Mrs. Jay's
Encyclopedia
Mrs. Jay's was a popular bar and restaurant located in Asbury Park, New Jersey
that took on several transformations during its 60 plus years of existence.
Mrs. Jay's was founded by John and Ida Jacobs and was located on Ocean and Second Ave., the current location of The Stone Pony
. John and Ida started by selling hot dogs to tourists in 1922 at the second avenue location, but with the help of their daughter Jeanette and son-in-law Murray Weiner, eventually purchased the seasonal snack bar along with the property and established a family restaurant naming it Mrs. Jay's.
John and Ida also opened Mrs. Jay's Beer Garden
located on Ocean Avenue to the left of the restaurant serving 2% beer until the end of prohibition
in 1933.
Starting in 1965, Mrs. Jay's Beer Garden briefly offered Go-Go dancing
as entertainment, but a dancers see through blouse resulted in a police raid and the quick demise of Go-Go at Mrs. Jay's.
The Weiner's sold off the restaurant in the '70's keeping only the beer garden, which by this time had become a popular music scene and bikers hangout. In 1974, the new owners of the restaurant building converted it into the nightclub known as The Stone Pony.
Steven Adler from Guns N' Roses wore a Mrs. Jay's T-Shirt during the "Paradise City" video. Many bikers drank here and a very large amount of motorcycles can be seen parked in front of Mrs. Jay's Beer Garden in photos. Since Mrs. Jay's was an open-air establishment, it was open during the summer months. Mrs Jay's served mostly beer in pitchers or mugs and often featured live music.
After a change of ownership in the early to mid '80's, Mrs. Jay's Beer Garden fell on hard times and eventually closed, a victim of the disintegrating Asbury Park beach front area.
Sometime later, the beer garden structure was razed with the empty lot being acquired by the Stone Pony for use as an outdoor concert venue.
Asbury Park, New Jersey
Asbury Park is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 16,116. The city is known for its rich musical history, including its association with...
that took on several transformations during its 60 plus years of existence.
Mrs. Jay's was founded by John and Ida Jacobs and was located on Ocean and Second Ave., the current location of The Stone Pony
The Stone Pony
The Stone Pony, located in Asbury Park, New Jersey, is one of the world's best known music venues. It is known as a starting point for many musicians, first and foremost for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, who were the house-band for much of the mid-seventies, but also for New Jersey natives...
. John and Ida started by selling hot dogs to tourists in 1922 at the second avenue location, but with the help of their daughter Jeanette and son-in-law Murray Weiner, eventually purchased the seasonal snack bar along with the property and established a family restaurant naming it Mrs. Jay's.
John and Ida also opened Mrs. Jay's Beer Garden
Beer garden
Beer garden is an open-air area where beer, other drinks and local food are served. The concept originates from and is most common in Southern Germany...
located on Ocean Avenue to the left of the restaurant serving 2% beer until the end of prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
in 1933.
Starting in 1965, Mrs. Jay's Beer Garden briefly offered Go-Go dancing
Go-Go dancing
Go-go dancers are dancers who are employed to entertain crowds at a discotheque. Go-go dancing originated in the early 1960s when women at the Peppermint Lounge in New York City began to get up on tables and dance the twist...
as entertainment, but a dancers see through blouse resulted in a police raid and the quick demise of Go-Go at Mrs. Jay's.
The Weiner's sold off the restaurant in the '70's keeping only the beer garden, which by this time had become a popular music scene and bikers hangout. In 1974, the new owners of the restaurant building converted it into the nightclub known as The Stone Pony.
Steven Adler from Guns N' Roses wore a Mrs. Jay's T-Shirt during the "Paradise City" video. Many bikers drank here and a very large amount of motorcycles can be seen parked in front of Mrs. Jay's Beer Garden in photos. Since Mrs. Jay's was an open-air establishment, it was open during the summer months. Mrs Jay's served mostly beer in pitchers or mugs and often featured live music.
After a change of ownership in the early to mid '80's, Mrs. Jay's Beer Garden fell on hard times and eventually closed, a victim of the disintegrating Asbury Park beach front area.
Sometime later, the beer garden structure was razed with the empty lot being acquired by the Stone Pony for use as an outdoor concert venue.