By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
From time to time, Christopher Glancey looks at the zip codes for the guests staying at the Impala Island Inn motel and will notice that they come from all over the United States.
“You’ll see all 50 states,” said Glancey, the Impala’s co-owner. “As far as this motel goes, it has a terrific following of customers who come year after year. I talked to one gentleman who’s been coming here for 50 years.”
But there’s more. There’s also an international following.
At least one Impala guest was from New Zealand.
“It doesn’t get much farther away than New Zealand,” Glancey said, laughing.
Clearly, the Impala motel has its own strong customer base, although Glancey is also quick to praise Ocean City’s tourism representatives, business community and government officials for making the beach town so attractive to tourists.
“It is a testament to Ocean City being one of the best beach resorts in America. You draw from everywhere,” he said.
Glancey and his business partner Bob Morris bought the Impala last year. They are well-known developers in Sea Isle City who have been transforming that beach resort with a series of mixed-use projects that combine retail, restaurant and residential space.
The Impala represents the first foray in Ocean City for Glancey and Morris. It has been a landmark at the corner of 10th Street and Ocean Avenue since the early 1960s. Glancey and Morris acquired the motel and some prime property across the street from the former longtime owners, Anthony J. Frank and his family.
Construction has begun on the neighboring property for a 15-suite upscale boutique hotel called the North Island Inn. Glancey and Morris plan to open the new hotel for the summer of 2020.
In the meantime, they also continue to focus on the 78-room Impala, a mid-level motel that occupies a premium location just a block from the amusement parks, shops and restaurants on the Boardwalk.
“Guests love the location. The fact is, you can easily walk to everything on the Boardwalk,” Glancey said.
“I would call it a family-friendly motel,” he continued. “That’s our goal – family-friendly and economical.”
Friends Debbie Schaefer, Linda Mertens and Sally Klein, vacationers from Pittsburgh, all stressed the family theme in explaining why they are loyal to the Impala. They have been staying at the motel for 28 years.
“It’s a family resort. We’ve got kids, so they love it. It’s like home to them when we come to stay here,” Schaefer said.
Schaefer, Mertens and Klein were vacationing in Ocean City last week. They were part of a strong post-Labor Day crowd that kept the Impala booked, even during mid-week.
Glancey noted that a Baptist convention and the Ocean City Air Show were two large events that generated business for the Impala.
“Ocean City is terrific in having events in the off-season that continue to bring people to town in September and October,” he said.
By all accounts from Ocean City tourism and business representatives, the resort had an exceptionally strong 2019 summer season. Beach tag sales and parking revenue, both key indicators of the strength of summer tourism, were up compared to 2018, city officials said.
“The summer was terrific,” Glancey said of the Impala. “The weather was great. We kept the entire staff on. Some of them have been working here for 20 years.”
Unlike the seasonal motels in town, the Impala is open year-round. Glancey pointed out that the Impala also manages the adjacent Ebb Tide Suites and Wild Dunes Inn to offer a variety of lodging for guests.
For instance, the eight suites in the Ebb Tide each have a kitchen and can be configured in different ways to offer families flexibility. All 28 units at the Wild Dunes Inn face the ocean, giving guests some coveted views, Glancey said.
As for the Impala, the building was always well-maintained under the previous ownership of the Frank family, Glancey said. There are plans for some largely cosmetic changes, including refreshing some of the rooms and giving the lobby a makeover.
But for the most part, no major changes are planned. Glancey said he is adopting the philosophy, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
“We consistently sell out throughout the summer,” he said. “The motel is a great barometer of the summer. If we’re full, people are out on the Boardwalk, shopping or out having dinner and will have an impact on the entire community.”
The Impala Island Inn is located at 1001 Ocean Ave. Call (609) 399-7500 or visit http://impalaislandinn.com/ for rates and more information.
