OCEAN CITY — The key to long-lasting success is “you have to change with society, with the times,” according to Scott and Gail Ping, owners of Boyar’s Food Market at 1340 Asbury Ave.
“Years ago, you used to come home and Mom would have a roast on baking all day long; now she’s working and we stopped selling roasts,” Scott Ping said.
“And you have to have a quality product for a decent price,” wife Gail Ping added.
The Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony April 26 to mark a century in business for Boyar’s.
Established in 1924, the market has stood the test of time, evolving with the needs of its loyal customers while maintaining its commitment to quality, service and community, according to a news release from the business group.
The market and deli’s website contains its history. It all started when Louis Boyar and his wife, Mary, left Woodbine, where he was assisting the famous Baron de Hirsch on his farm, to begin a new adventure in Ocean City.
Louis and Mary opened a fruit and produce stand in front of the apartment they were renting. Mary operated the stand while Louis drove all around town “huckstering” the fruit and produce from his truck. Little did they know, their fruit and produce stand was right beside the current Boyar’s Market.
Shortly after opening their business, Louis bought a home on Asbury Avenue and built a fruit and produce stand right in front. Some time in the 1930s, he decided to expand by purchasing the building next door, which formerly was the A&P food market.
In the late 1940s, Louis and Mary’s daughters, Lillian and Rena, along with their husbands, Bernard Blutinger and Irv Newborn, took over the daily workings of the market. The business ran strong with their family unit for 35 years.
In 1981, Lillian and Bernard Blutinger’s son, Robert, and his wife, Sharon, joined forces with the remaining existing family members to keep the business operating.
In 1986, Newborn suddenly passed away. At that juncture, Scott Ping and his wife, Gail, were asked to become partners with Robert and Sharon.
“When we started in 1985, we still had 13-foot ceilings and went around each morning pulling long strings to turn on the lights. After the first year, I said there’s enough people in town we can go year-round. We put in a drop ceiling, heating and air conditioning,” Scott Ping said.
That was one of the first key changes the family made.
“The big one was 20 years ago when we took both properties and made one big store. We made it a modern store but tried to keep an old-fashioned feel to it,” he added.
The old store was demolished in October but due to construction delays, they could not open until June 8 of the following year, missing the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
“That was probably the first Memorial Day since I was 15 that I didn’t work here in Ocean City,” Scott Ping said.
Scott Ping was first introduced to Boyar’s in 1968 while working for Ballard Meat Co. He would deliver meat to the original Boyar’s team, but back then he didn’t know he would later become partner and head butcher.
Thirteen years after Newborn passed, Sharon left the business and longtime employee Bobby Salvucci joined as partner.
In 2005, Boyar’s Market was demolished, making room for the new building to be constructed in its place. The four partners — Scott, Gail, Robert and Bobby — operated the new and improved Boyar’s Market, expanding through the years with party trays, prepared foods and a completely diversified kitchen take-out menu.
After about four decades, Blutinger retired. The same year, Salvucci left the business. Gail and Scott Ping’s daughter, Lacey, along with Brian Montgomery, filled the two empty partner spaces.
Gail Ping said last week that the market would be holding sales on different items all summer to celebrate the market’s 100th season.
The market has a butcher shop, selling fresh beef, pork and poultry. There also is a deli serving fresh-sliced meats and cheeses and prepared foods such as salad trays, Italian specialties and American favorites. It also makes and serves an extensive take-out menu, party trays and holiday dishes.
There also is a full selection of groceries, including fruit and produce, specialty cheeses and meats, pickles, chips, breads, frozen foods, ice cream and coffee.
Boyar’s Food Market is open 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily. Call (609) 399-1343. A second market at 55th Street, known as Boyar’s Market South, is set to open for the season May 29.
– STORY and PHOTOS by CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff