By Donald Wittkowski
They shopped, they dined, they partied and they provided a big boost for Sea Isle City’s economy.
The “girls” were out in full force over the weekend.
The annual spring Girls Weekend extravaganza was a huge success for retail shops, bars and restaurants, members of the Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce and Revitalization said Tuesday during their board meeting.
“It seemed like everybody was busy,” said Colleen Buch, owner of the Groovy Girlz boutique and one of the creators of Girls Weekend.
Buch said the event attracted a large group of shoppers from the neighboring communities of Ocean City, Wildwood and Upper Township.
But she added there were also visitors who traveled to Sea Isle for Girls Weekend from as far away as Florida, Texas and Wisconsin. One woman even flew in from Sweden, Buch pointed out.
A total of 45 local businesses participated in the event, each one flying a colorful “Girls Weekend” flag at their front entrance to attract customers. Retail shops, bars and restaurants offered an array of discounts and specials as an extra incentive for bargain hunters.
Now in its eighth season, Girls Weekend started with just 18 participating businesses in the first year. It has grown into one of Sea Isle’s must-see events.
Buch conceived of Girls Weekend, along with Jamie Heritage, owner of Heritage Surf & Sport, to draw scores of out-of-towners to Sea Isle during what would normally be a quiet time at the Jersey Shore.
All of the money that the “girls” spend at local retail shops, restaurants, bars and salons provides a significant lift to the local economy, Chamber officials said.
This year, the Chamber of Commerce spent just $1,050 to advertise Girls Weekend, Buch said. Social media, email blasts and posts on the Chamber’s website also were used to promote the event. The overwhelming success of Girls Weekend suggests Sea Isle’s business community got a huge return on its modest advertising investment, said Christopher Glancey, the Chamber’s president.
Next up, the Chamber is preparing for the launch of Restaurant Week on June 5-11, another event expected to draw throngs of out-of-towners to Sea Isle.
“We have that reputation of being the restaurant capital of Cape May County,” Glancey said.
Participating restaurants will have a prix-fixe menu offering four courses for $34. Their menus will be posted online. The Chamber has set up a special website site to promote the event, www.seaislerestaurantweek.com.
Seven Mile Publishing, the Chamber’s marketing consultant, is also planning a social media campaign for May and June to advertise and promote Restaurant Week. Email blasts will also be sent out.
In 2008, Sea Isle began allowing restaurants to offer outdoor dining to create a more upscale, big-city feel to the culinary scene. Now, City Council is considering changes in the outdoor dining regulations to make the attraction an even bigger draw for tourists and more lucrative for restaurants.
“We’re taking the current program, which is very successful, and trying to enhance it,” said Councilman John Divney, who is spearheading the proposed changes.
Divney and fellow Councilman Jack Gibson attended the Chamber meeting Tuesday to brief the board members on the outdoor dining regulations. While Divney is supporting the proposed changes, Gibson is opposed.
Currently, outdoor dining is allowed until 11 p.m., but the hours may be extended to midnight under a proposed ordinance scheduled to come before City Council on May 20 for a first vote. A public hearing would be scheduled later, followed by a final vote by Council, before the ordinance becomes law.
Divney urged the public to show up at the May 20 meeting to “make your voice heard” on the proposed changes. If they are approved, Divney expects the changes would be ready by July.
The proposed ordinance would also extend the hours that restaurant patrons are allowed to consume alcoholic beverages outdoors with their dinner, from the current 11 p.m. curfew to midnight.
Council will also consider allowing restaurants to keep chairs and tables outdoors all night instead of requiring them to bring their furnishings inside after 11 p.m. Restaurant owners have complained that it is a burden to bring tables and chairs in at night and then have to set them up the next day.
A final proposal that will be considered by Council is whether to extend the hours for outdoor bands at bars and restaurants from the current curfew of 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Council will consider allowing bands to play until 10 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Fearing that loud music will disturb residents living near the restaurants, Gibson argued that it would be a “serious mistake” to allow bands to play outdoors for an extra hour. He predicted there will be “a swell of people against it.”
Mike Monichetti, owner of Mike’s Seafood on Park Road, joined Gibson in criticizing the proposal for longer hours for outdoor music. Monichetti, who hosted the Chamber meeting at his restaurant, told the board members he also believes that live outdoor music until 10 p.m. would upset the neighbors.
“I think we’re really pushing the envelope here,” he said.
