The Mayor’s Market …

A corner store is something found in most American communities. Like in Monmouth Beach. Down through the years many a borough youth can say they “hung out at the corner store.”

Today, the spot remains busy as the Monmouth Beach Supermarket & Liquor store — the town’s commerce center, where Riverdale Avenue and Beach Road meet. It was most well known as Lou’s Corner Store. The owner Louis P. Sodano ran the family business for 32 years and was also was a four-term borough mayor. Generations of Monmouth Beach residents remember the corner store as a spot where “things happened.”

“Lou’s Corner Store” at Riverdale Avenue and Beach Road, 1960s.

Renowned for his work ethic, Lou moved to Monmouth Beach in 1959 after service in the US Army. He took over the corner store with his brother-in-law Sal Tringola, Jr., in 1965. The partners greatly expanded the business in 1968 and added a gift shop in 1976. Lou assumed full control in the early 1980s. About the sizable investments to grow the business over the years, the commerce savvy Lou said, “I wanted to work a little harder and I thought the town was growing so the business needed to grow too. Besides, hard work keeps you out of trouble.” And work he did — arriving at the store before dawn to start baking operations and putting in 15-hour days.

Lou launched his town political career in May 1977 seeking a commission seat and pledging to bring better communication to a governing board that had “kept the public in the dark about official decisions.” He lost but was appointed a commissioner in April 1978. For nearly two decades the Monmouth Beach Mart would be the epicenter of town politics.

Long active in town public service, Lou served three years as a commissioner before his 16 years as mayor on a “low tax, low debt” policy. “As the mayor I wanted to be available,” he explained. “I always felt close to the townspeople — there’s nothing like Monmouth Beach.”

“Dream big. Start small. But most of all, start.”
—Simon Sinek

In his years as mayor he worked to shape fine things that borough residents now take for granted. He called the long-fought but vital sand replenishment project his finest achievement. “When it came to getting that sand, we never gave up,” Lou explained. “We couldn’t. Some summers at the pavilion there was no beach and we had to truck in sand.” It was a tough sell, though. As late as 1962, according to a Long Branch Daily Record Report, little if any government money (federal, state or local) had ever been spent on shore protection and there were no plans to either. Working with shore area Congressman James Howard, Lou testified many times in Trenton for the $20 million in funding. One time even climbing on a table to loudly make his point. It worked.

Mayor Sodano

In August 1994, the mayor officially hosted Governor Christie Whitman and scores of federal, state, and local dignitaries to celebrate an enormous new beach at the MBBP. The nation’s biggest-ever sand replenishment project had started in Monmouth Beach that spring. Spending nearly $20 million, more than 7.5 million tons of sand was pumped ashore by the US Army Corps of Engineers. That was a gorgeous and joyful summer day. I was there with my wife and our new baby.

Over the past 30 years the federal government has largely kept its commitment to return every 5 to 6 years and replenish the town’s beaches. Incumbent Mayor David Stickle lauds Sodano for the sand agreement — calling it “the best thing that ever happened to Monmouth Beach,” he said. “No mayor in the whole country got the deal that Mayor Sodano did.” The town reaps the benefits in many ways. Among them, the MBBP did nearly $1.8 million in gross revenues for the ’23 summer.

As a founding member of the Monmouth Beach Recreation Commission in 1967, Lou played a major role in the growth and development of the town’s largest open space, Griffin Park. He also performed more than 500 marriages during his time as borough mayor.

The mayor was a longtime devoted member and past president of the borough First Aid Squad. “I’ll always remember Lou running out of his store — still in his butcher’s apron — answering an emergency call,” said an admirer. “In the tough early days of the squad, he was among the most dedicated and caring. Always the first on the scene.”

The Sodano family owned the Mart until May 1995 when they sold the 10,000-sqaure-foot operation to Charles Sloughfy, Jr. of Wall Twp. Later on the store was leased by Andy K’s Dairy & Deli. The property was purchased in 2008 by Tamara and Kerrin O’Brien and later sold. Today it is the Monmouth Beach Supermarket & Liquor (at 73 Riverdale Avenue).

Mayor Sodano’s greatest achievement — proved necessary about 75 years ago:

“New Jersey beaches get no material from shorelines north and south of the state, and little or no contribution from NJ hinterlands. It follows that state ocean beaches as an entity have no source of supply of beach-building material. In the face of surveys since 1839 indicating a net loss of beach, it must be concluded that the ocean does not supply as much material as it receives, and consequently does not qualify as a source of supply.” —History of the New Jersey Coastline by Clarence F. Wicker, PE; 1950 (Wicker was a tidal power expert for the US Army Corps of Engineers).

Cornerstore Beginnings
Commerce started at the corner of Beach and Riverdale (then known as Fresh Pond Road) in 1924 when John Wheeler opened a US Post Office and adjoining luncheonette. Just before his death in 1953, Mr. Wheeler sold the property and business.

