New Business Growth In Sea Isle City Contradicts Economic Trends Elsewhere

SEA ISLE CITY– In the past year, Sea Isle City has experienced a commercial building boom that has given the resort a financial boost and improved the community’s overall appearance. With numerous new retail buildings and restaurants now in place, the town is undergoing a business renaissance of sorts, thanks to the many shopping and dining options now available. Naturally, this bodes well for Sea Isle’s many residents and visitors – not to mention business owners.
Along Landis Avenue, where a modern shopping center with multiple store-fronts was recently completed at 63rd Street, a new nail salon, physician’s office, fitness center and two clothing shops opened their doors earlier this summer. In the City’s downtown section, another new commercial building has resulted in additional shopping and dining options along the 4600 block of Landis Avenue. In the heart of town, a well-established liquor store has recently moved into its new building, which is next to a new take-out sushi restaurant. New commercial construction was also completed earlier this year in the resort’s Townsend Inlet section, where yet another new eatery is up and running. Other new businesses have also opened here this summer, filling once-vacant spaces with flourishing enterprises.
More new construction sites are now emerging in Sea Isle City as well, including two new retail spaces along Landis Avenue in the resort’s downtown business district – one of which is on the lot where the former Trading Post Hardware Store once stood. The Trading Post was destroyed in a 2005 fire but sat vacant until being demolished earlier this summer. Further new construction is expected at 87th Street, where Busch’s Restaurant, a local landmark for many decades, will be replaced with additional commercial growth later this year.
“With the recent construction of several new retail buildings and more and more merchants wanting to do business in town, Sea Isle City’s recent growth has been tremendous,” said Mayor Leonard Desiderio. “Never before have there been so many shopping and dining options here – and so many happy customers and business owners. We also have other commercial construction projects currently underway or just about to begin.”
In recent years, Sea Isle City has also instituted a new outside dining ordinance for restaurants, which has proven to be very successful and further enhanced the business district.
“Sidewalk dining has resulted in positive growth for us,” said Kim Gibson, owner of The Braca Café. “The Pour House Restaurant has also done very well with outside dining. Even with all the heat and humidity we’ve had this year, people still want to sit outside.”
Bill Buchanan, owner of Re/Max Beach Home Realty and President of Sea Isle Revitalization, is also very encouraged by what he sees happening in Sea Isle’s business community.
“Sea Isle City has always been a good restaurant-town, and visitors are very happy with our new sidewalk dining options,” Buchanan said. “This year we are seeing more people than ever enjoying our summer trolley, and by this time next year, Sea Isle City will blow people away – thanks to the new commercial construction projects that are still to come and several new City-projects, including building a new band shell at Excursion Park. In the past two years, our country has experienced many economic problems, yet we have seen continued growth here in Sea Isle. I feel it’s because everyone in our community is working together. There are now more reasons than ever to come to our resort – and we’re still growing!”
For additional information about Sea Isle City’s business community, visit www.seaislerevitalization.com or www.seaislechamber.com.