After 46 years, NJ shore street market is never opening again

When a place has been part of a town for nearly half a century and it goes away for good it’s sad. When a place goes away that felt synonymous with the town itself and was so beloved by locals it’s practically tragic.

Such is the case in one New Jersey shore town. Ocean City has been called “America’s Greatest Family Resort” with a beach voted “Best Beach in the Northeast.” Whether you passionately love the town as one of its year-round residents or are one of the more than a million tourists who enjoy it every summer, chances are this is going to make you sad.

Every summer for 46 years a street market would open up that had fresh produce and ice cream and all good things that just scream summer. It was it was called 34th St. Market and I remember it well from the one year I lived in Ocean City. It was about five blocks in from the 34th St. beach. They even rented out bicycles for tourists which you would see all over town.

I mean think about it. This place has been around since the Carter administration. If you know anything about that part of New Jersey, you know about Ocean City’s famous Doo Dah parade. The 34th St. Market pre-dates that by 8 years.

And it’s all over.

Owner Ron Farnath has announced that the property he always ran the business out of is being sold. For all these decades he had leased it, and the owners decided to sell. Farnath says he wasn’t quite ready to retire, but he’s going to look for a new adventure in life now. In the fall 34th St. Market’s Instagram thanked all their loyal customers.

I can’t imagine how yearly tourists or year-round residents feel about this. I only lived there for one year and yet I can’t picture that part of Ocean City without this place.

According to cbsnews.com, the business started out with just a bike shop. Then soon a fruit and produce stand. A garden center followed. Down the road, the Scoop Box, their ice cream stand.

It all stands vacant now behind a chain link fence. Instead of winter maintenance being done and plans being made for another summer opening, parts of it are being sold off and hauled away.

New construction is planned for first-floor retail space and second-floor condos. Isn’t it always condos?

Maybe Guns N’ Roses was right. Nothing lasts forever except cold November rain.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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