Adam Tormollan, Executive Director, Seaside Heights Business Improvement District (BID)

Adam Tormollan, executive director of the Seaside Heights Business Improvement District (BID), spoke with Invest: about growing year-round business and shifting the town’s image. “There has been a push to bring in businesses that stay open year-round, not only to bring in tourists, but so year-round residents have more to do. We are also looking to expand on our shoulder seasons and offer new and exciting events for people of all ages. We want to show that the town is a family-friendly place where people can enjoy a variety of activities, no matter what age they are.”

Over the past year, what changes and milestones have most affected the Seaside Heights Business Improvement District, and in what ways?

As a whole, Seaside Heights is in the middle of an overall redevelopment. We’re also seeing a change from hotels and motels to condos and homes, and we have also seen new restaurants coming to town. Many businesses have done well, but we’ve had to find a balance in bringing in new businesses and keeping existing businesses in town so that everyone can be successful. We want to show that the town has become more family-friendly, while steering away from the club and party image previously held by the town. 

We have also had a new BID president elected, Aaron Rustici, who brings a great combination of young, new ideas, while making sure to maintain the traditions of the past. He has worked in Seaside Heights for almost 10 years and has been here to see the changes as they happen in town. With his direction and the hard work of our board members, we hope to make Seaside Heights a great place for visitors and businesses alike. We also see some of the long-time businesses being handed down to the next generation of family members, which is exciting for us as we take these new steps toward a successful future. 

How would you describe the economic landscape in Seaside Heights for small businesses, and how is that reflective of the broader state of the economy?

The majority of businesses here are small, seasonal businesses. Their season is typically from Memorial Day to Labor Day, with some business before and after the season, pushing to make the shoulder seasons more effective as well. Money is tight for everybody, and businesses are pivoting and finding new ways to attract customers. With higher prices on goods to the business owners, and with families having less money to spend, we need to find new ways to attract visitors and help them enjoy their time here without having to spend extra money. We partner with the borough and the recreation department to host as many free events as possible during the season. Families are already spending money to go out for the day, and we offer a large number of free events like fireworks, kite shows, or a movie on the beach at no charge to visitors. These free events allow families to spend their money at businesses around town and then also enjoy a family activity together. 

What trends have you noticed among the business community?

There has been a push to bring in businesses that stay open year-round, not only to bring in tourists, but so year-round residents have more things to enjoy in the off-season. We now have several restaurants that are open 12 months a year and are doing well because of their efforts. Some of the arcades stay open all year as well, so that locals and off-season visitors can enjoy a taste of the boardwalk no matter when they come to visit. We host an event called First Night, which is like New Year’s Eve for children. We bring trains that run up and down the boardwalk, and the arcades host events. We are also looking to fill the shoulder seasons (May-June and Sept -Oct) with more events to create a longer season for everyone. Some years we get several weekends of great weather outside the summer season, so it is a shame to let them go to waste.  

How is the BID supporting long-term mixed-use development planning goals?

When it comes to mixed-use, we are trying to find ways that the state and/or borough can provide grants for construction and rent costs. We have beautiful condos and apartments with first-floor retail spaces. We want to fill those and avoid having empty businesses. We’ve been looking at ways to get money to help these new businesses cover some of those initial costs. 

What partnerships have been most effective in driving business development and community engagement in recent years?

Some of our biggest partners are Liberty Coca-Cola, Smartwater, and others, and they sponsor some of the events in our town. They provide money that helps fund many of the things we do in town to draw tourists and residents. Our local municipality helps bring in money through grants for infrastructure, such as fixing the boardwalk and replacing benches. Public and private partnerships allow us to do more work in town as well. 

How is the BID leveraging digital marketing or branding to change the narrative around Seaside Heights?

The BID uses social media, radio, and digital advertising to reach people all over. We do not focus simply on the local areas; we target areas we see large amounts of visitors come from, as well as the areas surrounding those that already come here. We look at analytics and position ourselves to reach the most people we can, while remaining a constant presence for the locals and returning visitors. We create content that catches people’s eyes and makes them want to come and see the town for themselves, while making sure to highlight the events in town and within the individual businesses. We are focusing on new family-friendly activities, while maintaining the things that people have come to Seaside Heights to see for years. 

In terms of changing the narrative, we recently opened a new building called Gallery 619. This is one example of our town moving in a new direction. Although it is an art and music gallery, it is much more than that and is truly a community space. We have already hosted events such as yoga and fitness classes, staged readings, small concerts, fundraising events, and other things of that nature. Most of the events held here by the BID and Borough are free to anyone who wants to come, while other events, like yoga and group activities, you can register for at a price. We will also be offering classes in art, music, self-defense, and so much more. Having a space like this in town allows us to bring so many new things to Seaside Heights that we have not had here in the past, which means more people coming to town overall. 

What are the main challenges and opportunities to continue economic growth?

One of our biggest challenges is that many people still see us as a seasonal town that is open and alive from June to September. Something we are putting a lot of effort into moving forward is having more events in the shoulder seasons, and even in the winter, by utilizing the gallery building. Our Property Owners Association hosts events at the Community Center to try to give residents fun things to do when it’s slow in town. Restaurants and businesses are hosting activities such as karaoke, trivia, and other things that attract customers from all over. Some of the arcades run specials during the week in the off-season as well that draw a nice crowd even when it’s cold. In the three and a half years I have been here, the difference is already noticeable. We hosted a tree lighting ceremony last year that was popular, seeing over 400 people attend, and this year we hope to make it even bigger by including coffee trucks, an iceless ice rink to skate on, holiday crafts for parents and children, and even fireworks. Being able to bring customers to businesses for more months out of the year will be a big boost to the growth and success of the businesses and the town.

What are the top priorities over the next two to three years for the Business Improvement District?

We want to see our retail spaces being built in our new mixed-use buildings. We want them filled with a variety of businesses that speak to everybody. Seaside Heights is a place where you can find anything to do, and we’d like to keep building on that. Building the success of the gallery project is another priority. We want to involve the community, the property owners, the businesses, and artists and musicians to bring people together in a completely different way than we have seen in our town. Another priority is to continue to present the town in the way we see it, a family-friendly place with a variety of fun and exciting things to do. We changed the way we approach social media, marketing, and advertising to reflect what we see as locals, showing off the beauty, the variety, and the draw of Seaside Heights. We are growing because of that and starting to show people that there is much more to the town than the boardwalk and beach, but that those two staples are just as great an attraction as they have always been. We want to see the beaches packed with happy people, the boardwalk full of families and groups of friends, and we want to see the town flourish and grow every year.