Business Buzz
By Alexa Lesniak
From design studios to restaurants to shops for the whole family, we are happy to welcome so many new businesses to Avalon and Stone Harbor. Browse Bits & Bows and The Beach House’s wide array of merchandise; stop by Gully’s to enjoy delicious food and drinks; and head to Nicole Bailey Design and DiPalatino’s Design Center to make your home picture-perfect.
We know you will love these businesses as much as we do.
Sarah Shelby of Bits & Bows
Bits & Bows
412-496-5050 | bitsandbows.com | @bitsandbows
With a mission to create playfully polished products that inspire the celebration and discovery of more magic in the everyday, Bits and Bows is a sister-started company dedicated to developing fun-meets-functional, innovative accessories and apparel that reimagine timelessly traditional silhouettes in never-before-seen ways.
Sisters Sarah and Katie Shelby celebrated five years in business in June and Stone Harbor is their flagship storefront. “Stone Harbor is our happy place,” Sarah says. “Synonymous with summer in our hearts, there was no better place to bring to life the first coastal fairytale retail experience we aspire to welcome customers into in Bits & Bows stores.”
Residents of Fox Chapel, Pa., Sarah and Katie grew up spending summers on 108th Street with their family. Says Sarah: “From our earliest partnership in sister lemonade stands, to my business endeavors [by bicycle] crafting and selling illustrated ‘Stone Harbor’ letter art and friendship bracelets, to Katie’s dog-walking services posted at Springer’s, it is the truest form of a dream come true to bring the Bits & Bows brand we have built together as sisters to Stone Harbor in the only place outside of Pennsylvania that we could ever call ‘home.’”
Bits & Bows carries a wide range of merchandise from their signature Baseball and Bow Baseball Hats to Harbor Hats to athleisure apparel for babies, children, and adults. They also carry a custom Stone Harbor print collection, Avalon and Stone Harbor sweatshirts, straw Harbor Hats and Lifeguard Hats for youth and adults, hair bows, bracelets, toys, books, purses, baby gifts, and much more! Bits & Bows is best known for carrying the complete collection of Polished Playwear. Their bestselling collections include Golf & Tennis, Mommy & Me, America 250, Birthday, and Big & Little Brother & Sister. Bits & Bows has had products featured in “Good Morning America” and “Today Show” segments as well as Golf Digest, and Country Living magazines.
Notes Sarah: “With a shared steadfast dedication to sharing magic, especially for children, and unignorably complementary skill sets between us, no one can integrate and inspire the optimization of my vision of a coastal fairytale [so much designed out of a lifetime of summers spent in Stone Harbor] like Katie can. Her corporate retail background and MBA have so far provided for the absolute guidance as our CEO that my imagination requires to bring our playfully polished, original concepts to life. We have so many exciting brand-new products to share with our customers of all ages.”
Bits & Bows is hosting monthly and summer-wide gift-card giveaways. Visit the store to complete the entry form and follow the business on Instagram, where it shares the winners. It also hosts weekly Morning Tales Story & Craft Times on select days at 10:30am and Putt-Putt Nights on select evenings from 5-7pm, with 10% of proceeds benefiting a local cause.
“It is such a joy to begin this new chapter, where we aspire to bring nothing but a celebration of the quintessential Stone Harbor perfection we learned of as young girls to life in a brand-new, experiential, innovative way,” Sarah says.
Bits & Bows is open daily from 10am to 9pm. Follow @bitsandbows on Instagram for all its latest events!
From left: Jennifer Mount, Sara Mass, Nicole Bailey, Stefanie Sellers, Chloe Fitzgerald of Nicole Bailey Designs
Nicole Bailey Designs
211 Bayberry Drive, Suite 2E, Cape May Court House
609-374-5338 | nicolebaileydesigns.com @nicolebailey.designs
Nicole Bailey Designs is a full-service interior design firm specializing in custom homes, large-scale renovations, and thoughtfully curated interiors. It also offers custom furnishings, 3D renderings, and project management and installation.
Founded six years ago in West Chester, Pa., the firm expanded to the Jersey Shore this year as more of its clients sought its expertise for their beach homes. Nicole Bailey Designs has assembled a seasoned local team of designers with extensive experience in coastal construction, architecture, and custom home design, allowing them to guide clients through every stage of the design process.
“As a wife, mother of three teenagers, and business owner, I understand the importance of creating homes that are both beautiful and functional,” says Bailey, the company’s founder and creative director. “My passion is helping families create spaces that reflect their lifestyle while standing the test of time.”
Nicole Bailey Designs’ Jersey Shore studio is centrally located to its projects throughout Avalon, Stone Harbor, and the surrounding communities.
“As our shore client base continued to grow, opening a local studio became a natural next step,” Bailey says. “One of our biggest differentiators is that we have studios in both the Main Line and the Jersey Shore, allowing clients to meet with our team where they live and where they vacation.”
Nicole Bailey Designs was recently named Best Interior Design Firm of the Main Line by Main Line Today.
Bailey’s family even deepened their commitment to the shore by purchasing their own family beach home.
Nicole Bailey Designs is excited to become part of the Cape May County community and help homeowners throughout the Jersey Shore bring their dream homes to life. It is currently offering complimentary discovery calls for homeowners interested in discussing upcoming projects.
Nicole Bailey Designs is open Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm, by appointment only.
Sandy Cohn & Christie Schwinn of The Beach House Stone Harbor
The Beach House Stone Harbor
9720 Third Ave. #5, Stone Harbor | 609-796-5751 thebeachhouse.shop | @thebeachhousestoneharbor
The Beach House Stone Harbor is a one-stop shop for seaside essentials for the whole family. It offers a thoughtfully curated selection of toys, games, books, clothing, gifts, and beach-day favorites for kids and adults alike. There are unique seasonal items, sensory toys, specialty treats, and Stone Harbor-inspired apparel and accessories. Throughout the summer, The Beach House will host fun, family-friendly events and activities that bring the Seven Mile Beach community together.
