It used to be a Thanksgiving turkey farm restaurant. Now Chick-Fil-A may be replacing it.

A Chester, New Jersey institution that has hosted tens of thousands of Thanksgiving dinners for 60 years may be renovated. After several name changes, Larison’s Turkey Farm Inn closed permanently in 2009, leaving the structure empty for nearly a decade.

In the 19th-century building, Alstede Farms will run a rural farm market with a deli and outdoor seating. The beloved restaurant will not return. Chick-Fil-A, 66 townhomes, and 24 affordable housing would make the 25-acre site a mix of dining, shopping, and residential. Signs at the site read “future home of Alstede Fresh at Larison’s Corner,” foreshadowing changes.

Alstede Farms co-owner Mary Alstede and her husband Kurt are thrilled to continue the site’s legacy. “We’re delighted that our family can continue the tradition,” she said. In October 2020, Global Acquisitions Company LLC bought the land and manages development. Chick-Fil-A’s family-oriented strategy makes it a good successor to Larison’s, said managing member Robert Berlant.

at 1945, Ruth and Willis Larison opened Larison’s Turkey Farm Inn at their home. The inn served 1,800 Thanksgiving guests after 125 the first. Kids fed the farm’s turkeys outside while guests waited hours for dinner. The restaurant was a community institution for 30 years before deteriorating in the 1990s.

Early 2000s redevelopment added a CVS and bank; 2023 saw a Wawa convenience store. After the Chester Borough Council approved a settlement in February to replace a 2018 CVS and medical office building project, the current plan is far better. This proposal needs borough Land Use Board approval.

Alstede Farms will revive fruit, vegetable, and flower land. Adirondack chairs outside evoke Larison’s past. Kurt Alstede emphasized preserving the site’s history while satisfying community needs.

Despite years, all stakeholders are committed to finishing the project. The initiative will preserve the site and provide food and residential choices to maintain it a gathering center for centuries.

Sources:

• Chester Borough official announcements

• Global Acquisitions Company LLC statements

• Alstede Farms interviews and press releases

• Chester Historical Society records

• NJ Advance Media reports