Freehold Raceway Mall on tap to add Bonesaw, its first brewpub, if planners approve

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP - Bonesaw Brewing Company wants to take over an empty store at Freehold Raceway Mall and open a craft brewery and tasting room, bringing a brewpub to the mall for the first time.

Bonesaw Brewing, which has locations in Glassboro and Deptford Mall, proposes to open a brewery in the former Kirkland's space, part of Freehold Raceway Mall's lifestyle center. The township Planning Board is set to review the proposal at its meeting on Thursday night.

The space has been vacant since Kirkland's closed in January 2020.

Bonesaw Brewing wants to convert part of the store, 2,097 square feet, for an indoor brewing space, and the remaining 4,800 square feet for an indoor tasting room, according to documents on file with the Planning Board. It also proposes two outdoor seating areas.

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At the new brewery, customers would be able to drink Bonesaw beers along with food purchased elsewhere within Freehold Raceway Mall.

Bonesaw Brewing popped on the South Jersey craft brewing scene in 2019 with a production facility and taproom in Glassboro. Last October, they opened their second location, Bonesaw Pilot House, at Deptford Mall, taking over 7,600 square feet previously occupied by Sears.

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And now, they're excited to come to Freehold Township, said David Doe, Bonesaw's co-owner.

"We really pride ourselves as a brewery in bringing beer experience to life," Doe said. "We will have everything that you would expect to see, from a 15-barrel brew house to a beautiful tap room with obviously our spin on beers."

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David P. Willis, an award-winning business writer, has covered business, retail, real estate and consumer news at the Asbury Park Press for 25 years. He writes APP.com's What's Going There column and can be reached at dwillis@gannettnj.com. Please sign up for his weekly newsletter and join his What's Going There page on Facebook for updates.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Bonesaw Brewing wants to open brewpub at Freehold Raceway Mall