Asbury Park Businesses Rebuilding After 'Devastating' Flood Damage

ASBURY PARK, NJ — A week after Wesley Lake breached its banks and poured into Asbury Park on Sept. 29, some small businesses on Lake Avenue are still struggling to reopen after suffering "devastating" damage.

As of Oct. 9, Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten still remains closed, and has no re-opening date in sight. The beer garden had to postpone their yearly Oktoberfest celebrations, and they are now telling customers they hope to re-open by the winter.

Asbury Park Biergarten was on the front lines of the flooding that devastated the city in the remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia on Sept. 29.

That day, Wesley Lake breached its banks, overflowed and poured into many of the well-known, trendy small businesses that line Lake Avenue. Kayakers could be seen gliding down Lake Avenue.

"We could see the water just running through the basement like it was a river," Festhall general manager Nick Falco told News 12. "A lot of the chef's equipment was flipped upside down. A foot of water inside. Completely decimated."

The beer garden is hoping FEMA can help them pay for repairs.

Popular eatery Talulah's had about four feet of water in their basement, said a restaurant employee. But as of Oct. 9 business as usual is back up and running.

"We had some damage; we lost one of our coolers. But we're OK. A lot of other businesses near us weren't so lucky," said an employee at Crust & Crumble pizza shop just down the street from the beer garden.