Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonny Jenkins.
Hi Jonny, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Shore Avenue Coffee Company is a family idea started by three siblings, Jonny, Stephanie, and Andrew Jenkins.
We grew up coming to the beach every summer, and those trips became the memories we talked about all year long. Coffee eventually became a big part of our shore vacation memories, from the early morning coffee runs that helped us start our days in the sand to the afternoon pick-me-ups that kept us going on our nightly strolls down the boardwalk. We created Shore Ave to bring a little of that summer feeling to our customers. Our goal is simple: serve unique drinks inspired by the Jersey Shore and give everyone that walks through our doors or takes our coffee home a little of that summer vacation feeling.
This is our first-year open, and the support has been overwhelming. We faced many challenges, but with the support of our community and family, we have had a successful first year. We are looking forward to serving the Wildwood community for many summers to come!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Honestly, no, it hasn’t been totally smooth, but in a good way. We moved really fast. Once we decided to do this, we wanted to be open by Memorial Day weekend, and that didn’t give us much time. We were getting the space ready and figuring out logistics all at once.
The biggest surprise was just how busy we were right away. We hoped for a strong opening, but we didn’t fully expect the amazing response we received that first weekend. It caught us a little flat footed on inventory. Our vendors couldn’t get deliveries to us fast enough, so we were frantically running to local stores those first few days just to keep up. It was a good problem to have, but it was definitely a scramble behind the counter.
As you know, we’re big fans of Shore Ave Coffee Company. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Shore Avenue Coffee Company is a seasonal business on the North Wildwood boardwalk. The idea from day one has been to be the first stop on your shore day. The drink in your hand before you hit the beach.
We run about 30 drinks across espresso lattes, sparkling sodas, energy drinks, protein coffees, and matcha. Every one of our signature espresso drinks gets topped with Sea Foam, which is our take on cold foam and one of the things we’re known for. If you’ve had a Shore Ave drink there’s a good chance you remember the Sea Foam before you remember anything else.
What sets us apart is that we didn’t want to be a coffee shop that happens to be at the shore. We wanted a shop that actually feels like the Jersey Shore. Our sizes are called Low Tide and High Tide instead of small and large, our drinks have names and personality instead of “medium iced latte with two pumps,” and everything from the colors to the flavors are built around that boardwalk, salt air, summer feeling. You’re not just getting caffeine, you’re getting something that feels like a piece of your vacation.
We’re sibling owned, the three of us grew up coming down the shore every summer, and this concept started from wanting to bring that feeling to other people. What we’re most proud of is that it doesn’t feel manufactured. We’re not a chain pretending to be local. We built this ourselves, we named every drink, and you can taste that it’s real.
If there’s one thing we’d want readers to know, it’s how much work went into getting the menu right before we ever opened the doors. We carefully curated all 30 drinks that made it onto our menu. We spent a long time testing recipes, tweaking ratios, and discussing flavor combinations. We wanted everything on the menu to give our customers a taste of the shore in every sip.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What we like best about North Wildwood are the people. There’s something about the mix you get here, families who have been coming back to the same house for 30 summers, to locals who live here year round, to kids working their first summer job on the boardwalk. Everyone shows up for each other. We felt that support from the second we opened, people rooting for a new small business to make it, and that’s not something you get everywhere.
As far as what we like least, if we had to pick something, it’s probably how quiet it gets in the off season. You get so used to the energy of summer down here that when Labor Day passes and things slow down, it’s a bit of an adjustment every year. Not really a complaint, just the nature of a shore town.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shoreavecoffeeco.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shoreavecoffeeco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576678046504
