Business Buzz
As the weather gets warmer and the flowers start to bloom throughout the island, the anticipation grows for when your favorites stores will reopen for the season. As you frequent your favorites, be sure to also check out these businesses that have opened their doors in Avalon and Stone Harbor this year. With new restaurants, new amenities and new stores, you’re sure to find another place you just can’t wait to visit.
Elizabeth Hand of Glow Girl 7 Mile.
Glow Girl 7 Mile
Serving Avalon and Stone Harbor • 609-425-7700 • Facebook & Instagram
A mobile spray tanning business is now available throughout Seven Mile Beach. Stone Harbor local Elizabeth “Lizzy” Hand, whose parents Tom and Terri Hand own Fred’s Tavern and Lazy Bass, recently opened Glow Girl 7 Mile. The business opened in January and has a growing client list.
“Kristen Paulson of Chasing the Sun was relocating, which left me in a bind of ‘How will I get my glow on?’ ”
says Hand. “There was only one answer: Start a business. I was fortunate enough to be able to learn all the ins and outs of airbrushing from Kristen.
“As a young woman, I am interested in living not only my best life, but my healthiest life. Days in the sun with my friends bring a lot of joy, but they also bring things like sun damage. The field of sunless tanning gives women back their glow, their self-esteem, without having to sacrifice their health to the sun.”
Glow Girl 7 Mile provides clients with custom airbrush tans. The formula is organic, vegan, and paraben-free. It provides the perfect natural glow. The formula is easy and quick: It develops in less than eight hours. The process takes about 10 minutes total, so you no longer have to spend an entire day laying out in the sun to reach your tanning goals.
All services are available on location, and with flexible hours fit in with your busy schedule. Whether you are down for the weekend, have a girls’ night planned, or are looking for spray tanning for your wedding party, Glow Girl 7 Mile caters to all occasions.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, check out Glow Girl on social media or call 609-425-7700.
Wes Kazmarck of Birdcage.
Birdcage
227 96th Street, Stone Harbor • 609-830-2110 • shopthebirdcage.com • Facebook & Instagram
Wes and Darcy Kazmarck, the duo behind Birdcage, recently launched the third location of their popular women’s boutique in Stone Harbor. With the success of their locations in Sea Isle City and Ocean City combined with the availability of the storefront on 96th Street, Birdcage Stone Harbor opened in March during Shop-A-Holics weekend.
Birdcage carries a variety of clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories for women. Whether you are looking for comfortable tees and tanks, beachwear, or dresses and rompers, the store’s trendy selection has something for every style. There is also a home accents section with beachy throw pillows, candles, and trending items.
“We’re super excited to be in Stone Harbor,” Darcy says. “The hub of our business is on the Ocean City Boardwalk, and Stone Harbor is just a hop, skip, and a jump away, so it was an obvious choice. Wes and I live for the beach and the vibe of the Jersey Shore, and Birdcage reflects that obsession. Plus, we love the business district of Stone Harbor! Why wouldn’t we want to be here?”
The store originated on the Ocean City Boardwalk in the early 1970s and was opened by Wes’s parents. When his mother died, Wes and Darcy stepped in to honor her legacy.
“This is our tribute to her and everything she was – creative, playful, and energetic,” says Darcy. “Hence, the feeling you get when you shop in Birdcage. We want our customers to feel those vibes all over when they shop.”
Birdcage focuses on partnering with local artists and socially and environmentally conscious companies when selecting the items for the boutique.
The store will be open daily from 9am-10pm this summer. Check out the store’s social media pages for business hours, specials and giveaways throughout the season.
Tony Gonzalez and Ledian Alliu of Il Posto Ristorante.
il Posto Ristorante
2418 Dune Drive, Avalon • 609-961-3362 • Facebook
Business partners Eric Rakaj, Tony Gonzalez and Ledian Alliu are excited to open their third restaurant, il Posto Ristorante. They are the familiar faces behind two popular Sea Isle City restaurants, A Modo Mio and La Finestra Ristorante.
“We purchased the building in 2020 because it has a great location right in town and it was a no-brainer,” Rakaj says. “We built and renovated the inside of the building that was previously a retail space, and then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and delayed us about a year. We are very excited to finally open our restaurant and meet new customers.”
Rakaj, Gonzalez and Alliu all grew up working in the restaurant industry before deciding to venture out on their own together. They opened A Modo Mio in 2015 and La Finestra in 2018. Given the popularity of those restaurants, the partners decided a third was inevitable, and il Posto was established.
“We were ready for a new challenge,” Rakaj says. “After the first restaurant was a success and the second became another success, we knew it was time to open a third. Several of our regular customers would ask when we would come over the bridge to Avalon. When the space opened, we knew it was a great location.”
Il Posto Ristorante will offer the same quality and authentic ingredients as its sister restaurants but will highlight different menu options. The menu features homemade pastas made daily, braised meats and lamb ragu, to name just a few items. Each dish is crafted using fresh and local ingredients. The restaurant will be open daily from 4:30-10:30pm for dinner, and plans to remain open year-round.
