Thanks to a trio of Barnegat residents, Galloway residents who have elderly family members and family members in need have an alternative option to nursing homes. Lou and Kelly Marrero opened Comfort Keepers at 29 South New York Road, Suite 600 in the Smithville section of the township this week. Their office services Atlantic and Cape May counties, and their intention is to open a Cape May County office site at some point in the near future. There are 24 offices throughout the state, including Toms River, Red Bank, Haddonfield, Lakewood, Trenton, Secaucus and Freehold, among others. However…

Maruca’s Tomato Pies, located between the Porter Avenue and Farragut Avenue blocks of the Seaside Park boardwalk, has a six-decade history of developing its own brand of pizza.  As a family owned and operated pizzeria, Maruca’s dishes out the same pizza the business began with 62 years ago. Operating out of their Seaside kitchen for the past 57 years, Maruca’s continuously contributes to the crowd and popularity of the boardwalk.   The Travel Channel’s “Man vs. Food” helped Maruca’s gain even more recognition and brought in new customers. But with so many options of pizza on the boardwalk, …

As a child, Ty Pallotta was infatuated with his father's military tattoo. He got his first tattoo — Spiderman — when he was 17. And, in 1998 he left his home in Toms River for a tattoo artist apprenticeship in Austin, Texas. Pallotta, the owner of Premium Blend Tattoo, 777 East Bay Avenue, Manahawkin, said after his apprenticeship he worked in Staten Island and then came back to New Jersey, finally opening his own shop in 2004. "What people seek me out for are the realism tattoos," said Pallotta. "There are not a lot of people doing that type of work around here.  You see it more in the …

When the owners of Burger 25 sat down to map out their concept for fresh, fast-casual food, they didn’t plan on opening up three locations within one year — but sometimes you can’t control what falls on your plate. “Sometimes you have to be aggressive,” said Andre Braxton, an owner of Burger 25. He said the company opened its first location in May 2011 on Route 70, in Brick, and the second location opened up on in November 2011, on Route 9, in Bayville. On June 18, Burger 25 will once again open its doors at its newest location in Toms River. “We’re on a shoe-string budget, and somehow we’re …

 Martial Arts Academy owner and Master John Holland, 41, of Toms River began training for martial arts at age 12. He would eventually open Martial Arts Academy, now in Barnegat, but not before starting a career in corporate sales. "I felt all I was doing with my life was making money," Holland says. "I wasn’t giving back, wasn't really producing anything. I was teaching part-time as an instructor, and I knew I had a teaching gift, and so I thought, 'hey, why don’t I make this my way of life?' Holland is 5th Dan in Black Cat Kenpo. Though he did most of his training with the U.S. Black Cat …

A new face downtown will add another restaurant to the space where Bistro 44 once was. Master chef Umberto Turelli said he is bringing affordable Italian comfort food to downtown Toms River. “It’s going to be hearty, stick to your ribs kind of food,” Turelli said. Located in the former Bistro 44 spot, at 44 Washington St., Turelli took over the location from Eric Witherspoon, a past winner on the Food Network’s “Chopped.” Turelli has owned restaurants all over Monmouth and Ocean counties, including Freehold, Colts Neck, Howell, Manalapan and Marlboro. He said he eyed Toms River as a potential…

Toms River resident Claudia Flores will never forget the first Zumba class she held in Lacey Township. It brought her joy. “I walked into this place and I saw all these people,” the Toms River Zumba instructor said. “It felt so good because I never had that big of a crowd. I was so happy. Until this day those faces are still with me.” Flores went from renting out space at fitness centers such as Ultimate Fitness and Alice’s Dancin' Corner to opening her own gym on Tuesday, April 3. Rhythm Zone offers a variety of Zumba classes, a Latin dance-inspired fitness program. “It was always a dream of…

Handmade crafts are one of the most personal items money can buy. They are created with passion to provide another with something unique. Some do this for a hobby and others diligently pursue dreams of having their own business. Today, through technology, the Internet offers a window to the world with great potential for Internet entrepreneurs that take the initial step to market their handmade crafts.  Toms River residents Sherri Crilly, Megan Walsh and Kerri Ambrosino are just three of the many Internet entrepreneurs who took that step and launched their business with Etsy.com known as the…

In Toms River, the joke is there's a pizzeria or Italian restaurant in every strip mall. And, there's a lot of strip malls — some right next to each other or on each corner of a four-corner intersection. But it turns out Toms River has the highest population of residents with Italian ancestry in the state, according to the Census. According to the US Census Bureau, New Jersey ranks in the top four for states with households that consider themselves of Italian descent. And as for top in New Jersey—it is Toms River that has the most residents of Italian ancestry at 33 percent (29,313). If it's …

With a Toms River landscaping business already under their belts, one local family again expanded a concept at their Brick produce store to another location in Whiting. The concept: fresh and local products. Ken Munroe, who opened Manchester Marketplace in the township's western section last December, said that fresh, locally produced products and a convenient location are key to making customers happy. "The trend is away from big box stores and more toward independent farm markets where people know the people they're buying from," Munroe said. "They know the quality of what they're buying …

On the corner of Hooper and Dayton Avenues, construction is again in full swing on three new office buildings known as “Dayton Terrace.” With so many available office spaces being left vacant in Downtown Toms River, however, is there a value in adding more office space to the market? “What we're finding is the office spaces that are being left vacant are antiquated in terms of what new leasers are looking for,” said Jody Alessandrine, executive director for the Toms River Business Improvement District. “In some instances, building something from the ground up is more cost efficient.” …

  Along with the new office space in the former home of the Ocean County Observer, some new retail additions to Toms River’s downtown area are looking for plenty of business and success in 2012; Autumn Meadow Trading Company and Sweet Tush, a Gourmet Bath & Body Bakery and Boutique. Located on Washington Street in the downtown area, just off Main Street and connected to the building which formerly housed the Java Joint, both businesses (who are also next-door neighbors) are in the process of refurbishing and preparing for their respective grand openings after the new year begins. Maris DeMott…

The first gym in Downtown Toms River opened its doors Monday on Main Street, a move that the Business Improvement District sees as a push in the right direction for the revitalization of the downtown. “Anytime you have a destination business, that’s a good thing,” said Jody Alessandrine, the executive director of the Business Improvement District. “All successful downtowns have a gym,” he added. CrossFit Toms River, with its location at 34-38 Main Street, is expected to attract people on their way to or from work, locals, as well as other patrons from surrounding areas. The BID expects these …

The owner of a relocated business on Main Street can often be seen serving French toast in her pajamas. The purveyors of Shut Up and Eat! have moved into the old Friendly's location at 804 Main St., next to Cherry Lane Day Care. Complete with a friendly staff, interesting scenery and out of the ordinary menu names, Shut Up and Eat! made the decision to move away from it's former Water Street location for various reasons. Owner Anne Gauthier said the move is best for the business. "It’s a bigger spot," said Gauthier. "Better location, too."  Gauthier, who has been in business for six years, …

This is the first of a regular series of articles looking at local entrepreneurs as they open their doors in Toms River, sharing the stories behind the business. This week we check in with a dance studio and a brick-oven pizzeria. Lindsay and David Williams, Broadway Bound Dance Studio Lindsay Williams looks back at her husband David in their new dance studio. She smiles with a sense of pride; the feeling of starting your own business can cause many smiles. Both Lindsay and David, owners of Broadway Bound Dance Centre, were in the studio getting ready for a class of students. The new dance …