The Beach House opened this season and is owned by a mother-daughter duo, Sandy Cohn and Christie Schwinn.
“When the location became available, my mom and I discussed opening a store and what items we like to see when we travel,” says Schwinn. “We landed on games, toys, clothing, and gifts – seaside essentials for the beach or to bring back to the beach house!”
The owners are no strangers to Seven Mile Beach. Cohn and her husband, Dave, own Stone Harbor Crib & Beach Rental, which has been in business for more than 30 years. Schwinn is a registered nurse and mom of two.
Schwinn says she and her mother “both love to spend time traveling, at the beach, with family, and having fun.”
Follow The Beach House Stone Harbor on social media to stay up to date on store hours, special promotions, giveaways, and exciting new arrivals. Be the first to hear about upcoming events, product drops, and seasonal favorites. “We look forward to being part of your Stone Harbor memories for years to come!”
The Beach House Stone Harbor is open seven days a week from 9am to 9pm.
Michael DiPalantino of DiPalantino Design Center
DiPalantino Design Center
2778 Dune Drive, Avalon | 609-465-9102
thepaverguy.com | @dipalantinocontractors
DiPalantino Design Center provides quality craftsmanship, exceptional service, and outdoor living spaces built to bring families together. The company offers custom patios and pool decks, driveways and walkways, outdoor kitchens, firepits and fireplaces, retaining walls and planters, cabanas and pergolas, natural stone and veneer, landscape and architectural lighting, water features, concrete and foundations, turf installation, pool construction and renovations, and complete outdoor living design.
Owner Michael DiPalantino is excited to share the opening of the new DiPalantino Design Center in Avalon that showcases all their materials in one location.
“We chose 2778 Dune Drive because Avalon is at the heart of many of the communities we proudly serve,” DiPalantino says. “Over the years, we have built strong relationships with homeowners throughout Avalon, Stone Harbor, Sea Isle City, and the surrounding shore towns, and we wanted a location that would be more convenient and accessible for our clients.”
Avalon becomes DiPalantino Contractors second location; the other is at 114 Stagecoach Road in Cape May Court House.
Michael DiPalantino is a third-generation masonry and paving contractor. His grandfather moved to the United States from Italy in 1929 and founded DiPalantino Contractors in Elkins Park, Pa., in 1999.
“For four generations, we’ve helped families create outdoor spaces where memories are made, holidays are celebrated, and traditions are passed on,” Michael DiPalantino says.
“Stop by, get inspired, and let our team help bring your vision to life.”
DiPalantino Design Center is open Monday through Friday, 9am-4pm.
From left: Emily Smith, Beth Pearce, Shawn Kirby, Eric Augustyn, Gully, Quinton Farkas, Walt Scanlon, and Kevin Pearce
Gully’s
2688 Dune Drive, Avalon | 609-719-2700 | gullysavalon.com | @gullysavalon & @gullys.avalon
Owners Beth and Kevin Pearce, and Shawn Kirby are proud to bring Gully’s to Avalon, creating a gathering place inspired by the charm and character of the Jersey Shore. Gully’s is a high-quality American Cuisine restaurant and bar serving best sellers like Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna, Peri Peri Chicken, and specialty drinks like Gully’s Gone Wild Transfusion and Summer Spritz.
For the Pearces, Gully’s is more than a business. It’s the culmination of a lifetime of shore memories and a shared belief in the power of bringing people together. Kevin grew up spending summers at the shore with his family, while Beth’s childhood was filled with camping trips at Ocean View Resort. Those early experiences created a love for the Jersey Shore that has only grown stronger over the years.
“We are not restaurateurs, but Avalon holds a special place in our hearts,” Beth says. “It’s where my husband and I met, where we had our first date, and where we got engaged. We love spending time here, but recently, many of our favorite places have closed, and we saw a need to cultivate the shore vibe and bring back the togetherness of what the shore means to us.”
The Pearces partnered with Kirby to help them bring their vision to life. Beth says that Kirby “has a knack for connecting with people, maintaining team morale, and making sure everyone – from guests to staff to partners – feels taken care of. He is the driving positive force and coach to ensure that we all have a seamless experience both behind the scenes and in the dining room.”
Of other Gully’s personnel, Beth says:
General manager Walt Scanlon has “more than three decades in the restaurant and bar business. Walt has been an invaluable mentor throughout this journey.”
Quinton Farkas, the entertainment manager and an Avalon native, “has worked tirelessly to curate a live music and events lineup that stands apart, bringing creativity, energy, and a fresh perspective to everything.”
Emily Smith, Gully’s social media manager, has “brought the brand’s personality to life online through creative storytelling and strategic content.”
Executive chef Eric Augustyn, a Cape May County native, “runs a disciplined and professional operation, setting high standards for quality and consistency. But behind that structure is a chef whose creativity and passion shine through in every dish.”
Since opening this season, Gully’s has already made strides, gaining more than 6,000 followers across their social media platforms and being featured on PHL17.
Throughout the summer, Gully’s will run weekly events, including Minnow Mondays at 6pm, Mug Club and Wing Night on Tuesdays, Ladies Night on Wednesdays, Quizzo on Thursdays from 8 to 10pm, and live music Friday through Sunday. On Saturdays and Sundays, brunch will also be served from 11am to 2pm.
Gully’s is open daily from noon to midnight Monday-Friday, 11am to midnight Saturday and Sunday.