Pier Pub

Back in 1979, while I was working my way through college at Monmouth Park, one of the things I always looked forward to on Fridays and Saturdays was enjoying a nice cold one and hanging out with friends at the Pier Pub.

Two local businessmen, Pat Cicalese and Carmen Ricci, bought the Long Branch Pier and built the Haunted Mansion, a new arcade, several retail stores (San Tropez Mall, etc.), a McDonald’s, Big Al’s Hot Dogs, and Junior’s Restaurant. The Pier Pub, which was located midway up the pier, was leased to Fran Marincola right around the same time.

Originally, the Pier Pub was nothing more than a big squared-off bar with TV’s and a basic sound system located in the center of the bar just to pump music into the place. With no dance floor, it was more like a high-end shot-and-a-beer joint. The Pier Pub catered to mostly locals and a few diehard fishermen to keep it going.

But with DJ’s and dancing making a comeback in the clubs at the time, Marincola began a major renovation of the Pier Pub during the winter of 1981. When it reopened in late spring of 1982, the Pier Pub had an all-new look. The bar was broken up into a few smaller bars, which cleared the way for a DJ booth and dance floor. A friend of mine, Victor Navarrete, started spinning records there.

Clearly after that move, the Pier Pub became one of the hottest clubs in the Jersey Shore. With ample crowds during the week and the weekends packed, one could always count on the Pier Pub for a good time.

For me, what was so great about the Pier Pub was that a few of my friends who I went to Glassboro State College with worked there. One friend managed the place; a couple of others were bartenders.

There was a certain understanding between bars back then. It was usually customary for service personnel from one bar (bartenders, waitresses, DJ’s, bouncers, etc.) who frequented another bar to be “taken care of” by the service personnel of that drinking establishment. Reduced drink prices, a free round or two. . .we all thought the good times would never end.

When I was deejaying at the Bar Bombay, every club I went into treated me and my fellow Bombay employees like rock gods. Everybody got the royal treatment. I guess that’s what made my “Jersey Shore experience” so awesome for me. Practically every club that I walked into knew me and any of the crew I was with on any given night.

Unfortunately, right when the great dance movement in the clubs was still going strong, tragedy struck. The great fire of July 1987 wiped out the entire pier, including the Pier Pub. Luckily, by the time the fire happened, all my college friends who worked there had moved on to full-time permanent employment in their chosen fields, including myself. I see a few of them every now and then while I’m out and about.

Even though the Pier Pub has been gone for over 25 years, the good times still roll on here at the Jersey Shore. . .

(You can also follow Kevin Cieri's blog on his Facebook page, "Jersey Shore Retro" as well as on Twitter @jsretro).