For years, Margate business owners have heard the same refrain from frustrated customers: “We can’t find parking.” Now, one shop owner has taken matters into her own hands.
Tired of hearing customers come in and complain about Margate’s lack of parking, Rosalind “Roz” Feldman-Tyman, owner of Jamaican Me Crazy, is working to solve the problem.
“People go into businesses daily and cry. They can’t get here, they can’t park here, they can’t get to their favorite restaurants. They can’t get anywhere,” Feldman-Tyman said. “They gave the land away. There’s no more land. It’s gone. The powers that be didn’t think through the master plan.”
The problem, she said, escalated in recent years due to post-COVID development. As more people moved onto the island from North Jersey and New York, small cottages were replaced with large homes and multi-unit properties, often reducing street parking due to driveways and denser housing.
“This wasn’t the same island five years ago, it’s changed,” she said.
In response, Feldman-Tyman partnered with transportation professionals — including a team from Atlantic City — to test a trolley service called “The Island Hopper.” The pilot run launched on Saturday, July 19, and was met with enthusiastic applause from residents and city officials.
“There were no complaints. People were clapping, the mayor said great job, the business administrator loved it,” she said.
The trolleys, which she described as “adorable” and efficient, will circulate between high-traffic areas including Ventnor Avenue, the bayfront and local shopping districts. They are expected to run cashless, app-based routes throughout the island — but won’t offer home pickups.
Though the project is not officially part of the city’s operations yet, the mayors of Margate and Ventnor are reportedly in support, and formal steps are underway to secure bids and municipal approval. If approved, Feldman-Tyman also hopes to add Ventnor onto the offered routes.
She said the problem goes beyond parking — it’s about saving the island’s businesses.
“People need it. They want it. They want to go out. They want to support businesses that are only viable for [about] 80 days in the summer season. That matters,” Feldman-Tyman said.
Feldman-Tyman said the public’s response on social media has been overwhelming, with over 20,000 combined views and shares on her posts on various platforms about the trolley test.
“I saw a tremendous amount of bleeding and I found the solution, and I found the tourniquet to stop it,” she said. “I was like, ‘I’m either going to sell this business or I’m going to figure out how to fix it to my advantage.’”
With city leadership now engaged and overwhelming community support, the Island Hopper may soon become a permanent fixture in Margate’s summer landscape — and a much-needed remedy for its parking pain.
Julia is a recent Rider University graduate, where she studied multiplatform journalism and social media strategies. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, trying new coffee shops, photography and the beach. She can be reached at juliatrainmedia@gmail.com or connect with her on Instagram @juliatrain
