Rowan Boulevard will soon have more Philadelphia flair with the addition of a new Chickie’s and Pete’s Crab House and Sports Bar, expected to open as early as this summer, according to CEO Peter Ciarrocchi.

A lease for a new 7,000-square-foot location of the eatery, known for its coveted crab fries and seafood, has been signed to make Chickie’s and Pete’s the anchor tenant at 220 Rowan Blvd. Its construction is the result of a continued partnership between Rowan University and the city of Glassboro, facilitated by Nexus Property Management.

“Council and Rowan University have a great working relationship,” said Glassboro Council President George Cossabone. “We really work well together.”

Cossabone hopes that having a well-established business that is appreciated by both college students and Glassboro residents will inspire other restaurants and business establishments to expand in the area.

“The resurgence of Glassboro is unlike anything we’ve seen in the area,” says Ciarrocchi. “When you look at the town itself, business is booming, and Rowan is booming, but there’s a need for this.”

The restaurant’s opening will also bring jobs to Glassboro. Ciarrocchi expects to have at least 100 employees for the indoor and outdoor establishment, but says it could be as many as 150.

In addition to potential jobs, for students of legal drinking age, Chickie’s and Pete’s will provide a place to watch the game, have a hot meal and catch up with friends over a beer in a sports bar atmosphere. The only other nearby establishments that serve liquor Landmark Americana Bar and Grill, Keggler’s and PB’s Diner.

Ciarrocchi acknowledged the need for this type of eatery in the area and believes it will drive even more people to spend time in Glassboro.

“We would love to have an influx of neighborhood people in the early summer and have the business in place before students go back to school,” says Ciarrocchi.

Senior Rowan student Alexa Carini, 22, is excited at the prospect of an alternate destination for a night out.

“Rowan needs something like this,” Carini said. “The only place we have to go is Landmark, and if you ask any other 21-year-old, we need somewhere like this to go.”

The Rowan Blvd. location will be the 15^th Chickie’s and Pete’s chain to open across the New Jersey and Pennsylvania region since its 1977 inception in Philadelphia.