A grocer on every corner? OK, not exactly, but there was a time when small grocers dotted the Seven Mile Beach. From 8th Street all the way down to 107th Street. Each with its own personality but all filling the need to feed the island community as it grew.

March 6, 1962 – 60 years ago. The Great Storm of ’62, also known as the Ash Wednesday Storm. Regardless of what you call it, it still ranks as one of the 10 worst storms in U.S. history. It lasted three days and the ocean met the bay at multiple points on the Seven Mile Beach.

Ah, spring. When kids begin counting down the days until school lets out for summer, and parents frantically search the web for any and all summer camps. Luckily, the Seven Mile Beach has parents covered with a wide variety of camps throughout the summer. Sports? Check. Surfing? Check. Nature? Check. And more!

April showers bring May flowers with the Avalon Garden Club. Two full days packed with floral fun to make your home the envy of the neighborhood. Soothe your sweet tooth at the bake sale as you pick out some beautiful plants to decorate your home.

Gifted entrepreneur and summertime Avalon resident John Scarpa spends many hours these days enriching the lives of others through his John F. Scarpa Foundation.

Imagine playing a ferocious game of up-close tennis, smacking a Wiffle ball with a solid-faced paddle while standing on a pingpong table.

That’s pickleball, the fastest-growing sport in the United States, not to mention in Avalon and Stone Harbor, where the distinct “racket” made by paddles hitting plastic balls echoes in local gymnasiums and on outdoor courts.

Dear Readers,

Welcome back! So, we all survived winter’s snow and ice, and spring is finally here. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for the first day that it’s warm enough to pack up my beach chair and dig my toes back into the sand.

The annual Shop-A-Holics event brought in great deals, steals, and discounts … and some nasty weather. But that didn’t stop our dedicated shoppers from hitting the streets of Avalon and Stone Harbor for some retail therapy the second and third weekends of March.

The tradition of the Stone Harbor Shiver returned for its 10th year after a two-year hiatus. Hundreds of visitors and residents once again pounded towards the water during this St. Patrick’s celebration to support the Stone Harbor Chamber and Family Promise of Cape May County.

Every time the seasons change, I get the urge to go shopping. When spring rolls around, it’s time to spruce up your beach house and get ready for entertaining friends and family all summer long. We are fortunate to live on an island that has so many unique stores to shop in.

What’s up with the local bridges, besides toll hikes?

The March implementation of fare increases on five Cape May County bridges is an appropriate time for Seven Mile visitors and second homeowners to obtain a big-picture overview from the Cape May County Bridge Commission.

Imagine an invisible and immovable barrier placed along a busy thoroughfare, indiscriminately killing millions each year. Old and young, healthy and frail, all going about their lives, all equally at risk and none aware of the danger.

1. Who/what inspires you? Could be different every day. From just the thought of supporting family and all that goes into it, or may be a person, picture, or interaction … something I read that day.

Summer is just around the corner, which means it is about the time of year when homeowners begin to plan their flowerbeds and landscaping for the season. There are so many plants to choose from that it can be overwhelming!

Hand Picked Selections was founded in 1985 by Dan Kravitz, a national importer of wines from France, Spain, Italy, and Argentina. He started his company as a small, home-based business, committed to working with artisan wine growers to source consistently characterful, balanced, and food-friendly wines.

McGRATH LEADS RED RAIDERS TO HISTORIC SWIM TITLE

The Ocean City High School boys’ swimming team, coached by longtime Avalon Beach Patrol Lieutenant Shane McGrath, won the South Jersey sectional group championship Feb. 17.

Welcome, friends! Join me in bidding goodbye and good riddance to ice melts and snow shovels. Try as I did to join in snow-day celebrations, my contribution was less than half-hearted.

I just read that lobsters are “biologically immortal.” This doesn’t really mean that they live forever. However, they don’t show any biological signs of aging. Lobsters will eat, grow, and molt indefinitely. They will continue to have a stable metabolism and will mate and reproduce with the vigor of their youthful selves.

Spring is in the air and the Bellevue Tavern has the perfect drink to make you feel the excitement for the arrival of warmer weather. Try the Lemon Drop Martini as you experience the Bellevue’s classic and casual cuisine. Stop in to watch a game or catch up with friends as you enjoy its laid-back, hometown feel. This crisp and refreshing cocktail is perfect to enjoy this spring with all the beautiful days ahead.

Here’s a look back down 21st Street toward Ocean Drive during the March ’62 storm. That’s Keen’s Pharmacy on the left, with Jim DeBella’s Barbershop next door.