(ASBURY PARK, N.J.) --- More than 1,000 books lay soaked inside Wolfe & Kron Books on 5th Avenue after water poured through the antique tin ceiling during Asbury Park's July 6 flash flooding.
Unlike the city’s July 7 press release, stating no significant damage was done, Wolfe & Kron Books proves there was.
“There are books that are completely and utterly unrecoverable,” Fin (she/they), the independent bookstore owner, said. “They are just disgusting and full of brown stains and disgusting water.”
More than a thousand books cannot be salvaged, Fin said, adding, "that’s between $4,000 and $6,000 worth of inventory."
(Photo: Wolfe & Kron Books Owner Fin in front of the 5th Avenue bookstore flooded over July 4 weekend)
There is so much damage that the Uptown Asbury Park bookstore had to close until further notice due to “massive water damage to inventory,” according to their Instagram.
Precip App reported up to 5.45 inches of rain from the July 6 flood. Wesley Lake poured onto Lake Avenue, forcing residents and business owners to deal with the effects of flash flooding. Police reported no looting or other crimes resulting from the flooding.
“Multiple vehicles have been stranded with some of the occupants having to be rescued by the Police and Fire Departments,” said Sergeant Michael Casey, Asbury Park Police. “One such case at Fifth and Memorial Avenues involved Officer Richard Thomas walking in approximately two feet of water to retrieve an infant in a car seat along with their mother.
Casey stated he is happy to report that all occupants of the aforementioned vehicles are safe.
Chris Turk, CEO and owner of Chris Turk Swim, said his shop on the boardwalk was not damaged, but his Mini Cooper was, sinking into Sunday’s flood, forcing him to leave it on the street.
“I tried to open the door, and the water started coming in, so I slammed it twice to try to stop it,” said Turk.
Turk’s boyfriend, Mike Arvelo, @ThisWeekInAsbury on social media, pushed his car through the flood.
“The engine was completely stopped, and you're not supposed to turn it on after that happens, so I just sat there,” said Turk, adding it is worrisome that officials did not warn of the storm’s intensity. “It wasn't normal.”
(Photo: Chris Turk, boardwalk shop owner, takes picture from his Mini-Cooper damaged during July 4 weekend flood)
OpGovNews contacted Sen. Vin Gopal about bill No. 3545, “Polluters Pay to Make New Jersey More Affordable Act,” to ask how it would help communities like Asbury Park prepare for future flooding.
“In the current structure of the bill, it is probable that coastal communities along the shore, such as Asbury Park, would be assisted with funding to prepare for and mitigate future flooding,” said Gopal. “While S2338 does not guarantee funding for any individual municipality, it is designed to create a mechanism for investing in projects that help communities address recurring flooding, strengthen stormwater infrastructure, and improve long-term resilience.”
Ben Dziobek, executive director of Climate Revolution Action Network (CRAN) -- the largest Gen Z organization in the state advocating for climate justice -- noticed the knee-deep rising water and shared the impact on social media.
“We had swans swimming in the middle of the street,” Dziobek said. “It was pretty startling to see for sure, especially because this wasn't a nor'easter like the last time that whole area really flooded.”
Dziobek added this was, “just like a microburst of a consequence of the hundred-degree days that we had leading up to the storm.”
Public Works crews were deployed before, during, and after the storm to preemptively lower water levels in the lakes and to keep storm drains free of debris, according to the Asbury Park Communications Manager Nate McCallister.
“Following the storm, the Department of Public Works distributed clean-up kits, provided by the County, to residents and business owners,” McCallister said. “The Mayor, Council, and City officials are working with our partners at the County and State to help mitigate future flooding throughout the City.”
McCallister added, “We are proud of the collaborative effort between our residents, businesses, and the City that helped reduce the damage from the July 6 flooding.”
However, that was not the case for Fin at Wolfe & Kron Books.
“The city certainly didn't talk to me,” Fin said. ”I was lucky that Channel 12 noticed.”
Fin revealed that books not classified as antiques are considered ‘used’ by insurance agencies, even when the value of collectible editions and signed copies outweighs their resale value.
“I have a first edition, first printing, mass market Stephen King, and that got damaged,” said Fin.
The cost of being closed during the summer tourist season that local businesses rely on, and that landlords charge a premium for, is far higher, explains Fin. This was the second time the store had to close due to the same leak, the first time on February 4.
After refusing to provide any rent abatement to compensate for the closure, the landlord reassured Fin that the leak had been located and that repairs to the lightwell of the apartment above the store had been made.
Fin at least received outpouring support from nearby businesses and neighbors.
“I love being next to Mutiny BBQ,” said Fin. “Tom is amazing; he's an incredible neighbor.”
Tom Dunphy, co-owner of Mutiny BBQ with his wife, Martha, lent Fin a dehumidifier. The Asbury Hotel also opened its rooftop space for Fin to lay books out to dry on July 20.
“Those books will be put up for auction next month to help raise funds to offset lost revenue,” said Fin. “We're going to embrace the damage done to these books and see it instead as a mark of time passing.”
Three days after the flood, numerous Monmouth County trucks removed sediment at Wesley Lake, according to Commissioner Director Thomas Arnone in a press release.
(Photo: Robert Bruce Bender, local photographer, captures the Asbury Park July 4 weekend flooding)
“This sediment needed to be removed immediately to avoid damage to the draining infrastructure and stormwater management systems and eliminate waterway disruptions,” said Arnone. “This effort reflects Monmouth County’s commitment to working collaboratively with our municipalities to address local needs quickly, efficiently, and effectively.”
Arnone added, “When our towns need assistance, we're ready to help.”
Asbury Park and its coastal lakes receive stormwater runoff from Neptune and Ocean Township, and development or increased impervious coverage in those municipalities is outside the city's control, McCallister noted.
The increased severity and frequency of intense storm events are also contributing factors to flooding potential, said McCallister.
To help the state prepare for the next storm, Dziobek said CRAN has been fighting for the past two years to pass the Make Polluters Pay Act.
“We do have a pot of money waiting for us to pay for these things,” Dziobek said. “We know that local municipalities and business owners are having to pay for this.”
Dziobek explained that the act would provide $50 billion over the next 20 years to pay for the infrastructure cost of keeping people safe and resilient in the future.
Sen. Gopal said that if funding becomes available to municipalities, the state will need to be proactive in coordinating with localities to determine how and where the money can be best spent.
“This will require both planning and investment that goes beyond just this bill,” Gopal said.
“According to our City Engineer, the waterfront infrastructure is in the process of being upgraded to handle increased stormwater runoff, with impervious coverage being reduced through additional green lawn areas, pervious pavers, bumpouts, and islands,” said McCallister. “Plans are also in the works for improvements to the Wesley Lake Outfall.”
As Asbury Park businesses lean on each other and continue to recover, this storm is a reminder that extreme heat, winds, and flooding are no longer unprecedented events for shore communities and that these cities require better preparation.
To bounce back, Wolfe & Kron Books will launch a new Sustaining Members program with multiple tiers starting at $5/month. A GoFundMe has also been created to help the store reopen.
To add to or correct any information in this report, please get in touch with me at angelica.n@lead4earth.org.
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