New Pizza Shop Owner Awed by Warm Ocean City Welcome

dbergen

Ken Jones and Lynne Craytor outside the new Cugini Pizza at 1136 Asbury Avenue in Ocean City, NJ. Lynne Craytor always expected a family atmosphere when she realized a lifelong dream to open her own pizza shop in Ocean City. What she didn't anticipate when she opened Cugini Pizza at 1136 Asbury Avenue was such a warm reception from the local business community. Even three months after opening for business (at the location of the former All Natural Pizza), Craytor says she's still amazed by the support she's seen from fellow shop owners. "It makes you want to cry," Craytor said. "You're not going to find another town that has such deep roots and is so welcoming to a stranger. I think this town should be recognized for that. They want you to succeed." Craytor left a 28-year career in the corporate world in the Mount Laurel area and arrived in the spring to a cluttered building that hadn't operated as a business for a year and a half. One of her first customers was from neighboring Maglione General Contractors, and he brought over two window-unit air conditioners at no charge. Folks from A&A Computers (1044 Asbury Avenue) were in the shop. She couldn't get a new credit-card machine to work. But they could. They helped with a phone line as well. At no charge. Aslam Sheikh of Ocean City Wireless Variety Store (1059 Asbury Avenue) visited and shared good advice for the new venture, Craytor said. "We just want everybody on this block to be successful," he told her. Other neighbors like Ken Jenkins of the Fractured Prune have been in to share insights and advice, she said. Neighbors gave her paper plates when she ran low, and even rival pizza businesses have helped her out. Still trying to figure out the ebb and flow of business, she said the shop was slammed with customers one evening and ran out of cheese. Mario's Pizzeria and Restaurant (1510 Bay Avenue) pitched in. Roma Pizza (656 Boardwalk) came to the rescue when she needed boxes on a different occasion. "How many strangers do you think would do that?" Craytor asked. She even praised the parking meter enforcement staff of Ocean City, particularly "Donna," who customarily pokes her head in the restaurant to remind customers to feed the meters before she writes a ticket. "They say Ocean City is family and friends, and it's true," Craytor said. "It's not just hype." Cugini serves pizza with a sauce featuring whole ground tomatoes, no salt or sugar, and quality cheese. All dough and ingredients are made fresh every morning. The margherita pizza is a top-seller. The shop was a new favorite of food critic Ed Hitzel and was featured on his show shortly before he died earlier this summer. --------- CUGINI PIZZA