When I visited family and friends back east last month, I took a day to drive down to Ocean City, MD, for a part of the day. It was my first visit to that great little beach town in 15 years. My college buddies and I would spend lots of time down at various places at the Jersey shore (Avalon, Sea Isle City, Stone Harbor, Wildwood). But, in the summer of '86, a few of the guys mentioned this place called Ocean City in Maryland, and we decided to give it a shot. We fell in love with the town so much that we continued to vaca down there every summer up until '92 (in '93 a few of us vaca'ed in California, and in '94 I moved to CA). We'd head down to Ocean City for a weekend or a full week, at least once if not two or three times each summer (even though we'd continue to spend time at the Jersey shores, as well).
We used to stay at either the Tidelands (at 5th & the beach), the Wellington (at 9th & Baltimore), and the Monticello. The Tidelands was, at the time, a dump of a place for $20/night, but we didn't care. Since then, the place has gone "upscale" as the Tidelands Caribbean Hotel & Resort. (Yikes!)
We used to hit quite a few night clubs during those summers... Scandal's near 65th Street (a large, all-wood, barn-like interior with a balcony in the back, and a full-sized stage for live bands to perform)... Samantha's at the back of the 45th Street shopping center (many memories there)... the Playpen near 69th Street by the bay side (they used to go overboard with the fog machine, the music volume bled your ears, and they were notorious for seriously lacking A/C in that place)... Graffitti's on 17th Street... the Paddock at the south end of town for live rock bands... Tiffany's (a preppy little place connected to a hotel or restaurant on 24th Street, I think, that my friend Phil used to like going to)... and of course the Purple Moose Saloon on the boardwalk.
Of them all, Samantha's and Scandal's were the best clubs for hoppin' night life! Let's just say that Labor Day weekend in '88 will live in infamy for me and my friends!!! 'Nough said. Almost all of those clubs have either closed down, changed names, or moved. Samantha's was the first to close in '90. Tiffany's and Graffitti's are gone. Scandal's moved in the old Samantha's location before closing in '05. But the Paddock is still open, and the Purple Moose is still on the boardwalk (and DJ Batman, who used to do the "Best Body on the Beach" contests is STILL there! What is he now... 65?... 70 years old??... geez!).
For munchies.... Soriano's... Thrasher's French Fries (hold the vinegar... yuck)... the Dough Roller for breakfast, pizza on the boardwalk near 5th Street!!! (I forget the name of the place)... Dumser's Dairy (for custard ice cream like Dairy Queen)... Dayton's Chicken for the BEST fried chicken and soft shell crabs, on the boardwalk by the pier at South Division Street... and the Bull On The Beach for awesome bbq roast pork and roast beef sandwiches.
What I loved best about OCMD was that it was clean, it had a little bit of everything for everyone, and you had all sorts of people from all walks of life -- different cultures, backgrounds, ethnicities, incomes, all ages from babies to octogenarians, single people, families -- and everyone had smiles on their faces.
P.S. I forgot to add one more memory of OCMD...... always seeing the beautifully done Christian-themed sand sculptures at the beach by North Division Street. From what I read, the job of doing them has been handed down over the years (Chuck Ritchley Sr. and Randy Hofman are two of the men who've done them in OCMD).
Here's a link to Randy Hofman's website.
24 comments:
Dude..just caught this doing a search on OC...loled. I used to work at Scandals in the 80s-90s brought back many memories. To this day I've never experienced the vibe that was at scandals during a ynot show and a full house. Freaking priceless.
Thanks!!
Hi...I used to work at Samanthas from '87-89. Absolutely the best days EVER! Any chance you have any pictures? I would be so grateful. The owner was a dear friend, who, sadly passed away and I really want a picture.
Wow! Someone digging up a post of mine from 7 years ago. Hah! Well, Miss Cee, if you worked at Samantha's in the late 80s then I definite must've seen you there quite a few times during those summers. My memory would be quite foggy, though, to specifically remember you. LOL
Unfortunately, I do not have any pix (it was a time before the iPhone and the internet as we know it today), although in my head I can envision the entrance the and inside layout like it was yesterday. I do have, somewhere in my house, old pix of OCMD (in general) with my friends.
