Point Pleasant Beach

"Touring Yesterday's Downtown of Point Pleasant Beach"

     As is the case in most business districts, many of Point Pleasant Beach's oldest and most interesting buildings have undergone significant transformations. The Point Pleasant Historical Society looks at some of the still standing landmark buildings that give out downtown character. Thanks to Point Pleasant Beach Historian Jerry Woolley, upon whose original research most of this article is based.
     McLaughlin's sporting and apparel store, on the northwest corner of Arnold and River Avenues is perhaps the most important downtown building still standing. Marking its centennial in 2000, this structure was originall John Arnold Hall, the center of municipal and social life. It was built by Ocean Fire Company in 1899. Arnold Hall was a center for live entertainment, but with the coming of motion pictures, several movie theaters were built, including an open-air facility on Bay Avenue.
     A block west on the same side of the street, the Arnold Theater was built. After showing movies for years, in the early '80's, the building briefly became the home of local live theatrical productions before closing. Today's Foodtown Supermarket on Rchmond Avenue (Route 35 South) was built as a movie house, but never opened as such. It was built in 1930, but with the coming of the Great Depression the owner ran out of money.
     Before Arnold Avenue was developed, Bay Avenue was the original business hub. Point Pleasant Beach's first year round hotel still stands at 60 Bay Avenue. Built in 1893 as the Hotel Marion, this imposing structure is now the Valentine House. It contained the municipal offices and jail from 1928 to 1933. The Antique Emporium on the southeast corner of Bay and Trenton Avenues was built in 1902 as a hardware store and has housed several businesses over the years, including Johnson's Furniture Mart from 1928 to 1981.
     Perhaps the most striking structure, and unchanged in appearance or purpose, in downtown Point Pleasant Beach is the Point Hardware building, erected in 1902 on the southeast corner of Arnold and Richmond Avenues. Point Pleasant Hardware was opened in 188 on the current site of Duffy's Restaurant further east on Arnold Avenue. When it moved the Johnson family took over ownership and three generations of Johnsons operated this highly regarded business until it closed in 1990. After a short vacancy, the building reopened as Point Hardware.

The Inlet is a great place to walk to and watch the fishing boats head in to harbor and out to sea.

Chamber of Commerce.