Sea Bright Businesses Rising Above Sandy

By Elaine Van Develde

It's been nine months since Hurricane Sandy wiped out Sea Bright, closing down all business along the Ocean Avenue peninsula.

Little by little, businesses have bounced back. Some have left. Some have stayed and rebuilt.  Some have been torn down due to major structural deficit. Regardless, Sea Bright is bouncing back. Now, steeped in the summer season, the borough's business district, still showing many remnants of Sandy, is at a new height of welcoming customers in its post-storm era.

In the winter, the first two businesses to open were Ama Ristorante and Woody's Ocean Grille.

Since then, here's what's happened to the business district in town:

• Restaurants and businesses that have reopened in the same spot are … Bain's Hardware, Dunkin' Donuts, Sea Bright Pizza, Harry's Lobster House, Mad Hatter, Giglio's Bait Shop, 7-Eleven, Andy K's as Sea Bright Market, Yumi sushi, Angler's Marina (57 years in Sea Bright), Super Golden Chinese restaurant,

• Northshore moved in across the street from its original location in the building referred to as Big Yellow

• 3B Fit, a new business, moved in next to where Steve's used to be; and where Steve's once was is now Alice's Kitchen, renovated with a fireplace.

• Jake's Surf Shop, owned by a longtime West Park Rumsonite, opened recently in the old bank building next to Bain's.

• Where Kind Burgers once was is now Beach Burgers and Grille.

• DIVE! is striving to make a comeback.

• Angelica's is coming back soon, just taking a bit longer than anticipated.

• And, let's not forget Mrs. Rooney's longtime hot dog stand. It got yarn bombed to spiff up the corner for Mrs. Rooney.

The Sea Bright Public Beach is on its way back, too.

New photos will be included later, so check back. And, let us know if we've missed anything.