The Mom & Pop Shop

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Commentary by Brian L. George, Northshore, Sea Bright
The Two River region is chock-full of great small businesses; restaurants, bookstores, hardware stores, jewelers, dry cleaners, marinas, clothing stores, and more. Since 1982, my wife and I have been the proud owners of Northshore Sea Bright. We sell classically inspired, relevant clothing, furnishings, and shoes for men, women, and children.
In a world of big box stores, e-retailers, and mass merchants, we Mom and Pop small busynesses still remain an integral part of the American economy. Today, a business’ lifespan is shorter than ever and those that survive do so because we’ve followed a simple framework; provide quality goods and services at fair prices, but most importantly provide an exceptional experience for customers’ every time they visit.
People often ask me, “Brian, how did you get started?” My story began as a 12-year-old paperboy growing up in Sayreville, NJ. As a young entrepreneur, I would take the money I earned from selling papers and buy clothes from Roy’s Young Men’s Shop in Perth Amboy. This is where I first discovered, my affinity for fine clothing and dream of owning a store just like Mr. Roy Goldman. After spending 10 years working in the textile industry, we opened NorthShore and have been serving families on the peninsula ever since. After sharing this story for more than three decades, I’m now in a position to answer the question, “How have you managed to stay in business?”
While technology has
 changed the way the world does
 business, one thing remains the
 same for us; we value the relationships we have with our customers and community. Today,
 with increased competition and 
more noise on the web and 
social media, we’re seeing how
 important it is to innovate the
 way we do business and communicate. Eighteen months 
ago, we opened our new womenswear department, The
Porch, which was driven by my daughter’s vision to make the NorthShore lifestyle accessible to your entire family. This move, along with our new communication strategy, headed by my son and his wife, has allowed us to reach more people and make a greater impact in our community.
As I get older, my goal is to pass Northshore onto the next generation, which is the vision of most family run small businesses. Our commitment is to keep the tradition alive and deliver the same great customer service. We view our customers as more than members of a community; you’re our friends and neighbors who have supported us over the years, and these relationships are what inspire us to keep going. Mom and Pop Shops are alive and well; show your support for our community by shopping local small businesses. Together we can make the Two River area an even better place to live and work for generations to come. For more information about NorthShore Sea Bright visit us at www.northshoresbnj.com or at 1127 Ocean Avenue in Sea Bright. We’ll see you at the beach!