Beverly Hills ... Broadway ... Asbury Park?
Posted on: 12/08/2008
by Peggy McGlone/The Star-Ledger
Friday December 05, 2008, 8:00 AM
Move over Beverly Hills. In a first for New Jersey's downtowns, Asbury Park has introduced a concierge service for holiday shoppers.
Centrally located on the city's boardwalk, the concierge will help visitors make restaurant reservations, get tickets to music events in the city's clubs and theaters, or find that special gift in one of the local shops or boutiques.
The concierge booth will be open tomorrow, before and after the tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. (Preceded by a concert by Tim McLoone & the Shirleys at 5 p.m.) Regular hours through the holiday season will be 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Monday.
The upscale service, funded by the developer that's working to revive the city's boardwalk, is another amenity aimed at bringing off-season visitors to the Jersey Shore music mecca. A host of new restaurants and shops have opened since the summer, and there's entertainment at Convention Hall and Paramount Theatre, as well as the citys' clubs and bars. Movies, free concerts and other events are planned along the Boardwalk every weekend through the end of the year.
Officials in Montclair and New Brunswick -- two towns that know something about vibrant nightlife -- were jealous, saying a concierge is a terrific idea that's just out of their reach.
It's a smart move on Asbury's part, since the city is still fashioning its reputation as one of the state's most attractive destinations.
