Business celebrated 100th anniversary in 2024
OCEAN CITY — Just one year after celebrating its 100th in business at 1340 Asbury Ave., the iconic family-owned Boyar’s Food Market is for sale.
“We recently listed for sale the real estate and business,” local real estate agent Jeff Quintin told the Sentinel on March 5.
The listing price is $1.795 million.
The market is operated by three generations of the Ping family — owners Gail and Scott Ping, daughter Lacey and Brian Montgomery and granddaughter Emma Welsh, who plan to continue operating it at least until the sale is finalized, said Quintin, of the Quintin Group, eXp Realty, in Ocean City.
Last year, when preparing to celebrate their centennial, Scott and Gail Ping said the key to long-lasting success is “you have to change with society, with the times.”
The Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony April 26, 2024 to mark a century in business for Boyar’s.
Established in 1924, the market 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.
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.
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. No information was available on the second market at 55th Street, known as Boyar’s Market South.
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
