Toes in the Sand, Beach Read in Hand

Book lovers looking for the quintessential coastal book shop need look no further than Beach Reads. Located in Surf City, Beach Reads opened just over a year ago and is a welcome addition to the local business community on Long Beach Island. Owned by John and Susan Brophy, the bookstore is a family affair. Their daughter Paige enjoys being a member of the staff while their other two children, Matthew and Grace, contributed to the store’s early set up and success. The idea to open the shop stemmed from the desire to create a job opportunity for their daughter Paige who has Down Syndrome, while also homing in on Paige’s interests, with reading at the top of the list. As Susan explains, “We thought, what could Paige do that she really likes…we wanted her to have a job where she reaches her full potential, and she could be a part of the community and [would] blossom.”

Recognizing a need for a bookstore on the North End, the family got to work planning, visiting other independent bookstores and speaking to the owners to learn more about the book business. Susan utilized her experience as a teacher for inspiration when it came time to designing the children’s section and curating books that would appeal to young readers while also keeping with the coastal theme. Paige plays a big role in helping decide what items to offer in the shop and has fun selecting books as well as products for the art supply section. In addition, the shop offers a variety of puzzles and classic games, perfect for rainy day entertainment.

With prior work experience at both Woodies and Anchor Produce where Paige worked alongside her brother and sister, Beach Reads is a welcome change in pace and offers Paige the opportunity to enjoy interacting with customers over a shared love of reading. Among her responsibilities at the store, “I like to scan books into the inventory; I greet people; I check out customers and put stickers on the bags and do book orders,” Paige explains. As for the best part of working at Beach Reads, Paige proudly says, “Working with my parents.”

The Brophy family lives in Pennsylvania for the majority of the year but makes their home on the island during the summer months. After many years of family vacations spent in a variety of Jersey Shore locations, the Brophys settled on LBI for it’s more laidback lifestyle and “we fell in love and have been coming back ever since.” In addition to summer work at Beach Reads, the off season finds Paige interning for the CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) Career Path program where she was the first intern at the King of Prussia location. The program, designed to benefit children with special needs, has been in place for over fifteen years and is a way for Paige to continue using her work skills throughout the year. Susan also finds herself busy in the off season planning what books to order for the summer and looks to both websites popular with independent booksellers as well as bestseller lists and celebrity book club picks to make selections.

When it comes to summertime at the bookstore, Susan says the intention was to “create a shop that’s beautiful and comfortable, so that our customers feel like shopping is an escape that’s part of their beach vacation.” The atmosphere inside the store has an “easy, breezy” vibe to it and offers a variety of book selections perfect for a day at the beach, including bestsellers, both fiction and nonfiction selections, memoir, cookbooks, fantasy, mystery, and more. There’s something for everyone including a devoted children’s section, a cozy young adult nook, and plenty of items perfect for gifting including branded items like sweatshirts and tote bags. When it comes to staff recommendations, Paige is happy to share a few of her recent favorites including The Summer of Second Chances by K.L. Walther and The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han. As for Susan, historical fiction tops the list, but she enjoys a variety of genres. A recent favorite, This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page “was really heartwarming and uplifting.”

The Brophy family puts in plenty of hard work to ensure the business is a success, but they also make sure to enjoy the island community they’re so happy to be a part of. When it comes to shopping, the ladies in the family can often be found perusing the racks at Wink, 506 Boutique, Coco Kimono, and Society Beach, just to name a few of their favorites. As for dining options, Paige is a fan of Burger 25, LBI Table, and Wally’s while Susan enjoys stopping in at How You Brewin’ and The Local for quick bites and Black-Eyed Susans and Raimondo’s for dinners out. Beach Reads has been embraced by both customers and fellow local business owners and Susan is proud to be a familiar face to many. “I like that we all support each other…everyone is very genuine and family-oriented and that’s what we like about it.”

With their second summer season in full swing, the Brophy family is excited to continue bringing beach reads and more to locals and visitors. “I’m very proud and very happy,” notes Paige. Susan shares that sentiment: “This is a lot of people’s happy place…I want people to stay long and feel like it’s an escape.” With the welcoming atmosphere, great selections of beach reads, and friendly staff, people will be able to do just that.

About Beach Reads: You can learn more about Beach Reads by visiting their website. You can also follow along their latest happenings by visiting their Instagram.

About the writer: Brielle Bleeker has been vacationing on LBI since childhood and is happy to continue the tradition with her husband and children. As a freelance writer, Brielle has published articles related to books, travel, food, and wellness. She counts down all year long to summertime on the sandbar.