Tuckerton Beach Grille Closes Permanently, Citing Pandemic Issues

TUCKERTON, NJ — The Tuckerton Beach Grille closed permanently. The owners announced Friday in a Facebook post that difficulties associated with the coronavirus pandemic made it difficult to continue operations.

"As TBG restaurant owners, Romeo and Valerie are devastated by the prolonged pandemic and the effects of the continued shut-downs of businesses in NJ," the message said. "Although we recently were able to open the doors for indoor dining again, with MUCH success, we found that without enough devoted employees, who truly wanted to work full schedules, we couldn't service our customers properly."

Governor Phil Murphy lifted a nearly six-month ban on indoor dining Sept. 4, allowing restaurants to operate at 25 percent capacity.

Ocean County health officials felt pleased to see Murphy lift the restriction but said that the county could learn from other states that had to roll back indoor dining because of spikes in cases.

“(Reopening indoor dining) is good news across the board for all these venues," OCHD Health Officer Daniel Regenye said in a Sept. 2 statement. "But keep in mind that in just the last two months more than a dozen states have had to roll back indoor dining and other entertainment due to a significant spike in cases and increase in positivity rates."

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State coronavirus restrictions created difficult business climates for many restaurants. The Lakeside Diner in Lacey continuously defied state orders and offered limited indoor dining, which thrust the establishment at the center of the struggle between restaurant owners and the state. Read more: Authorities Changed Locks On Lacey's Lakeside Diner

The Tuckerton Beach Grille prided itself on its dine-in atmosphere, featuring a dining room, sports bar, party room and outdoor deck.

Read more: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

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