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OUR STORY

At Bay Village, we aspire to be a family-friendly, charming shopping destination for the Long Beach Island community. With over 20 shops, we have everything you need to spend the whole day at 9th & Bay. Satisfy your cravings with a fresh donut, a slice of pizza, an artisan panini, or a steaming bowl of clam chowder. Stroll through our shore boutiques to discover unique jewelry, a range of clothing from cozy to upscale, and delightful gift boxes of fudge and salt water taffy. Overlooking the bay, enjoy a meal at the restaurant, sip a locally brewed beer, and watch the sunset as you savor your melting ice cream cone. A trip to LBI isn’t complete without a visit to Bay Village.

 

It all started with local business entrepreneur, John Maschal. He opened his first shop, Country Kettle Fudge, in Beach Haven in 1961. He then designed and built a new shop next to the Lucy Evelyn on 9th Street that opened in 1963. He liked this location but soon outgrew the space. Thankfully, John had a vision… Across 9th street, there was a big, open lot covered in dune grass. In 1965 at age 29, John secured a loan to buy the land and designed Bay Village acting as his own architect. His design was inspired by childhood summers on the Ocean City boardwalk and visits to historic Smithville Village. Additionally, Beach Haven had lost their boardwalk in the big hurricane of 1944, so it was his dream to bring the boardwalk back to LBI. John and his team began construction on Labor Day of ‘65 and they were open for business by Memorial Day of ‘66. Country Kettle Fudge moved into the corner location it now occupies today. 

 

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In Bay Village’s first season in 1966, John not only opened with every single shop rented, but personally decided to operate many of the shops himself. In addition to the fudge shop, he created, outfitted, staffed, and ran the Windmill Belgian Waffles, Golden Nickelodeon Ice Cream Parlor, Crust & Crumb Bakery, and Gourmet Mooring Restaurant. Accomplishing that task today would be nothing shy of a miracle in such a short amount of time. Later in 1984, John purchased the Rip Tide Bar on Dock Road and transferred the lucrative liquor license over to Bay Village. This boosted sales at the Mooring Restaurant and allowed him to open the Tide Dance Bar. The Tide became an institution on the island, attracting talented bands to perform from across the East Coast.​​​​​​​​​​

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John was a passionate businessman and poured everything into his shops. He not only wanted his businesses to do well but also wanted his tenants to be as successful as possible. Therefore, he was always trying to find ways to bring crowds to Bay Village. In the 1980s, he personally brought the idea of Chowderest to the Chamber of Commerce after witnessing a similar festival in Newport. This ultimately led to his opening of Country Kettle Chowda in 1999. John is also responsible for the restoration of the 4th of July fireworks in Beach Haven. When the Borough could no longer afford to support the display, he formed the Red, White, and Blue Committee to raise funds for the event. These events attract thousands of shoppers to Bay Village, contributing to the prosperity of all the businesses.

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Along with his passion for business, John takes even more pride in his family. The restaurant, bar, and other shops demanded most of his attention and many late nights. In order to spend more time with his family, he eventually sold many of his shops to new owners, including a sale of the liquor license to the Black Whale. John’s legacy continues as his son, John Bell, continues to run Bay Village and operates Country Kettle Fudge & Chowda. 

 

Bay Village has evolved over the years with a mix of new tenants combined with some of the original shops. We now have digital signs and modern technology but thankfully, the Village still maintains a sense of old-fashioned charm. We aim to be a part of your family’s tradition “to spend the day at 9th & Bay" for generations to come. 

an old image of Bay Village from December 1965 of the building under construction
About Us: Inner_about

(609) 492-2800

830 N Bay Ave Beach Haven NJ United States 08008

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