Shore Shops
Sea Isle City’s shopping scene offers a wide selection of retail stores, allowing you to find whatever you may need right on the island. From family-owned department stores to beachy boutiques, there is a shop for everyone.
Take the time to learn about some of the town’s shops that continue to anchor this community season after season.
Tiffany Moore, Shaniya Mann and Chris Sorenson of Beachy Keen.
Beachy Keen: Chris Sorenson
4601 Landis Ave., Sea Isle City | 609-263-4609 | beachykeensic.com
What inspired you to open your store and how long have you been in business?
I was born and raised at the Jersey Shore. We have been in business for 17 years.
What trends and colors are you loving this summer?
Soft heathered and purples and blues.
What’s one thing first-time visitors should know about your store?
We are a complete one-stop shop for all your beach-going needs.
What has been your most successful event or promotion?
Our most successful events are ones we do with the Sea Isle Chamber.
What’s the best compliment a customer has ever given you?
The best compliment a customer has ever given was that our store has great items.
Which item in the store best captures the spirit of summer?
Cool cabanas and swimwear.
What’s one thing you’re especially excited about this season?
4th of July, Christmas in July, and Americana merchandise.
Barbara and Chuck Dalrymple of Dalrymple Card & Gift Shoppe.
Dalrymple Card & Gift Shoppe: Chuck and Barbara Dalrymple
20 JFK Blvd., Sea Isle City | 609-263-3337 | dalrymplecardandgift.com
What inspired you to open your store and how long have you been in business?
We have been family-owned since 1963 and were opened by Charles and Angela (Braca) Dalrymple.
What trends and colors are you loving this summer?
We love coastal colors, such as aqua and cream.
What’s one thing first-time visitors should know about your store?
We are family-owned and operate with strong customer service.
What has been your most successful event or promotion?
We enjoy promoting local artists. We are proud to feature KD photography shells and prints. In conjunction with our Book Nook, we host many successful author signings. For the last seven years, we also have sponsored a Run for Nurses on the Saturday after Labor Day. We have raised $60,000 for education programs at Cooper Cape Regional.
What’s the best compliment a customer has ever given you?
We enjoy promoting local artists. We are proud to feature KD photography shells and prints. In conjunction with our Book Nook, we host many successful author signings. For the last seven years, we also have sponsored a Run for Nurses on the Saturday after Labor Day. We have raised $60,000 for education programs at Cooper Cape Regional.
Which item in the store best captures the spirit of summer?
This summer, it is products celebrating the 250th anniversary of the USA, including serve ware, tea towels, mugs, and patriotic Byers’ Choice figurines. We also anticipate a large selection of the trending sensory toys, including NeeDohs, Sugar Cubes, Dumplings, and more.
What’s one thing you’re especially excited about this season?
We are especially excited about custom Sea Isle gifts this season.
Sam Marsh of Global Pursuit.
Global Pursuit: Sam Marsh
4000 Pleasure Ave., Sea Isle City | 262 96th Street, Stone Harbor | 609-486-5136 | shopglobalpursuit.com
What inspired you to open your store and how long have you been in business?
Global Pursuit in Stone Harbor has been open for over 15 years. We expanded to Sea Isle last year because we wanted to become a part of the community in lovely Sea Isle! The store we took over was the beloved Kiwi Boutique; we have tried to maintain what locals loved about Kiwi while adding our own spin.
What trends and colors are you loving this summer?
Browns are trending this season; we love the new specialty Phillies line from Mitchell & Ness.
What’s one thing first-time visitors should know about your store?
That we curate the store for the life we all love on the island, and that we have both men’s and women’s! Z Supply and Free People are some women’s favorites, and Marine Layer and Johnnie-O are favorites of the men.
What has been your most successful event or promotion?
We love Girls’ Weekend!
What’s the best compliment a customer has ever given you?
That Global Pursuit is their favorite store!
What’s the story behind your storefront or décor?
Inside, we have decade-old Global Pursuit signs for décor. We try to evoke the season in our window display and always feature sports apparel from whichever professional Philadelphia sports team is in season.
Which item in the store best captures the spirit of summer?
We love the necklaces from Dune that are made with local, Sea Isle sand.
What’s one thing you’re especially excited about this season?
For the Phillies to turn it around and the ocean to warm up!
Lisa and Art Iannone of Sands Department Store
Sands Department Store: Lisa and Art Iannone
6208 Landis Ave., Sea Isle City | 609-263-3351 | sandsdepartmentstore.com
What inspired you to open your store and how long have you been in business?
It was started in 1958 by Art’s father, and his father ran it, because he saw a need in 1958 for a department store in town.
What trends and colors are you loving this summer?
We are loving blue, any color of blue. We’ve also embraced the PANTONE Color of the Year, which is cloud dancer. We’re seeing a lot of yellow and pale green, but mostly blue and white.
