Rock Star's Controversial Café At Jersey Shore Library Shutting Down

Updated, 11 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8

TOMS RIVER, NJ — The JBJ Soul Kitchen Pop-Up café at the Ocean County Library, which has been serving meals since February 2025, will shut down at the end of January, the JBJ Soul Foundation announced Wednesday.

The café, which opened Feb. 11, 2025, will serve its last meal on Jan. 30.

"Unfortunately our lease was not extended," a spokesperson for the JBJ Soul Foundation said Thursday. "We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve this community and for the support we’ve received throughout our time there."

The Ocean County Board of Commissioners issued a statement late Thursday saying, "The Certificate of Occupancy from the township expires at the end of January and the Library Board of Commissioners would be involved in the decision-making process."

"Commissioner Jennifier Bacchione, serving as liaison, along with the entire Board, extends sincere thanks to the JBJ Soul Kitchen and its entire staff for their kindness, dedication, and service to the community," the statement said.

The café follows the same model as the JBJ Soul Kitchen on Hooper Avenue, where customers who are able pay for their meals. They also can "pay it forward," covering the cost of meals for those who are unable to pay. Those who cannot pay volunteer time at the cafe in exchange for their meals.

It also helps connect those in need with services that address a multitude of issues, from shelter to mental health to job services.

" Since opening the JBJ Soul Kitchen Pop-Up at the Ocean County Library in February 2025, our team has served over 12,500 meals, with 77 percent going to guests experiencing food insecurity," the spokesperson said. "With the help of our community partners, our guests have received over 207 referrals to local service providers, and several are now employed and housed."

The cafe is open to anyone from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays until the closure.

Toms River officials would have to sign off on the certificate of occupancy to extend the lease, an approval that seems unlikely as Mayor Daniel Rodrick repeatedly expressed a desire to shut the cafe down last spring and summer, as the cafe became a flashpoint last spring in ongoing debates and a fight with the Ocean County Board of Commissioners about the issue of helping those who are homeless.

Rodrick called the pop-up cafe a "soup kitchen" when he accused county officials of "dumping" people who were homeless in Toms River. Toms River is the Ocean County seat and home to the county's social services agencies that aid those in need.

The "soup kitchen" description was rejected in a written statement from Jon and Dorothea Bon Jovi at the time.

"The JBJ Soul Foundation and JBJ Soul Kitchen are committed to ending homelessness through real solutions," the couple said. "Through our JBJ Soul Kitchen, we connect people to resources and services. Whether they need employment, mental health support, or housing, we try to remove the barriers that are keeping them from thriving, not just surviving."

The fight between Rodrick and county officials over the homeless population led to the mayor threatening legal action against nonprofit organizations that provide assistance to those in need as he took steps to force those seeking help out of the downtown area. Among the steps was the passage of an ordinance that threatens criminal penalties for someone seeking shelter on public property in the downtown area.

The closure of the pop-up does not affect the JBJ Soul Kitchen's Hooper Avenue restaurant. That opened in 2016 and provides not only meals but connections to services to help people get back on their feet. JBJ Soul Foundation said in 2025 that between its Toms River and Red Bank restaurants, it had served more than 200,000 meals while helping thousands of people facing food insecurity.

The closing down of the cafe was anticipated in August, and the foundation sought community support to keep it going.

"Since this will likely be our final extension, we want the community to know that dining with us is more than just a meal, it’s a way to show support and be part of the fight against food insecurity," the foundation said in August. "As we anticipate greater need during the colder months and prepare to close at the peak of winter, their support matters now more than ever."

"Since opening in February 2025, our JBJ Soul Kitchen Pop-Up at the Ocean County Library has been a place of warmth, community and resources. Our guests have received over 207 referrals to local service providers, several are now employed and housed. With the Pop-Up closing at the end of January, we invite you to dine with us and support our neighbors while you still can!", the announcement said. "We are open Tuesday - Friday from 10:00AM - 2:00PM!"

See what's on the menu: https://jbjsoulkitchen.org/menu-pop-up/

This article has been updated with additional information from the JBJ Soul Foundation and comment from the Ocean County Board of Commissioners.