Ocean City is buzzing with newly opened and refreshed businesses. People feel hopeful about the town's future.
Since January, the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce has posted many ribbon-cutting photos. This shows that local businesses are doing well.
Yes, a few downtown shops are still empty, which some people have complained about online. But most of those spaces aren’t available to rent yet. Downtown has over 100 open businesses between Sixth and 12th streets. The boardwalk has about 108 more, plus busy spots on 34th Street, the South End, and West Avenue.
Ocean City is thriving — and growing. Even as foot traffic fuels local retail, the digital landscape is evolving too. Many residents and visitors enjoy modern entertainment during their time off the beach. Online casino slots are becoming a popular choice in New Jersey. While not directly tied to the island’s commerce, their growing appeal reflects a shift in how people enjoy leisure time, both on and off the shore.
Michele Gillian, who leads the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, said downtown saw a big change this winter. Many new businesses opened, especially on Asbury Avenue.
She said they shared all the ribbon cuttings to show support and highlight the need to protect local businesses. “It’s not easy running a business in New Jersey these days,” she said.
High taxes, overregulation, and rising labor costs make it more complicated,” Gillian said.
A strong business community is key to both tourism and year-round living. “People choose to move or buy second homes here because of our shops and restaurants,” she said.
Gillian said Ocean City has over 220 shops and restaurants, a key part of the town’s charm. “People still want to shop in person and enjoy the experience,” she said. Ocean City’s prime spot near Longport and Somers Point adds to its appeal. It’s easy to reach from the Parkway. Here, you can find some of the best shopping and recreation in the area.
Caitlin Quirk, who owns a shop on Asbury Avenue, recently launched a second one. It's called The Garb Collection and is located at 1014 Asbury Ave.
“From my experience in my first business, Bowfish Kids, this is a very vibrant downtown,” she said. "The idea that downtown is struggling because a few stores are closed isn’t true. Many businesses here are doing well."
Quirk said that many empty storefronts aren't caused by low demand. Instead, they're often because landlords are holding back.
"Sadly, from what I understand, many of those problems are due to the landlords," she said. “The ones that I know that are vacant, it’s truly the landlord is not willing to rent the space. “I have friends who own businesses and want to move to Asbury, but there aren’t any open spots.”
Quirk said she jumped on the chance when she heard 1014 Asbury was opening. “Open spaces like this don’t come around often,” she said.
As a business owner who cares for the planet, Quirk dreamed of The Garb Collection as a special kind of store.
“Some people are comparing us to Poshmark (an online service), but in person. We allow people to resell their clothes and keep them out of landfills.”
“Letting people sell their clothes keeps them out of landfills and in use,” she said. It would also bring value back to that item because even if you assign it a $5 value, it’s no longer disposable.”
The Garb Collection lets people rent space and sell their items at prices they choose.
One well-known spot on Asbury Avenue was empty for a while during renovations. Roslyn Lifshin and Nancy Miller own a bookstore and want to keep it going. Raj Khatiwala bought their building and gave them a spot to keep selling books.
Now, they can run Sun Rose Words and Music without the worry of handling the entire store.
“I’m enjoying it. I am. The store looks beautiful,” Lifshin said. Bridget designed it, and it looks beautiful. It’s open and colorful, and the Sun Rose side of it is doing great.
“We were able to fit pretty much all the books we had in the other store, so there’s still a good selection,” she said.
“It’s a good partnership. I mean, what Three Little Birds sells, the cards and the gifts, work so well with the book side of it. It all works well together,” Lifshin said.
“I’ve always loved downtown. I’ve always been a part of the community, and Nancy and I are both pleased to be here, to still be here,” she said. “That was the big benefit. We didn’t have to be landlords, but we could still do what we love: books.”
Brad Jacobson and his wife don’t own Three Little Birds. They also run several other businesses. These include Stainton’s Gallery of Shops, the Shops on Asbury, and Stainton’s By the Sea on the Boardwalk. Soon, they will open Stainton’s Kids at 910 Asbury Ave.
“We’ve always supported small businesses,” Jacobson said. “Stores like this help downtown grow, and we love Ocean City.”
He praised Lifshin and Miller. He said they can help out without running the store full-time.
Jacobson added that they avoid competing with other local shops. “Everything we sell is unique to our stores,” he said. “That’s true for all our locations.”
He’s confident in Asbury Avenue’s future: “We see growth yearly, thanks to our loyal customers.”
