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The now-closed TGI Fridays in Woodbridge will find a new life as a full-service Indian restaurant and sports bar.

The upcoming 9,426-square-foot eatery will occupy space at The Plaza at Woodbridge. Award-winning hospitality team Mango People Collective is developing the project, according to shopping center owner Urban Edge Properties.

The family-owned firm’s portfolio also includes four brands in Parsippany (Social Hub by Dhaba, Jashan, Dhaba Express and LaZeez by Dhaba) as well as one in Fairfield (Kebabs & Kurries). Additionally, the Mango People Collective runs restaurants in New York City focused on Indian and Indochinese cuisine.

In a statement on the upcoming venture, group co-founders Ankush and Avineet Punhani shared, “When our dad immigrated to the U.S., he chose New Jersey to build a life for our family. Woodbridge is where he was given his first real opportunity, that would go on to shape everything that followed.

“That early support meant everything to our family, and this expansion and return to Woodbridge is a full-circle, ‘pinch-me’ moment for us.”

The siblings added, “We’re deeply honored to continue serving the community that has been with us since the beginning. We are thrilled to partner with the Urban Edge team to bring our new concept to this location and are excited to share more in the coming months.”

Josh Birns is senior vice president of leasing for Urban Edge Properties. “The Mango People Collective is a top-quality operator and this new concept will be a great addition to the line-up at The Plaza at Woodbridge,” Birns commented. “We are anticipating a full-service restaurant and bar centered around sports which creates another compelling reason for the community to visit the center.”

The former Fridays site is among those nationwide that closed in the wake of the popular casual dining chain’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in November 2024. Roughly 80 Fridays locations remain in the U.S. New Jersey hosts six: Burlington, East Windsor, Linden, Manahawkin, Turnersville and West Orange.

Since the bankruptcy, several shuttered Fridays restaurants across New Jersey have transformed into new establishments. Tommy’s Tavern & Tap’s recently launched such outposts in Toms River and Wayne.