SOMERS POINT — Serving hand-rolled bagels, sourdough breads, baked goods and coffee, Dead End Bakehouse opened its third location in Somers Point.
The bakery, whose motto is “A dead end that leads to good things … ,” held a grand opening Feb. 21 at 746 Shore Road, across from City Hall.
The original location is at 1050 Bay Ave., Ocean City, next to the “Dead End” sign that gives the bakery its name.
Robert Idell Jr., 35, who owns the bakery with wife Jillian Noon and parents Bob and Sharon Idell, said the unique name came about in 2018.
“We were trying to figure out what to call the place, which is on the corner of 11th Street and a dead end,” Idell said. “The name stuck, caught people’s attention.”
He noted that it’s not always used in a positive manner, particularly when large crowds increase wait times.
“They use it when they’re mad at us. It bites us in the ass sometimes, but other people like it,” Idell said.
Last summer Dead End Bakehouse opened a pop-up site at 600 Boardwalk in Ocean City, site of the former Wonderland Pier. The family also owns Sunrise Cafe at 1200 Asbury Ave., Sandhouse Kitchen at 9 Beach Road and The Dockside Kitchen at 228 Bay Ave.
Idell said the family was looking for something to fill their winters when they found the turnkey location. The former tattoo parlor had been gutted and rebuilt, opening as a vegan restaurant then changed hands and was known as Somer Cafe.
“Ocean City is super seasonal and we saw an opportunity to expand to a more year-round market,” he said. “We’re trying to stay busy.”
Challenges related to the location include the lack of a parking lot, but parking is permitted on the street out front and on New Jersey Avenue just around the corner.
“We love that historic district. It has so much potential and is such a quaint part of town,” Idell said, noting they are planning to get a neon sign that fits into the district and make it look cohesive.
Idell said they are looking forward to fitting into the neighborhood.
“If you can’t fit it, you’re not going to become a staple,” he said.
Call (609) 788-4702 or visit deadendbakehouse.com for more information.
– STORY and PHOTOS by CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff