The Village at Taunton Forge is a neighborhood shopping center located at the intersection of Tuckerton Road and Taunton Boulevard in Medford NJ. The center consists of approximately 90,000 GLA (Gross Leasable Area) and has 20+ individual stores. Its location, along the two heavily traveled roads and position on the southern section of Medford, makes it a convenient shopping destination for a large portion of Medford’s population primarily living in the surrounding neighborhoods and communities of Lake Pine, Tamarac, Hoot Owl, Oakwood, Taunton Trace and Centennial Lake. It is also convenient for residents living in Kings Grant, Bartons Run and other nearby neighborhoods of Evesham Township.
The Village at Taunton Forge was originally developed by Joseph (Joe) DePetris in two phases: Phase I consisted of 34,000 SF and included a grocery store, drug store and small shop was completed in 1979
and Phase II which added an additional 43,000 SF with shops, restaurants and a bank was completed in 1985. It was the first and only shopping center that Joesph DePetris developed. He wanted the center
to be a special place for the Medford community so he designed the center to be similar to a village with six separate buildings clustered together rather than the “strip” center that were commonly developed
in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Joseph DePetris who was known to be thrifty, would reflect on this decision in conversations with his children, “ it would have cost me much less to build the typical strip center (rather than six separate buildings) but it wouldn’t have been as nice”.
Starting in 2010, Joseph DePetris’ sons (James, Michael, Steven and David) embarked on redeveloping of the center which was showing signs of an older center with high vacancy rates and a tired and outdated façade. In September 2014, Preliminary Site Plan Approvals were received from Medford Township followed by approvals by the NJ Pinelands Commission in May of 2016.
A number of subsequent Final Site Plan Approvals would then follow as the center was developed in phases which included the following improvements being made: thinning of a heavy tree buffer that restricted center’s visibility and hindered leasing efforts, relocation of Rite Aid to a free-standing building with drive-thru, relocation and expansion of Taunton Forge Liquors, addition of Taco El Tios Mexican Restaurant and bar with outside seating area, relocation and expansion of True Value Hardware with outside sales/storage area into the center, addition of an outside seating area for Illianos Cucina, addition of Anytime Fitness, (backfilling the former Rite Aid space), new updated facades.
The Village at Taunton Forge has been a part of the Medford Community for the past 40 years. For patrons of the center and employees who may LIVE and WORK in or outside of Medford, the Village at Taunton Forge has become a valued “Third Place” where the community comes together for shopping, convenient services and for eating & dining. A place where business owners and staff interact with residents on a daily basis, where residents run into their neighbors, where family and friends go for meals and drinks together. Its tag line and purpose is simple: SHOP*DINE*ENJOY!
The center is owned by the DePetris Family which includes Joe’s 4 sons and Daughter, Donna. The center is leased and managed by affiliated companies, Legend Properties, Inc and Legend Management Services, LLC.
