Stores Down The Shore Prepping For Summer, Hoping For Dry MDW
OCEAN CITY, N.J. (CBS) - It's hard to believe, especially with all this rain we've been seeing lately, but summer unofficially begins this weekend.
That means it's crunch time for businesses at the Jersey Shore.
Along the Ocean City boardwalk, stores continue getting ready for Memorial Day weekend, hoping for one thing: dry weather.
"People are getting ready to get down here, they want the sun," says Sun N Fun manager Jay Keally. "Evey time you see the sun come out, the boardwalk fills up."
"They miss all that sun for the past three weeks now," adds JoJo's Pizza manager Issac Benarch. "They want to see the sun, they want to come here, they want to be on the boardwalk, they want to enjoy it."
He says rain or shine, JoJo's is ready for the summer crowds. Nearby at Fisherman's Cove however...
"We still have a lot to do as you see out here," says manager Mary Bayhan.
Dozens of boxes filled the store in the final days before the holiday weekend, but Bayhan says they'll be good to go soon:
"It's going to come together probably by the end of Memorial Day."
13th Street Bikes, Parking and Bath House owner Tony Galante was very optimistic as he, too, was getting his business ready:
"We enjoy seeing all of our customers. A lot of our customers we've had for 20 years. We're excited for the good weather and the people and of course all the things that come with it."
Hopefully the good weather says Tony and the other managers who spoke with KYW Newsradio.
They all agree, nice weather is the key to a successful start to the beach season.