After some in-between ownership, Newark butcher, Salvatore C. Tringola, Sr., acquired the business in 1956 for about $35,000. “Monmouth Beach was a quiet, sleepy place back then — not a whole lot going on, but Dad saw something about the town,” explained his son, Sal, Jr. “He had a vision of what Monmouth Beach was — a great community with great families. He was right, of course.” Sal, Jr. started out as a 17-year-old “soda jerk” at the corner store working behind a classic marble counter.

Sal Tringola, Sr. and Jr.

Along with his brother-in-law, Lou Sodano, Sal, Jr. took over the works in 1965 when his father passed away. It proved to be a very successful family business for many years. In November 1968, the two partners completed a large expansion of the corner store, creating the Monmouth Beach Mart. At a cost of nearly $70,000 they added a large grocery section, butcher shop, bakery, and improved the luncheonette. Later on they added pizza and gift shop. Thomas Smith of Rumson did the design. The whole family pitched in to help run the business and Rose Cerrato would gain Monmouth Beach immortality as “Rosie behind the counter.”

Sal left the business in 1980 and returned to Monmouth Beach in 1999 with Diane Bonpua to open Sallee Tee’s Grille. Located at the foot of West Street (site of the old Haul Out Restaurant), Sallee Tee’s would become one the Shore area’s premier restaurants. As if holding court in his splendid riverfront eatery, Sal was a fabulous host and customers loved the food and drink. After his death in September 2010, the business fell off and Hurricane Sandy wrecked the building in 2012. Today is stands spectacularly rebuilt as the Beach Tavern.

“Mayor Emeritus” — Former Mayor Louis Sodano (seated) is honored by the Board of Commissioner at Borough Hall on Beach Road, September 2024.

Store Coming Soon — New Monmouth Beach Mart ground-breaking, 1968. From left: Joan Sodano and Louis Sodano, Rose “Rosie” Cerrato, Sal Tringola, Jr. and Virginia Tringola. The Sodano and Tringolas owned the business.

We’re In Charge — The Lou Sodano, Joan Meyer and Bruce Bradley political team celebrate a sweeping election victory at borough hall, May 1981. Nearly 1,300 borough voters cast ballots in a sometimes raucous campaign that changed the face of town government (ending the “Johnson Dynasty”). First running under the banner “Citizens for Community Participation in Government, this new board of commissioners team with Lou as mayor would win three municipal elections and rule Monmouth Beach for nearly a decade.

Home Town — Mayor Lou Sodano with his family on becoming the borough’s leader, Red Bank Daily Register, May 1981.

Monmouth Beach corner store, 1976.

Monmouth Beach corner store, 1970s.

Monmouth Beach corner store, 1970s.

Monmouth Beach corner store, 1960s.

“The Corner Store” Grand Opening ad, Long Branch Daily Record, August 1953. Mary and Walter Bloom were owners.

US Post Office, 1950s. Later to be the corner store.

Flooding around the corner store, 1970s.

Rosie’s Lessons — Asbury Park Press, March 1972. The Newark native died in November 1991.

Monmouth Beach Mart ad with Sal Tringola, Jr., 1970s.

Borough artist Kevin Dougherty finishes up the mural at the Monmouth Beach corner store on Riverdale Avenue, June 2012. Kevin’s skill with the brush goes back to the 1960s. He’s also a longtime borough fireman.

US Post Office at Monmouth Beach, 1950s.

Koch’s Family Market on Beach Road (1926 photo). William Koch, Sr. and his wife Mary ran the grocery and butcher shop. Born in Brooklyn, he died in 1950.

Monmouth Beach Deli …

The Monmouth Beach Deli & Liquors was opened in November 1962, opposite the new US Post Office in a new Beach Road building. The business was started by Catherine Hansen and Catherine Gemano who had taken over from the Koch family, who had operated a store across the street for many years. Koch’s Grocery Store stocked meat and dry and canned goods and had the town’s first liquor license.

In August 1964, Little Silver residents Fred Bruno and Bill Geroni acquired the deli business. Offering friendly service, quality food and good booze, the well-liked partner-owners ran the store until 1980. Fred’s mom, Lucy, was particularly known for her homemade touch in the kitchen. Fred, a former Little Silver fire company chief and president, died in March 1990 at age 58; Bill passed away in November 2006 at age 92. They left many good friends and good memories in Monmouth Beach. In the 1980s, the Monmouth Beach Mart acquired the deli’s liquor license.

Monmouth Beach Delicatessen & Liquors on Beach Road, 1970s.

Monmouth Beach Deli Grand Opening. From Left: Mayor Sidney Johnson, Fred Bruno, Lucy Bruno and Bill Geroni. Red Bank Register, August 1964.

Bill Geroni and Fred Bruno the MB Deli owners, late-1970s.

Monmouth Beach Blended Whiskey — MB Deli brand, 1970s.

FYI — Monmouth Beach had a butcher’s shop too — opened in April 1968 by Sal Gengaro. A Naples native and WW II US Army vet, he ran the Beach Road fine meat and poultry shop for 5 years. He died in November 1973.