Near Longport, Somers Point & Ocean City: It Was Open ‘Til Dawn’

Was this the most perfect location of all-time in Atlantic County, New Jersey for a late night club?

It was perfectly situated right near Longport, Somers Point and Ocean City, New Jersey … actually, officially it was located in Egg Harbor Township … directly on Longport Boulevard on the Bay, where the roads from Somers Point and Ocean City all come together.

It was a famous late night club in Atlantic County, New Jersey.

It was built by the owners of Bay Shores in Somers Point, New Jersey … John McCann, Sr. and Dick McLain.

They named it “The Dunes.”

Customers named it “Dunes Til Dawn,” because of its late hours of operation.

The Dunes had a significant operating advantage. Somers Point and other nearby local municipalities had a 3:00 a.m. curfew, with music having to the by 2:00 a.m.

The Dunes was officially located in Egg Harbor Township and it had a 24-hour liquor license.

Do you remember “Dunes Til Dawn”?

Here’s what it used to look like during the 1970’s.

After being closed for a number of years, George Sutor and The Sutor Family developed the iconic site into Sutor’s Sports Club.

It was a magnificent facility that I had the opportunity to experience.

I remember a life-sized photo of George Sutor playing basketball with Wilt Chamberlain. It was an awesome photo.

Over the years, various Sutor Family members have owned … The Sailfish Cafe in Margate, Robert’s Place in Margate, the Point Pub and the Owl Tree in Northfield.

Sutor’s Sports Club ultimately didn’t make it at the former “The Dunes” site. It was not because of a lack of effort, George and his team gave it a good run.

Published reports say that the New Jersey Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife took it over in later years. I have no recollection of this.

Here’s how “The Dunes Til Dawn” worked in its heydays.

A comment from May 20, 2021 said that you “Start the night off at Gregory's, where you got 7 beers for a dollar. When Gregory's closed it was Dunes til Dawn!!!”

That was the basic idea. You started your evening at one place and ended it at “The Dunes Til Dawn.”

A post from Saturday, June 9, 2011 from the website http://jerseyshorenightbeat.blogspot.com said that The Dunes site was also “the scene of the murder of Harry Anglemeyer - the Copper Kettle Fudge King.”

“The Dunes Til Dawn,” is another iconic establishment that many have fond memories of, that is now closed forever.

The site is now raw land, covered in trees and brush.