Here, though, is a link to an obit of the manager/owner of Samantha's and The Hurricane from 2001 (I found it scouring the internet trying to find pix of the place):
http://m.carrollcountytimes.com/obituaries-for-wednesday-august/article_1324d395-a0ef-5f99-aa41-3d574efe87f4.html?mode=jqm
Unless you can dig up old copies of the local weekly newspaper from back then (in their public library - either physical copies or on microfilm/microfiche), it may just be relegated to our memories.
I still maintain that Samantha's and Scandals were the two best places for clubbing back in the late 80's/early 90's.
Thanks for the blast from the past! :-)
awsome read i was there too what great times they were mr. Penn was the manager at the tidelands
he let us get away wth everything
Came across your memory-filled blog while searching for an unrelated topic.
"...and DJ Batman, who used to do the "Best Body on the Beach" contests is STILL there! What is he now... 65?... 70 years old??... geez!)"
Sixty-seven now, actually. Still playing - but now certainly for age appropriate demographics.
Thirty-six summers in the business... I've closed more bars in this town than prohibition.
Thanks for the mention - enjoyed your article!
Best,
Mike Beatty "DJ Batman"
As an FYI Scandals is planning a reunion of some type during spring fest of 2016. Check out their facebook page at scandalsreunion. Also DJ Batman I first saw you back in 1985 at sweetwaters. Got drunk and tumbled off a table into your speaker...lol sorry! Best nights ever when you are doing your thing. Thanks
HELLLLLOOOOO Batman! LOL
I always get a kick when someone posts a comment on one of my old blog posts. Haha! Yes, those were great times back then. Unfortunately, I haven't been back there since I wrote this post back in '07. Been back east only a few times to visit family and friends, but haven't been able to make it back down to ol' OCMD. There's a brewery on the boardwalk (Backshore) that has a webcam - two, one facing inside, the other facing the boardwalk and beach). Every once in awhile, during the summertime, I'll pop on and sigh & reminisce.
One day I'll make it back there and soak in that wonderful summer weather, munch on some Thrashers and Dayton's, and pop into one of the newer bars/clubs and feel like an old fart (and not care one bit about that). Hehehe.
All the best to you and M and the other's who've posted in here.
OC, IN THE 80S AND 90S WAS THE BEST, DONT FORGET THE ORIG. OCEAN CLUB
I THINK ON 52ND ST. OCEAN SIDE, ALTHOUGH A MORE 90S THAN 80S PLACE
IT WAS THE ONLY TRUE OCEAN FRONT CLUB IN OC MD. ITS A SHAME THAT A
HUGE UGLY CONCRETE CONDO BUILDING IS NOW THERE. ALSO FOR THE 70S
CROWD DONT FORGET THE GEZEBO CLUB BAY SIDE AROUND 14TH ST. YEP
THOSE DAYS ARE GONE BUT WHAT TIMES THEY WERE YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN
IF YOU WERE DOWE THERE THEN. NOW THE CLUBS SEEM TO BE FOR THE NEW
YOUNG PARTY CROWD, IM HAPPY TO GO DOWN HIT THE BEACH AND RESERVE
MYSELF TO JUST HANGING OUT WITH FRIENDS ON THE HOTEL BALCONY,
TALKING ABOUT PASSED GLORY DAYS IN OC AND WATCHING THE WAVES ROLL
IN, WHEN YOU GET OLDER IT SEEMS THE SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE MEAN THE MOST.
ONE LAST THOUGHT GOING OUT ON THE BEACH AT NIGHT DURING JULY FORTH
DOWN THERE WAS THE BEST, EVERYONE HAD SOMETHING TO SET OFF.
TRUBADOR GREAT READ, MAYBE A MEMORIES OF OC IN 80S AND 90S ON F/B SITE?
(MR. BILL) COPPERTHITE
Let's not forget the BEST dj to work at Samantha's and do the best body on the beach contests HARVEY GLASS!!!!!!
Loozing for any pics of the old days!!
What an awesome read. I saw Nazareth at Scandals in 1987, what an awesome show.
I was 2 years old when my family moves to ocean city in 79! My favorite memories of oc was in the 80's. The 90's through 2000 whatever are the memories as you talked about! But it was so special to be a kid in the 80's going to ocean city! I was getting nostalgic ANF googled ocean city in the 80's and this came up. It is NIW a totally different place sad to say! But those 10 or 12 years as a kid there in the summer were the best days of my life!
Just caught this... Wow what memories... My friends and I would rent a house at Middlesex Beach in DE (midway between OC and Rehoboth)during the week of July 4th and again at Labor Day from 87 to 97... Some wicked fun times down there!!!
