She Shops at the Shore
Everyone knows Sea Isle City’s small-business community sparkles with a little bit of everything, but this August we’re celebrating our favorite retailers who cater to all the women and girls who call this city home. Whether it’s a bathing suit you’ve been eyeing, the cute cover-up for it, a dress for a night on the town, or a stylish pair of sunglasses to replace the pair you lost in the ocean, go ahead — we give you permission to splurge in this year’s She Shops at the Shore.
Tiffany Moore of Beachy Keen.
Beachy Keen
4601 Landis Ave., Sea Isle City
609-263-4609, beachykeensic.com
Chris Sorenson opened Beachy Keen in 2009 after years of wanting to open a beach-themed store, and 14 years later, the now three-generation family operation remains a staple of Sea Isle’s small-business scene. The store stocks a full lineup of beach gear, including Raya Sun cover-ups and sportswear, and a wide variety of Sea Isle-branded merchandise for you to represent your favorite city out on the town. Hungry for a beachside snack? Try Beachy Keen’s salsa and jam, or stock up from the recent store addition of staple groceries. With everything from flip-flops and swimwear to beach chairs, towels, and toys for the kiddos, Beachy Keen is your one-stop shop for the perfect day on the beach.
Lisa and Arthur Iannone of Sands Department Store.
Sands Department Store
6208 Landis Ave., Sea Isle City
609-263-3351
Sands Department Store has been supplying Sea Isle City with a little bit of everything that you need down the shore for more than 60 years. Lisa and Arthur Iannone, who now head the family-run business, stock a wide variety of merchandise ranging from beach essentials to hardware for fixing up your home away from home. In the next aisles over, you can find a mix of board games for the family or sunglasses and sweatshirts perfect for a day in the sand. Its clothing selection includes Sperry Top-Sider and REEF footwear alongside Life is Good and Salt Life apparel. With something for everyone in the family and a friendly staff to help you find exactly what you’re looking for, Sands has all your down-the-shore needs.
Milissa Walters of Kiwi Boutique.
Kiwi Boutique
4000 Pleasure Ave., Sea Isle City
609-478-2606
With Kiwi Boutique, Milissa Walters wanted to curate a unique selection of apparel and home décor for the beachy audience here in Sea Isle City. To create the boutique’s classic but trendy energy, Walters stocks the store with a wide variety of wardrobe basics, fun statement pieces, and quality accessories from customer-favorite brands, including Z SUPPLY, Free People, Seven for All Mankind, and more. This summer, Walters notes, there’s been an explosion of color in clothing trends — bright greens, pinks, and oranges abound in her inventory. Amid the changing styles, she always maintains her goal of providing quality apparel at a reasonable price, and developing a store where mothers and daughters can shop together.
Liz Essick of Sunsations.
Sunsations
28 JFK Blvd., Sea Isle City
609-263-7140, sunsationsseaisle.com
When Liz Essick began working at Sunsations — and later, when she took over the business ownership and operation — the store and its beach fashion became the new canvas for her fine-arts background. Sunsations’ stock features South Jersey’s largest selection of swimwear, plus shoes, casual cottons, and formalwear from brands like Trina Turk, Frank Lyman, Steve Madden, and beyond. This wide variety of styles is meant to cater to everyone from granddaughter to grandmother and everyone in between, Essick says. She and her creative, supportive stylist team strive to have their customers leave the store feeling confident about themselves and their new look.