CRUISING DOWN THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY AT EXIT 0, you suddenly realize that you forgot to pack the essential staple for your big weekend at the beach. Have no fear. As you pass the exit on your right at the foot of the Cape May bridge, you see Joe Canal’s, the ideal pitstop before traveling on to Wildwood Crest or Cape May. With an excellent variety of craft beer and craft spirits, Joe Canal’s is a hot spot to pick up a 12 pack of ice cold Truly or a case of Coors Light on the way to the shore. Heady Times sat down with Tina Ormrod, store manager, to learn more about the business.
Heady Times (HT): You recently celebrated your first anniversary. Tell us more about it!
Tina Ormrod (TO): We opened the Cape May location in May of last year and celebrated our first anniversary with a weekend-long celebration to thank our customers for their business. We had a radio promotion with exclusive prizes and giveaways for our guests, and also had tastings all weekend long.
HT: How long have you been in the business?
TO: I have been in the business and worked for the Feraco family for many years before opening this location. Siblings Bill and Tom Feraco, Ann Wilson, and Cathy Sawyer own and manage the Cape May location in addition to Joe Canal’s Rio Grande, which they opened in 2004. They’ve owned other liquor stores over the past 30 years and are no stranger to the industry.
HT: Describe your customer base.
TO: The store is a highly accessible location for vacationers on their way to their beach destination. We can buy in large quantities and pass savings on to the customer, so they often stock up at our store before heading on to the island. We also have many regular customers that support us year‑round.
HT: What are people stocking up on before hitting the beach this year?
TO: Of course, 30-packs of Miller Lite and Coors Light are always staples for the shore. Twisted Tea has been incredibly popular for several years, and seltzers like Truly are continuing to grow. We are also looking forward to seeing how consumers react to the new, healthier alternatives like Cape Line and Crook and Marker.Anything in a can sells well for beachgoers!
918 Route 109 South Exit Zero, Garden State Pkwy., Cape May • joecanals.com
About Kramer Beverage
Kramer Beverage is South Jersey’s largest beer wholesaler, owned and operated by four generations of the Kramer family since 1924. Kramer Beverage is based out of Hammonton, Atlantic County, and services eight counties in southern New Jersey with top brands from MillerCoors, Constellation, Yuengling, Boston Beer, Heineken USA, Pabst, Diageo, FIFCO and more. Kramer Beverage also distributes a wide variety of craft beers, from suppliers such as New Belgium and Sierra Nevada, to local favorites including Flying Fish, Double Nickel, Evil Genius, Glasstown, Sly Fox, and 2SP. For more information on Kramer Beverage, please visit www.kramerbev.com.