What’s one thing first-time visitors should know about your store?
That we have absolutely everything. And whatever someone can’t find, we probably have it, or if not, we will tell you how to make it with something in the store.
What has been your most successful event or promotion?
Fall Girls Weekend. That is the only time our store is ever on sale.
What’s the story behind your storefront or décor?
We’re real old-school. It’s got an old-school look and old sign. We are in the original building, so everything’s been built up around us.
What’s the best compliment a customer has ever given you?
That the customer loves coming here for the excellent service and quality of products. Someone once told me that we were the Nordstroms of the shore.
Which item in the store best captures the spirit of summer?
We have a huge selection of sandals that do really well.
What’s one thing you’re especially excited about this season?
We are excited to see people who come back, and the 250th anniversary of America.
Jacquie Ewing and John Bell of Armadillo, Ltd.
Armadillo, Ltd.: Jacquie Ewing
2761 Dune Drive, Avalon | 609-368-3000 | @armadillo_ltd
What inspired you to open your store and how long have you been in business?
My husband, John Bell, and I moved to Avalon from Manhattan after working on Wall Street as commodity futures traders. I got bored and I knew I would be a better boss than an employee. So, voila! We opened Armadillo, Ltd. with no retail experience 24 years ago.
What trends and colors are you loving this summer?
I’m loving that there are no rules and that people are not afraid to mix colors and be more adventurous in their selections for their beach retreat. Pale sage and leafy greens mix easily with all interior color choices, as do taupe and pale pink sand.
What’s one thing first-time visitors should know about your store?
That we are a fun boutique, and we have a sense of humor, and the look of the shop, like the name, is not predictable. Eclecticism is the best description.
Shoppers know that we are constantly bringing in new lines that make no sense being in a beach shop.
What has been your most successful event or promotion?
Our Instagram posts have not only been fun but also successful. The posts have resulted in raising awareness of the shop and our style. And resulted in new customers coming to check us out.
What’s the best compliment a customer has ever given you?
There are three: “We love that the shop is open year-round,” “We always find the perfect item,” and “I wish there was a store like yours where I live.”
Which item in the store best captures the spirit of summer?
Our one-of-a-kind sculpted fish are hand-made in Italy. They are just hysterical and cool works of art.
What’s one thing you’re especially excited about this season?
The letter-and-number wall tiles from Portugal. It is so fun to see customers spell their own story.
Rose Adelizzi-Bostard of The Preppy Palm.
The Preppy Palm: Rose Adelizzi-Bostard
2533 Dune Drive, Avalon | 609-368-7300 | preppypalm.com
What inspired you to open your store and how long have you been in business?
My store started out as a small venue for me to sell my handmade wares like handbags, belts, and headbands, but it grew to the size it is today. We have been in business for 22 years.
What trends and colors are you loving this summer?
I always love summer; the bright colors change the whole look of the store. As for trends, it is all about Mahjong!
What’s one thing first-time visitors should know about your store?
We offer something for everyone: all ages, all prices. And we are open every day (except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day).
What has been your most successful event or promotion?
Black Friday is our biggest event every year and a way to say thank you to the community. It is an absolutely must-attend event.
What’s the story behind your storefront or décor?
I am so grateful for the size of our store because it gives our customers the room to really browse. We also have the “man chair” if you know, you know.
What’s the best compliment a customer has ever given you?
“This is our favorite store.” “We stop here before we go to our house.” “Everyone who works here is so nice.”
Which item in the store best captures the spirit of summer?
All the beautiful sundresses. There is something for everyone.
What’s one thing you’re especially excited about this season?
Celebrating the country’s 250th birthday. It is sure to be a very exciting time in Avalon.
Colette Brogan of She Be Surfin’
She Be Surfin’: Colette Brogan
2516 Dune Drive, Avalon & 221 96th St., Stone Harbor | 609-967-3110 & 609-368-3682 | shebesurfin.com
What inspired you to open your store and how long have you been in business?
I always loved to shop at the local surf shops, but they had a very small women’s department. I opened She Be Surfin’ to fill that need, and this will be my 21st year in business.
What trends and colors are you loving this summer?
I am loving the mock neck sweatshirt trend and all of the USA apparel.
What’s one thing first-time visitors should know about your store?
We carry a large selection of swimwear!
What’s the story behind your storefront or décor?
My goal was to have a store that was bright and cheerful. Most stores organize their merchandise by brand, but I prefer to create displays by color.
What’s the best compliment a customer has ever given you?
The best compliments are when customers tell me that we have such a great selection of clothing.
Which item in the store best captures the spirit of summer?
I would say our bikinis best capture the spirit of summer.
What’s one thing you’re especially excited about this season?
I am excited about all of our new She Be Surfin’ logo apparel.