By Bill Quain
I’m sure that most of my readers have heard the term “cottage industry” before, but just to be safe, I got the official definition from Google Dictionary. They define it as, “A business or manufacturing activity, carried on in a person’s home.” The shore is still full of cottage industries. For example, I get fishing rods and reels repaired by local folks, all working from their houses. In recent years, a brand-new set of cottage industries have opened up as more and more people work from home.
But, we’re not talking about manufacturing…
Let’s take a look at the Six-Words On A Boardwalk Bench for this week: “Building families – It’s a cottage industry.” Folks, one of the greatest influences that Ocean City can have on a sound family structure comes from all of the families that stayed here over the years. When I was a kid, staying in Ocean City was truly a Cottage Industry! I can remember my grandparents’ little cottage, at 1753 West Avenue, and my parents’ first shore home at 3500 West Avenue. Both of them were Cape-Cod style cottages, with only one bathroom and two bedrooms. In fact, my grandparents’ cottage only had a half-bath, just a toilet and a sink! The shower was outside. Regardless, we thought we were the kings and queens of shore living! As my grandmother would say whenever we complained, “A lot of kids in Germantown would love to be here right now.”
We built families in those cottages
I met so many relatives during those years, and I’m still in touch with many second and third cousins today. I can remember endless station wagons pulling up to the curb (and parking on a diagonal) piled high with beach chairs, strollers, kids, adults, food, and, as I look back on it, a lot of beer.
No one looked at it as an imposition because it was family. Everyone talked, even intergenerationally. Everyone would ask questions — and not just “how are you” questions either. People really talked and listened. Remember, there was no internet back then. So when families got together, they shared a meal, gathered on the beach all day long and then sat on the porch after dinner. After visiting with relatives, you knew more about them than perhaps you wanted to know, but hey… that’s what you did in a family.
But, when the relatives all left…
After the guests had driven off in their precariously-piled station wagons, I loved to look around and see the people who were closest to me – grandparents, parents, and my six siblings. I can tell you this – our cottage contained the best part of my life. Yes, we were all crammed into a pretty small space, but wow… it was “us,” and we were pretty damn lucky to have “us.”
Today the cottage is a condo
You’d have a pretty difficult time these days finding a two-bedroom, one-bath to rent. Let alone a two-bedroom, half-bath! However, I’ve noticed one thing – no matter if you live at the shore, rent for a week, or just drive down for a day, it’s still a family-building business enterprise. Today, the average rental unit is probably over three bedrooms, with four and five-bedroom units very common. The countertops are granite, and the appliances are stainless steel. Almost every unit has central air, and most have off-street parking, with garages and of course, multiple bathrooms. Even though everyone has a cell phone, tablet, and even laptops with them, there is still plenty of time for families to talk – and listen. There’s still even a strong tradition of visiting each other! I don’t know of any other vacation that produces the same impact on families. Do you know what? It is one of the most valuable things we can do for our society and culture today.
After 70 years, back to 1753
How strong is the impact of the cottage industry? Let me share a great story about a “return to the old cottage” involving my sister, Dee Klotz.
As I mentioned, my grandparents had a small cottage at 1753 West Avenue. We went there every summer, and almost every year, a new child showed up. Dee was born on June 15, 1953, and six weeks later, she was at the shore! Dee is my “Irish Twin,” born just ten months after me. This year, to mark her 70th birthday, she rented a week at the site of the old cottage. Of course, the structure has been replaced by a duplex, but the address is still the same. True to form, it will be the site of a great family gathering that includes grand-nephews, nieces, children, newly engaged couples, and a few young men and women who are apparently “good prospects.” Welcome back, Dee.
I see where this is leading
As I write this week’s column, I’m getting some big revelations about the impact of the shore on my life. I’ll write about it a little more in next week’s column, but here’s a hint: I made my living in the hospitality industry. As I look back on my family’s cottage industry in Ocean City, I can definitely see how being “down the shore” taught me to be a good host – and that is the essential quality that defined my adult life. Wow… who would have thought?
What did your family’s cottage build?
Okay, now it’s your turn. Share your six-word insights about South Jersey’s most important and impactful cottage industry. Either shoot me an email at bill@quain.com; or head over to www.shorelocalnews.com and look for the “South Jersey’s cottage industry” post, and leave your comments there.
And, as I say each week: I’ll see ‘ya in the papers.
Bill is a Professor in Stockton University’s Hospitality Management Program. He is the author of 27 books, and a highly-respected speaker. Even though he is almost totally blind, Bill is a long-distance runner and runs the Ocean City Half Marathon each year. He lives in Ocean City with his wife Jeanne, and his Guide Dog Trudy. Visit www.billquain.com or email him at bill@quain.com.
