Manasquan unveiled plans this week to turn its downtown into a restaurant and merchant's row - all part of the reopening of the Jersey Shore town.

 

Think of it as a fair, or a promenade of sorts, allowing the bars, restaurants, and shops to expand their footprint outside of the store and into Main Street.

It's been 10 long weeks since customers were allowed to sit at the bar inside Max Devros in downtown Manasquan.

“It's been tough, but restaurants are resilient,” says Carrie Devereux. “We are resilient people.”

On Wednesday, June 17, that will change -- with a twist. Max Devros, as well as the other shops on Main Street between South Street and Route 71, will be allowed to move outside. The road will close to traffic, two nights a week, in conjunction with Gov. Phil Murphy’s reopening guidelines.

“We figured a Wednesday and Thursday evening is our best bet and hopefully it works out and hopefully people get used to coming here on Wednesday and Thursday evenings,” says Mayor Ed Donovan. “We plan on continuing this throughout the summer.”

Bars and restaurants across town will also be allowed to expand into parking lots to hopefully make up the lost revenue from a spring season which never happened.

“I think Manasquan is the best place to have a tragedy in,” says Mayor Donovan. “It's just like Sandy. Everyone rallied around us and supported us and they are going to come out and support us now.”

The Main Street promenade is scheduled to begin June 17 and run every Wednesday and Thursday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. right into the fall.