Jersey Shore Magazine

J e r s e y s h o r e • s p r i n g 2 0 1 4 12 BEACHCOMBER continued from page 11 chased the building from the bank in 2002. Katz's Gold Fever moved from its Bay Avenue location and officially opened on April 15, 2003. Frequent visitors to Arnold Avenue may notice a new look to Gold Fever's façade. After suffering damage from Superstorm Sandy in October 2012, Katz decided not only to repair the damage, but also to completely renovate the building's exterior, mak- ing it more like its 1940s appearance. "I wanted to include the big arches and columns, similar to the build- ing's original look," said Katz. While the design mirrors the 1940s look of the building, Katz also included some modern touches, such as the larger stack stones and rocks along the bot- tom portion. "Since the building is right in the middle of town, I want it to welcome visitors," Katz said. With the renova- tions complete, Katz is hopeful that the rejuvenation of Arnold Avenue will continue and that other owners will consider updating their exteriors in the future. Another Arnold Avenue building standing strong since the late 1800s is the Gottleib Building. Located at 641 Arnold, the building cur- rently contains two boutique stores, Recycled Fashion and Magnolia Lane. The brick structure was the location of Gottleib's Department Store for over eighty years and looks almost Left: Arnold Hall (on the corner of Arnold and River Avenues) and the Gottleib Building (next door, to the left), circa 1912. Below: Arnold Hall, 2014. Today, the building is home to Lynne's Fashions. Source: Jerry Woolley the same as it did over one hundred years ago. The local post office, after burning down in the Great Fire of 1906, moved into the building and served the public there till 1917, when its workload became too big for the site. Right next door, at the corner of Arnold and River Avenues, is the original Arnold Hall. Built in 1899 and still standing, the historic build- ing is also a survivor of the 1906 fire. Several well-known and suc- cessful businesses have called 637 Arnold home, including Johnson's Pharmacy (for over fifty years) and McLaughlin's Sporting Goods. Currently, Lynne's Fashions is at the location site. The quaint Arnold Avenue shop- ping district is rich with history and has numerous other historic build- ings to enjoy while shopping there. Although the popular ice cream and soda fountains days of Johnson's Pharmacy and the Candy Kitchen are gone, if you listen carefully, you might just hear a quiet tune from yesteryear's songs floating in the wind. —Jill M. Ocone Jill M. Ocone

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