By Steffen Klenk
Since 1979, Air Circus has been providing young children and families a lifetime of memories. Located on the bustling Ocean City boardwalk, it is one of the area’s most popular stores. The shop boasts a large collection of toys, kites, bubbles, and novelty items. Here, kids can also find specialized items such as Kendamas, foam airplane gliders, and much more.
Doug Jewell, the owner of Air Circus, has been a toy enthusiast for decades. “When I opened this store, I put every toy I had in here as a kid.” While in the second grade, he began to juggle, play with yo-yos, and often fidget with different school objects. “I was the kid that spun the ruler on the pencil,” Jewell explains.
Jewell majored in education and psychology. He also has worked as a civil engineer. After living in Maryland, he opened up his first shop on the 900 block of the Ocean City boardwalk. His store specialized in leather and brass items. After 10 years in the business, he went on to open Air Circus and the rest was history. Jewell is also a renowned yo-yo player, who previously promoted the Bandai brand across the United States. He was a key figure in bringing the New Jersey State Yo-Yo Contest to Ocean City in 2015.
One of the hottest sellers at Air Circus is their large collection of beautifully decorated kites. Each of the kites comes in assorted shapes, sizes, colors, and patterns. On any given day, when the winds reach up to 7 mph, check out the kites flying high above the Boardwalk directly across from the store. You will know you’re at Air Circus as soon as you see them.
It’s not just the classic toy games you will find. Air Circus also has the latest and greatest items hitting the market. In recent months, Pop It has been one of their hottest sellers. The object of this fidget toy is to press down on the bubbles to produce a pleasurable “POP” sound, similar to the sound and feel of bubble wrap. This toy has been most popular amongst individuals with sensory issues.
Air Circus also has a large collection of fidget spinners that you won’t find anywhere else. Kids can enjoy spinners ranging from the simplest of designs to high-end spinners. The price for a fidget spinner can range anywhere from $10 to $150.
For pirate lovers of all ages, the store also boasts a large assortment of pirate accessories. The attached pirate emporium, dubbed “Pirates Arrrgh Us,” opened in 2004, shortly after the release of Pirates of the Caribbean. Visitors can find a variety of trinkets, novelty items, clothing, and collector’s items on display there. Jewell is a noted fan of pirates and loves telling pirate jokes to others. “For every pirate joke that you have, we have two backups.”
If you have been to the Business Persons Plunge, held in conjunction with the Unlocking of the Ocean, you may have noticed Jewell leading other business leaders into the water. Jewell dresses to the nines in his pirate finery complete with a sword, swashbuckle, hat, and brass bugle.
For the youngest of kids and for kids at heart, it just isn’t summer without visiting Air Circus. The next time you are in town, I highly recommend stopping in. The store is located at 1114 Boardwalk. They are open daily between 8:30 am-11:30 pm. Their phone number is 609-399-9343. You can also find Air Circus on Facebook at facebook.com/aircircuskiteshop.
Also, be sure to visit the Ocean City Boardwalk on select Thursday nights this summer as Doug and the Air Circus team host fun and entertaining activities outside for Family Night.
Steffen Klenk is a multimedia journalist. He resides in Ocean City and enjoys capturing the eclectic moments of shore life.
