New Year’s Eve at West End Garage in Cape May NJ
West End Garage in Cape May NJ has definitely been a place we’ve wanted to stop at. We finally made the time!
New Year’s eve and day have always been the type of holiday, that in our family, we don’t do a lot. Some people have parties or get-togethers, but we often try to keep it low-key and just relax. For New Year’s weekend this year, we decided to take a trip down to the Jersey Shore. During that time of year, the Jersey shore is not generally the best weather, and this time we were there it was a bit cold.
For that reason, we had to find some things to do inside. One of the places that we decided to stop at was the West End Garage in Cape May. We have been passing the place for years but never made it around to stop, so a winter weekend seemed like a perfect time to stop in and check out everything they had to offer. Since it is open year-round, this is ideal to get in and out of the cold.
About West End Garage in Cape May NJ
West End Garage in Cape May is a unique destination. The original building was a full-service garage and gas station that serviced the local community. In 2009, it opened in its current form, a booth-style shopping mall that features fifty shops that house a total of sixty-two vendors that hail from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York.
It also houses the Beach Plum Bakery and Café. The location is great, only a few minutes’ walk from the popular Congress Hall. There is a broad variety of vendors so there seems to be something for everyone. We went there with the kids and their grandparents, and everyone had a good time.
The appearance of the inside of the West End Garage in Cape May is quite impressive. The space includes vaulted ceilings and exposed air ducts. The industrial feel is an homage to its former life as a garage. The color palette within the space was a simple design of blacks and whites with rich wood tones. The space has a nice feel that is inviting and stylish.
The Shopping
The shopping at West End Garage in Cape May NJ is a fun experience. There are so many types of shops. They feature everything ranging from antique furniture and accessories to vintage memorabilia, artwork from local and regional artisans, estate jewelry, and so much more. There is one that features local honey while another has a large assortment of hand-painted drawer pulls. There are lots of shops that have different artistic styles. One that was unique had 3-dimensional relief maps that were framed. The maps featured Cape May and other local areas. They also featured popular world destinations like Italy.
Personally, I also liked this very eclectic clothing shop that had all sorts of hand-painted and hand-crafted clothing items. Most of the shops had a very boutique-like vibe, and all were very well decorated making for a fun visual experience as well. In particular, one in particular was a jewelry shop, but all of the jewelry cases were mounted to the wall and framed with ornate frames, like works of art. The layout and presentation found in the shops made the experience even more enjoyable. It was also easy to navigate and to differentiate between the shops.
The Food
West End Garage is home to the Beach Plum Bakery and Café. This is a great little coffee shop that offers all the classic drinks as well as a nice assortment of farm-to-table bakery items. The coffee they serve is La Colombe and they even have La Colombe Latte Draft on tap.
For our drinks, we got Chai Tea Lattes, hot chocolate, and coffees. All the drinks came out nice and hot and tasted great. The chai was nice and spicy. I get mine with non-fat (skim) milk. Normally, I get it without the foam as well, but this time I left the foam on. We also got a small milk for our little one. The little redhead said he did not like his milk at first, but after someone else drank it, he wanted it back.
For our bakery item, we got a pink champagne cupcake with buttercream frosting. It was nice and moist and very delicious. The icing had a pink hue to it and was thick and creamy. It was also aesthetically pleasing as it was beautifully decorated and covered in sparkles. It was actually the appearance of it that made us choose it. Initially, we had only ordered drinks because we were not hungry. After staring at it while we waited for our drinks, we had to add that on after, as it was irresistible.
The presentation of all the items was well done and everything looked very nice within the space. They had the baked good set out on small serving platters and tiered platters under small glass domes. This offers a more intimate feel than the large glass cases that seem to be overstuffed with baked goods. We also really liked their Christmas tree. The tree had been decorated with some of their coffee cups, with fake snow in them to simulate steam. It was very cute as well as fitting.
The Pricing
The pricing of the items was fair. If you frequent coffee shops and bakeries as we do, you will not be surprised by the pricing. They were on par with the other local shops we often frequent. Considering that the baked goods are farm to table and made fresh, that adds to the value. The coffee is a quality brand and had good taste.
The Kid Friendly Factor
I think the West End Garage was a fine place to take kids. There were lots for them to see and the drinks and snacks were up their alley. One of the vendors was a small toy shop, so even the kids had something to look at that was more their speed. One thing that I would point out to keep in mind, however, there are lots of delicate items throughout the shops, so you will want to make sure your kids know not to touch. We luckily had lots of adults with us, so we were able to keep a close eye to avoid any mishaps. It certainly would not change our opinion about going there.
In Conclusion
West End Garage, along with Beach Plum Bakery and Café, in Cape May NJ is a great place to spend some time while you are visiting the area. Even though we went in the winter, I would definitely recommend visiting there no matter what time of year you happen to be nearby. It’s a great place to enjoy unique shopping, farm-to-table baked goods, quality drinks, and a fun atmosphere. It gets our approval and we will be sure to go back.
Have you been to the West End Garage in Cape May NJ? Share with us!
Check out our other posts about the Jersey Shore here!
