Ocean City’s Beloved B&B Department Store to Close in March

B&B Department Store, an Asbury Avenue shopping fixture for almost 50 years is closing and Ocean City just won't be the same without it.

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The sad news came on Wednesday with a post on the store's Facebook page saying "B&B Department Store South is closing its physical store operations. We thank you for your patronage, and it's been a pleasure to serve you."

Part clothing and apparel, part gift and beach supplies store, B&B Department Store seemed like a perfect shopping complement to Ocean City, from its quirky ceiling hangings of cars and lifeboats to the unmistakable sense upon entering of going back to a simpler time.

Generations of Ocean City tourists and locals have shopped in the store and many are expressing their disbelief at the news of its closing in the comments on the store's Facebook page.

I’m devastated. Visited from NYC every summer & spent a lot of time in this store. I just moved to Toms River with the intention of being first on line for your sales. Just my luck.

 

So very sad. We love shopping there. One of our favorite destinations on Asbury Ave. 

This is a great loss!!

 

B&B Department Store was the anchor of Ocean City's Asbury Avenue shopping district, and, at 12,000 square feet, its largest commercial space.

The store has been in operation since 1974. It had other locations in Ship Bottom and Beach Haven on Long Beach Island, and Sea Girt, Monmouth County.

According to the Facebook message,  the LBI locations are already permanently closed and the Ocean City and Sea Girt stores will close by the end of March 2022.

B&B store co-founder Philip Bertole died in 2010 and his widow Helen Bertole has been running the store's operations since his death.