#blinkinglightsale Campaign promoting shopping in Beach Haven this weekend after Chowderfest cancellation

Photo via APP
The traffic lights on Long Beach Island have been
set to blink mode for the remainder of the year.

Most businesses in Beach Haven stock up on extra inventory and end their season with blowout sales during Chowderfest weekend. But the threat of Hurricane Joaquin this past weekend put a damper on the business community when the festival, which draws thousands of people to town every year, had to be canceled due to severe storm weather.

To help the community recuperate, a group of local business owners has started a hashtag campaign dubbed #blinkinglightsale to spread the word about the discounts and specials many stores are offering during the upcoming Columbus Day holiday.

“This weekend is a three-day weekend for many, and we have the Kite Festival and (Long Beach Island Commemorative) 18 Mile Run. There are people coming here this weekend, and we need to let them know we are open,” said Regina Lotito-Starin, owner of Spice It Up, who started #blinkinglightsale with Bonnie Buchan of Sur La Plage and The Mod Hatter owner Tina Berman, who kick-started the idea through a Facebook post that resonated with many other local businesses. “We encourage (business owners) to make it fun, offer a secret sale or gift or coupon to be used for next year. Share, share and more sharing will help us to get the word out.”

The campaign, which is being used on social media, encourages residents and visitors to make the now-quick-trip to Beach Haven since the traffic lights on Long Beach Island were set to blink mode on Monday. Although the flashing yellow and red lights signal the end of the summer season for the area, many look forward to driving around the Island without the stop-and-go of working traffic lights.

A couple from Pennsylvania who stopped in Spice It Up Tuesday told Lotitio-Starin’s husband they had heard about the sale and are planning to come back to the area on Saturday, Lotito-Starin said.

“Even though a few of us did try to open for Chowderfest weekend, obviously it wasn’t the same volume,” she said. “But it seems like at least (the campaign is) starting to reach out to people, which is great.”

The borough’s town-wide yard sale, which was also postponed from last weekend due to the storm, has been rescheduled for this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10 and 11. Officials are asking visitors to be mindful of the participants of the 18 Mile Run, which begins in Holgate at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.