduce Dave & Buster’s to our regional shopping center.”
