As summer 2024 approaches, the Jersey Shore begins to come back to life, anticipating the upcoming season. Recently, colorful signs showcasing new businesses have been popping up in Asbury Park, giving locals a sneak peek of what’s to come in the downtown area of this Jersey Shore town. Read on to find out more about these new businesses coming to Downtown Asbury Park, New Jersey.
Bangs Boutique | 527 Bangs Avenue, Unit 3
The Bangs Boutique made its way to Bangs Avenue with its collection of vintage lingerie and women’s sexual health products. It also hopes to feature local artists, especially those who dabble in the exotic art genre. If you stop by during the week, you can get a glimpse of some of its selected pieces on display outside of the store as a teaser of what’s to come.
Direct from the source, owner Ashley shared with The Jersey Shore Girl that the boutique will carry special items for Pride month which is coming up in just a few weeks, so make sure to stop by to stock up for your “Sunday Best” before the big Asbury Park Pride Parade in June. The store is open to those 18+ due to the nature of some of the merchandise that will be available.
Read More: A Travel Guide to Asbury Park, NJ
Hadaka | 527 Bangs Avenue, Unit 4
Hadaka brings something new to the Asbury Park dining scene with its one-hour Omakase experience. Growing in popularity, this type of dining leaves it up to the chef to select and serve rare and high-quality premium sushi-style fish seasonal specialties. This is a BYOB spot, so while diners will leave the meal up to the chef, they can choose their beverages.
Sushi lovers can expect Hadaka to be open by Memorial Day Weekend with a soft opening planned for the Friday before. The co-owner Gino shared that it will start with a dinner service first and then there are plans to expand to a more relaxed type of dining style for lunch, and the potential for late-night options on the weekends with a DJ fitting in with the vibrant social scene downtown. For dinner, spaces are limited to mirror the traditional Omakase style dining with only 12-14 seats per reservation on the hour.
Makana’s | 609 Cookman Avenue
Makana’s, located in the former Twisted Tree location, promises to pay homage to the spot’s history with the flavors and cuisine to come in this brand-new dining spot on Cookman. Owner Jaerene Medeiros described a menu full of ingredients inspired by her home in Kaua’i, Hawaii, such as cold foam macadamia nut coffee, papaya with Greek yogurt and honey, and poi. Its menu blends diverse, nutritious meals with the convenience of fast dining. With locally sourced ingredients, it is sure to blend right in with the community.
Some other Twisted Tree elements that diners will find at Makana’s include several of the staff and the unforgettable vegan muffin.
Jaerene and her partner Kevin shared that they hope the cafe will open by May 16th, at the latest just before Memorial Day Weekend, depending on construction.
New Hour | 527 Bangs Avenue, Unit 2
New Hour has existed as an online shop for the past ten years, and the team has chosen Asbury Park to be the site of its first brick-and-mortar shop. It is a premium men’s fashion store that aims to provide the modern man with an exceptional shopping experience. The style builds confidence and supports personal expression, adding to an already vibrant retail scene in downtown Asbury Park. The storefront is being built during the month of April and we can’t wait to see what the inside looks like.
The Baked Bear | 614 Cookman Avenue Unit 4
If there’s anything better than ice cream, it’s ice cream made into a cookie sandwich. The Baked Bear serves up tons of different baked-from-scratch original-recipe cookies and ice cream flavors, giving guests a chance to mix and match cookies or brownies for their top and bottom while choosing their favorite ice cream in the middle.
This shop is already open for the season, so if reading this entry is making your mouth water, you can head right over. Once you have your sweet treat in hand, there are some great Instagrammable neon signs around the store to show off your custom combo.
Philly Pretzel Factory | 800 Ocean Ave North (on the boardwalk)
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The perfect salty treat is now available on the south end of the Asbury Park Boardwalk. The Philly Pretzel Factory serves handmade freshly twisted pretzels every day. Pretzels can even be customized by choosing different dips and mustards, available for just one or for a big group.
A grand opening celebration is scheduled for Friday, May 3rd from 12PM-4PM. Attendees can expect free giveaways, music, free pretzels, activities for kids, and an appearance by the store’s mascot Phil E.
The Flying Pig Market | 527 Bangs Avenue, Unit 1
This new spot brings something that answers the calls of many residents for a quick convenience store located downtown. The Flying Pig will be a convenience store but with an environmental twist, providing sustainable goods. Rumor has it that it will feature items from the Spice and Tea Exchange, among other sundries and goods.
There’s no opening date set as of this writing, but you know JSG will update this piece as soon as we find out. For now, be sure to keep an eye on our social media accounts to stay up to date as to when you can get some goodies on Bangs Avenue.
See More: Essex County’s New + Incoming Businesses | Spring 2024
Honorable Mention: New Locations, Not New to Asbury Park
Asbury Park Brewery | 614 Cookman Avenue Unit 1
After operating since 2016 on Sewall Avenue, Asbury Park Brewery has been a part of the local beer and music scene since its opening in 2016 on Sewall Avenue. This year, the brewery will debut a new tasting room on Cookman Avenue. An opening date is still TBD, but JSG will update this piece when we find out.
