Headline: Sicklerville’s Matteo’s Italian Foods — After 50+ Years, A Neighborhood Mainstay Closes as Owners Retire; What That Means for Winslow Township and I‑295 Travelers
By Ari Williams — 295Times
Matteo’s Italian Foods — the little shop in Sicklerville many locals cite when they talk about fresh ravioli, housemade sauce and old‑school customer service — is closing its doors. The owners are retiring after more than five decades in business, and the loss will be felt not only by regulars who stop in off the neighborhood streets but also by small restaurants and shoppers who came from farther afield via the I‑295 corridor.
Where Matteo’s sits and why it mattered
Matteo’s is located in Sicklerville (Winslow/Gloucester Township area of Camden County), a community that straddles a busy patch of South Jersey where residential neighborhoods meet longtime small businesses and highway traffic. Google Maps places the shop in a convenient local retail strip that’s an easy drive from the interchanges that feed the I‑295 corridor through Camden County — which means Matteo’s served both residents and people travelling the region’s arteries for groceries, takeout and catering runs.
For more than 50 years Matteo’s built a reputation on fresh pasta, filled pasta (ravioli), sauces and Italian specialty items. That kind of neighborhood foodmaker is something readers along I‑295 exits value: a reliable, walk‑in place to pick up dinner or a platter for a local gathering. Yelp reviews over the years consistently praise Matteo’s for the freshness and flavor of its pasta and for friendly service — the kind of community sentiment that helps explain why this closure feels personal to so many people who live in the Winslow Township area.
What the closure means for the local economy and nearby businesses
Small, family‑run specialty shops like Matteo’s are often more than retail locations; they act as informal anchors for nearby businesses. Customers who come for fresh pasta often stop at other stores in the strip, and local restaurants sometimes rely on these makers for specialty ingredients. With Matteo’s closing because of retirement — a common exit path for independent proprietors when succession plans aren’t in place — there are a few likely impacts:
– Neighborhood convenience: Regular customers will lose a nearby source for freshly made pasta and prepared Italian goods, pushing some to drive farther — often along I‑295 — to supermarkets or other specialty stores.
– Supply chain for small restaurants: If any nearby restaurants or caterers sourced pasta or sauces from Matteo’s, they’ll need to find alternate suppliers. That can mean higher costs or changes to menu items for places in Winslow Township and neighboring towns.
– Foot traffic effects: The shopping strip that housed Matteo’s may see a dip in midday and evening customer flow until a new tenant moves in, affecting adjacent storefronts.
– Real estate & redevelopment opportunity: The vacancy creates an opening for new owners — another food business, a chain, or redevelopment — that could shift the character of that exit’s retail cluster along the I‑295 feeder roads.
Context in regional trends
Local outlets such as NJ.com and Patch regularly cover stories of long‑running South Jersey businesses closing and the ripple effects in their communities. Across the state, retirements and changing shopping habits have contributed to turnover in neighborhood retail. Along the I‑295 corridor, development pressure, shifting consumer patterns (more online ordering and big-box competition), and the challenges of passing a small business to the next generation are driving similar outcomes.
Community reaction
Online review platforms like Yelp show Matteo’s enjoyed steady goodwill — customers celebrated the pasta, the authenticity and the personal touch. That community affection typically translates into calls from readers asking whether “someone else could take over” or “where do we get this now?” For folks commuting on I‑295 or living near the exit that serves Sicklerville, the answers matter: small, local businesses contribute to neighborhood identity and convenience in ways a new chain might not immediately replace.
What to watch next — practical items for readers by exit/town
– Keep an eye on the storefront: Vacancies along local collector roads off I‑295 often change hands quickly. A new owner could bring another food business that keeps the walk‑in convenience alive.
– Local restaurants: If you rely on Matteo’s for supplies, start asking your current vendors about alternatives now so menu planning isn’t disrupted.
– Town planning & redevelopment: Winslow Township and the surrounding municipalities track commercial vacancies when considering zoning and redevelopment incentives. Residents who want a say in the future of the site should follow township meeting notices.
– Neighboring options: Until a replacement opens, shoppers may need to travel slightly farther — often using the I‑295 feeder roads — to find comparable specialty pasta shops or delis. Local Facebook groups, Patch, and other community boards are good places to post questions and crowdsource recommendations.
Why this story matters to 295Times readers
Readers who pay attention to life by the exit signs — whether they live in Winslow Township, work in neighboring Camden County towns, or commute along I‑295 — know small changes at neighborhood intersections add up. Matteo’s closing is about more than pasta: it’s about the turnover of longtime businesses, the choices communities make about commerce and character, and the practical ripple effects for shoppers and small operators along the highway corridor.
If you’re a Matteo’s regular, a local restaurant owner, or someone curious about what could replace the shop, 295Times will follow developments: we’ll watch the property, check in with township officials about any redevelopment plans, and keep an eye on how nearby businesses adapt. If you have memories of Matteo’s or tips about who might take over the space, email us — neighborhood history and local leads make these transitions easier for everyone.
— Ari Williams, 295Times
Sources and context: Matteo’s location and community footprint can be seen on Google Maps; community reviews and sentiments are reflected on Yelp. Regional coverage of similar long‑running business closures and local development trends has appeared on NJ.com and Patch.