I worked the door at Samanthas in 88 & 89 was the best time ever..managed jet ski rentals during the day & then went to work at Samanthas at night..Al & Bix were awesome to work for..we were #1 in OC in those days Playpen & Scandals were somewhat close behind..we were co-sponsors with 100 khi radio in sponsoring the best body on the beach contest either held at the Sheraton or the Ocean Club..An old friend JJ aka the hit man mc'd them...what a fun time & Mike aka Batman did ours at Samanthas. .those were the best of times..here's to Rick Jim B. Bobby Dave Mark Kyle Collin Marty Merf Brian" Tugo" Mike D. Nancy and to all the others who made that place what it was !!!! Oh yah &;Eric Jones & Pops and the rest of the band Radiant..lol
My oh my! Twelve years after I wrote this post here, and people STILL stumble upon it, comment on it, and revel in the memories of OCMD from the late 80s-early 90s.
Haven't touched this ol' blog in years, only posting a pic earlier this year of my dog, Max, just to keep it going for old time's sake.
I hadn't been back east since my Dad's funeral in early 2013. After my divorce last year, I flew back to visit family and friends for 10 days. Intended to drive down to OCMD, but couldn't squeeze in the time to do it. I was back again last month for yet another funeral (my brother-in-law), and again just didn't have the time to drive down.
I DO intend to come back east during the summertime once again (hopefully in 2020), and I WILL make it back to OCMD for a few days for old time's sake. Still living in SoCal (in Ventura) since '94 – currently living just a couple blocks from the beach – but it's not the same as the east coast beaches and atmosphere. Certainly not like good ol' OC. Much more laid back and residential (in my section), with more surfing and sea glass hunting.
Anyways... please continue to comment on this ol' post. Keep OCMD memories alive!
Thanx!
~Trubador
Sorry. . MIKE DINO WAS..
Stayed at a Family Friends apartments right behind the Tidelands from 1974-1985 yes the Penns owned the Tidelands back then.on 5th St. Paul Reveres is still at the Plim serving their succulent Smorgasboard.
Holy Heck Batman
I remember the days at Shaefers on Calvert St in Baltimore. The Sheraton in OC the Home of Original Best Body on the Beach Contest.What a great article Thank You....
Just read that DJ Batman passed away.
I loved Scandals! It was definitely the hottest spot in OC back in the 80's!
I’ve been vacationing in Ocean City Maryland every summer for 43 years sometimes 4-5 trips a summer I can’t get enough of it can’t wait for May so we can go again.Love reading ,talking and reminiscing about the yesteryears of Ocean City Md
Trubador hopefully you make it back to Ocean City Md nothing wrong with going back and seeing how things have changed or stayed the same.Love reading about your summers spend In OcMd even though I was a kid in the 80’s I was there too how I would love to go back in time and just walk around knowing what I know now.We used to stay at the Delmarva Inn up until 1990 when my grandmother passed away we switched to Harrison Hall stayed at the Hitch Apartments many summers too with my brother those were the days beach all day then hit boards all night.Scandals was fun the fish bowl beers and the loud music such fun.
I worked at the Angler, Dumsers in off season and the Fractured Prune in 88-92. We had Hump Night and reggae Sundays. Had to work the White Marlin Open breakfast. Undergrad at Salisbury. Seacrets was locals only at first. I had a passport stamped three times but chickened out getting my gold card because I was in on a fake ID. Still have the passport. Fishtails was a whole in the wall. I remember Fagers island, Harpoon Hannah’s, Bay Cafe, Bearded Clam, M.R.Ducks, Reflections for a romantic dinner, Surf Rat, 45st village, the upper deck, paddock, and so many I forgot. Grew up every summer vacationing there. Now I live in Fl. I need the salt water 365. :)
Thanks for the memories, reading these comments. I Was just talking about 88-93 living at the beach, and Scandals came up. Me and my roommates were underage but still there every week, also, Samantha's, BJ's, Fagers. Remember Talbot St Cafe, the Angler and MR Ducks came along IN the 90s. A coworker also got me into Seacrets and I got the member card. It's was just a little tiki bar back in 88/89 and they didn't know I was underage. Batman and Rockin Rupe were the the local djs making the deck party rounds every week. Wa y too much to mention. Just thought I'd chime in after reading this. Oh, to be young and carefree, it was pretty rad.
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