Page 71 - 2023 Southern NJ Vacationer

SHOPPING
Shopping local makes cents
SHOP SMALL, SHOP LOCAL – it’s the way shops, boutiques and family-owned stores in New Jersey’s Southern Shore region set their shopping experience apart welcoming customers with personal service and unique, home grown, handmade merchandise.
A family-owned and run shopping experience has made retail districts like 96th St. in Stone Harbor, Dune Drive in Avalon and Asbury Avenue in Ocean City become attractions for generations of vacationers. A personal and unique shopping experience is just the beginning. These boutique-lined streets offer restaurants, special entertainment, farmers markets and themed shopping events that have made a visit to these districts part of the itinerary year-round.
Shopping on Avalon’s Dune Drive is fun, convenient – and cooler by a mile even on the warmest summer days plus it’s the only seashore community where all parking is free. Boutiques abound along Dune Drive with great names like Lululemon, Closet Boutique, The Preppy Palm and Lilly Pulitzer. Forget something? Head to one of Hoy’s Five and Ten locations for toys, clothes, and beach needs, just like your parents and grandparents have been doing since 1936!
Interested in eclectic, eccentric décor and home accessories? Are you looking for the
perfect gift? Stop by Armadillo located at 2761 Dune Dr. www.visitavalonnj.com
Stone Harbor’s 96th St. is small town charm at its best. The area is dotted with wrought-iron flower boxes, an old town clock stands amid the shops, and plenty of highly lacquered black benches line the street. The famous water tower located on 95th St and 2nd Ave. is the place to be on Tuesday nights to enjoy the area’s talented bands and entertainers. Boutiques with names like Moonstruck, Breezin Up, Talk of the Town, Small Crafts Advisory, People People and trendzHome are just some of the shops offering unexpected finds – jewelry, designer duds and unique home decor – all
within a two-block radius centered on 96th Street and Third Avenue.
At the heart of the 96th St. shopping district are Harbor Burger Bar and Harbor Square Theater offering the perfect dinner and a movie night and THE place to show off your newly purchased outfit and accessories. www.stoneharborchamber.com
Save the date for Shop-A-Holics weekend in March, the premiere shopping event hosted by Avalon and Stone Harbor’s very best boutiques on Seven Mile Island. The shopping extravaganza has the best bargains anywhere with a large variety of merchandise and deep discounts on everything.
Asbury Avenue in Ocean City, between 6th and 14th streets, is the heart of the City’s shopping district with dozens of shops, cafes, and attractions to browse, dine and enjoy. Forget some necessary beach items – sunscreen, chairs, towels, beach toys? Not a problem. Enjoy the downtown area with art galleries, artisan ice cream and bakeries, fashion boutiques, exquisite dining and more or head to the Boardwalk for Johnson’s Popcorn.
For literally, a one stop shopping experience, Staintons offers more than 70 boutiques under one roof. During the Christmas celebration, which begins in November, the Asbury shopping district becomes a “Miracle on Asbury Avenue” celebrating the holiday with free horse and carriage rides and a First Night celebration that kicks off the New Year in grand style.
Woodland Village is a “don’t miss” destination and a hidden jewel in Cape May County’s landscape. Its beautiful campus of 17 shops provides a peaceful, relaxed, open-air setting and a welcome getaway from the hustle and bustle of the beach scene. The shops provide
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