“GEHRING’S RESTAURANT STONE HARBOR, N.J.”

The sender of this circa mid-1920s post card wrote to folks back home in Allentown, Penna. and here’s what a woman named Dot had to say about her experience at Gehring’s Restaurant one day back in July of 1930: “Marian – This is where we ate our first supper. Hamburger. Um – Um. And blackberry pie a la mode too.” That’s not a bad review for Gehring’s Restaurant located in Stone Harbor.  

This divided-back post card shows signs in front of the restaurant advertising for Hires Root Beer on the left side of the building and Light Lunch and Milk signs on the far right. It should be remembered that during this decade gentlemen would invariably wear jackets and ties when eating at Gehring’s Restaurant, regardless whether it was at lunch or dinner. Customary dress codes then were certainly more formal and that practice applied to women’s apparel as well.  

The two-story cedar-shingled structure shown here was typical of many buildings that were built at the Jersey shore during this time. In addition to the downstairs restaurant, this building most likely housed at least three apartment rental units. It is entirely possible the proprietor of Gehring’s Restaurant actually lived on these premises as the owner-operator.