Saved days before scheduled demolition
By Sarah Fertsch
Staff Writer
The landmark Ram’s Head Inn, has been saved from the wrecking ball.
Richard Baerhle, a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Fox and Roach and a columnist for Shore Local News, shared on his Facebook page that the historic inn on the White Horse Pike will be under new ownership after closing down in 2019.
The Ram’s Head Inn has been a South Jersey institution for the past 90 years. Fred and Ethel Noyes, developers of Historic Smithville Village, revitalized the restaurant in the 1970s.
The Galloway inn has a reputation as an “elegant New American-style restaurant with Colonial decor, an extensive wine list, and a bar with live music,” Baerhle said.
It is also a major event, space, a favorite for weddings, and other large gatherings.
Originally the inn served roadhouse-style cuisine, and when the Noyes bought the property, Ram’s Head Inn began to serve Dutch staples and comfort food.
The Inn closed in 2019 due to fire-suppression issues, and according to Baerhle, the space was four days away from demolition when it was sold.
The Knowles Family, who ran the inn until 2019, published this on their website: “As many of our cherished long-time (patrons) are aware, we have consistently operated Ram’s Head Inn with pride for over 40 years and have made great efforts to maintain what we consider a historic gem through very challenging economic times in the Atlantic City area, with great demands on the building and at great costs, while many other businesses were faced with unfortunate fates.
“We were concurrently battling a number of other building-related issues with intent to persevere, though the sprinkler issues ultimately were the pivotal circumstance demanding closure.”
Baerhle said that the new owners plan to bring the inn back to its original charm and condition.
Not only does the inn serve families for dinner, it also offers a 24,000-square-foot banquet hall and 3,500-square-foot ballroom. The Ram’s Head Inn regularly hosted events for small groups of up to 300 guests.
When Shore Local News published the sale on its Facebook page, followers had plenty to say on the sale.
Jacki Farley Roney wrote, “So happy to hear this news! For many years we gathered there on the Saturday after Thanksgiving with a group of friends and enjoyed the wonderful food, service and atmosphere. Hope they bring it back as classy as it was!”
Jack Uniglicht wrote, “Had some great Thanksgiving dinners at the Ram’s Head Inn. This place was one of the classic restaurants in South Jersey where you got dressed up and celebrated special occasions and holidays. Hope the new owners bring it back to that level once again.”
Baerhle declined to disclose who purchased the property and the terms of the sale.
