Jon Bon Jovi Soul Kitchen to Open at New Mercy Center Headquarters in Asbury Park

The nonprofit eatery will operate in the former Walgreens location as part of Mercy Center's expanded community services.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Jon Bon Jovi's Soul Kitchen, a nonprofit restaurant that operates on a pay-it-forward model, is set to open a new location at the Mercy Center's new headquarters in Asbury Park. The Mercy Center, a Catholic organization that provides various community services, recently purchased the former Walgreens property on Main Street and will be relocating its headquarters there. The city council has approved the redevelopment plan to allow the Soul Kitchen to operate in the front of the new Mercy Center building.

Why it matters

The addition of the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Kitchen to the Mercy Center's new headquarters is seen as a positive development for the Asbury Park community. The Soul Kitchen provides affordable, nutritious meals to those in need using a pay-it-forward model, aligning with the Mercy Center's mission to address generational poverty and support the local population. This partnership will expand the Mercy Center's food services and community impact.

The details

The Mercy Center, founded in 1986 by the Sisters of Mercy, currently operates a food pantry on Main Street and the Sisters Academy of New Jersey on Springwood Avenue. The organization recently purchased the former Walgreens property on Main Street and Second Avenue for $4.2 million, with plans to relocate its headquarters there. The city council has approved an amendment to the redevelopment plan to allow the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Kitchen to operate in the front of the new Mercy Center building. The Soul Kitchen, run by the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, uses a pay-it-forward model where diners can pay for meals by donating or volunteering.

  • On Feb. 11, the Asbury Park City Council amended the redevelopment plan to permit the future JBJ Soul Kitchen as a permitted use.
  • The Mercy Center purchased the Walgreens property in June 2025.

The players

Jon Bon Jovi Soul Kitchen

A nonprofit restaurant founded by rock star Jon Bon Jovi and his wife Dorothea Bongiovi, which operates on a pay-it-forward model where diners can pay for meals by donating or volunteering.

Mercy Center

A Catholic organization founded in 1986 by the Sisters of Mercy, which provides various community services in Asbury Park, including a food pantry and the Sisters Academy of New Jersey.

Kim Guadagno

The CEO of Mercy Center.

John Moor

The mayor of Asbury Park.

Amy Quinn

The deputy mayor of Asbury Park.

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What they’re saying

“We are taking a shuttered Walgreens and turning it into something that is very special. In the front of that will be a fabulous kitchen that will be available to everyone. Jon Bon Jovi Soul Kitchen has agreed to put a kitchen in the front.”

— Kim Guadagno, CEO of Mercy Center (app.com)

“Over the last couple of years, we have fed 130,000 people in that pantry, 900 square feet. We are about to open, with (city) approval, a pantry that has 3,000 square feet, in effect a free grocery store for the people that live here in Asbury Park. I don't know how else they make ends meet.”

— Kim Guadagno, CEO of Mercy Center (app.com)

“We would not have saved lives over the coldest (winter) in decades, if it wasn't for the support of the city. On behalf of those people who are eating a hot meal right now in wheelchairs down the street from where we are (City Hall), thank you.”

— Kim Guadagno, CEO of Mercy Center (app.com)

What’s next

The Mercy Center is currently raising funds and hiring professionals to complete the redevelopment of the former Walgreens property into its new headquarters. Once the 45-day appeal period is over, the organization will move forward with the full redevelopment plan.

The takeaway

The partnership between the Mercy Center and the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Kitchen demonstrates Asbury Park's commitment to addressing food insecurity and supporting the local community. By expanding its food services and community programs, the Mercy Center is poised to have an even greater impact on tackling generational poverty in the city.