Beckman’s bids farewell to Asbury
Belmar stores will remain open, new owners plan pizzaria
The city said goodbye to a staple in the downtown corridor this weekend when Beckman’s Deli and Newsstand on Bangs Avenue shuttered its doors.
“He was here when this area was just becoming a neighborhood,” nearby resident Tim Donnelly said. “You would run into everyone in this place. It was very neighborly. It will be missed.”
The shop became a daily stop for many just five years ago with its myriad sandwich offerings, periodicals and beverages.
The closure, owner Jerome Beckman said [shown below right], is bittersweet. With a second child on the way and a 15 month old girl at home, Beckman said he decided to focus more attention on his family.
“I decided to put the store up for sale when I found out my wife was pregnant again,” Beckman said. “I’m going to miss it because I see the progress this city is making and I know how difficult it is for a business to make it here. I’ve seen shops open and close – [in fact] there are only three business that I can see from my front door that were here when I opened.”
Beckman said he sold the shop to a family who will turn the store into a pizzaria.
His seasonal convenience store along the Belmar boardwalk [at 1605 Ocean Avenue] will remain open as well as the family’s 10th Avenue deli.
Beckman said while running the stores became too time consuming for his burgeoning family, he is grateful for those who supported the shop.
“I did a needed thing,” Beckman said. “There is always a need for a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich or a quick ham and cheese sandwich.”
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