One of Ocean City’s most historic and vibrant restaurants has been acquired by a well-known Philadelphia restaurateur.
The Chatterbox is a landmark restaurant in Ocean City, New Jersey. Founded in 1937 by owner Jean Campbell, The Chatterbox has spent decades as one of Ocean City’s designated meeting places for the city’s business leaders. The restaurant is best known for its charming pink storefront, which was designed by NJ native Vivan Smith, the same architect behind the Flanders Hotel, Music Pier, and City Hall. While the building and its three upscale apartments have been listed for sale since February, the space has finally been acquired by a new owner with exciting plans for the restaurant’s future.
Bill Bonforte is a Philadelphia-based entrepreneur who is best known for establishing the popular Green Eggs Cafe. The cafe can currently be found across five locations in Philly, including South Philly, Midtown Village, Fishtown, Rittenhouse Square, and Brewerytown. Now, Bill has acquired the lease to the space that houses The Chatterbox, and he plans on preserving as much of the concept as possible while still modernizing it for a new generation.
Well-aware of the popularity and history of The Chatterbox, Bill hopes to preserve the restaurant’s legacy with a bold and innovative menu that matches the bright and over-the-top spirit of The Chatterbox. According to an interview with the Press of Atlantic City, Bill intends to preserve the exterior of the Chatterbox to the best of his ability, including the beloved “Since 1937” sign and its classic pink coating.
The restaurant, which is located at 500 East Ninth Street on the corner of Central Avenue, is only a few blocks away from the shore and has been a critical hang out spot for locals for over 80 years. Bonforte knows how much The Chatterbox means to the neighborhood, and while he hasn’t made any final decisions about his plans for the space’s future, he knows that whatever he decides must be in the same spirit that so many people have come to love about The Chatterbox. As Bill has only just recently signed the lease, he is still very far off from opening the space. However, you can follow the newly-created Chatterbox OC Instagram Page for updates regarding their first official announcement, which is expected to arrive next week.
