OCEAN CITY, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — The Jersey shore usually starts making headlines closer to Memorial Day, but when you have 80 degree weather in April and businesses in desperate need of an offseason boost, it becomes a story.
Wednesday was a day that shop owners on the Ocean Boardwalk have been waiting for. More than half of their shops were open, as large crowds flocked to the beach to enjoy rare summer-like temperatures.
Typically this time of year, many shops are only open on weekends.
Maria Siniscalchi, who manages Angelo’s Family Restaurant, admitted she was pleasantly overwhelmed.
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“We don’t have enough help,” she said. “Today was unusual, and it’s a beautiful day and we’re happy. We’re going to try our best to accommodate all our customers.”
She said her restaurant, and her fellow boardwalk shops, all needed a day like this “very bad.”
“It’s a good start for everyone,” added Siniscalchi, who thinks and hopes this day is a sign of what’s to come this summer.
Frank Cerino, visiting from Glassboro, had similar expectations.
“I think this is just heralding of what’s going to happen in the summer,” he said. “I think it’s just going to be gangbusters down here this summer.”
Cerino prefers being down the shore during the offseason and “couldn’t resist” coming down on this beautiful day. He said this is the biggest spring crowd he can remember in a long time.
Janet Belancio loves the shore. Wednesday was her first day on the beach since 2019.
“I missed it (last summer),” she said. “Yes, because I was afraid of COVID.”
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Thomas Thomas of Philadelphia has her beat, though. On Wednesday, he took to the boardwalk for the first time in the last quarter century.
“Feeding my face with delicious pizza, picked up some Johnson’s Popcorn and some salt water taffy,” he happily said. “(Shop employees) really appreciate it, they told me.”
Some businesses that weren’t open on Wednesday made sure to put signs up, letting people know when they will be open, taking advantage of all the people on the boardwalk on this day.
Other stores are still setting up. They have about a month until Memorial Day weekend, when shore season really kicks off.
“Please, dear Lord, let them make money,” Belancio added. “They need it.”