The heart of Ocean City’s downtown at the corner of Ninth Street and Asbury Avenue is now home to a Domino’s Pizza.
The franchise opened earlier this week.
For more than seven decades, the property across from Ocean City’s historic City Hall was home to a local pharmacy that operated under different names, most recently Ocean Pharmacy. The pharmacy closed its doors for the final time early in 2014.
Salim Joarder said earlier this year that he had hoped to have the shop open by summer 2014, but the project hit a number of snags.
Joarder owns Domino’s franchises throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including locations in Absecon, Atlantic City and Egg Harbor.
The Ocean City location includes take-out, delivery services, a small number of booths and a windowfront bar with stools. The store has no dedicated parking. Asbury Avenue is metered typically from May 1 through Columbus Day Weekend.
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Domino’s operated for more than 20 years in Ocean City, first at the corner of 11th Street and Asbury Avenue (the current Starbuck’s location), then on the 900 block of Haven Avenue, before closing in 2009.
Because the renovation of the building exceeded 50 percent of its assessed value, the developers was required to “floodproof” the building to a certain height with such measures as water-resistant walls, elevated electrical sockets and flood gates at doorways to prevent water infiltration.
Upper-floor residences at the building appear to be still under renovation.
