On the early morning hours of February 24, 2007, it looked like Padi’s Pedal Power on Route 35 North in Ortley Beach would not see the Summer of 2007 season. It was on this bitterly cold night that a fire began in an the apartment above the strip mall at 1957 Route 35 North, which housed the original Padi’s Ortley location. The spectacular fire, which also took the main offices of the Ocean County Gazette, completely destroyed the old Padi’s. It was a big loss for the owners. Although the business was closed for the winter season, the building doubled as storage for Padi’s main location on Fischer Boulevard in mainland Toms River. Although Padi’s was a total loss, the Phoenix has risen from the ashes, and in the same building no less. It seems that although the northern part of the strip mall was completely burned and has since been gutted down to cement walls, the southern section of the strip mall was not burned at all. The northern most store (the former Linda’s Styling Den) had only minimal damage. Although this store will need to be remodeled along with rest of the property, some repair work has allowed this unit to be issued a temporary certificate of occupancy. As of Saturday June 23rd, Padi’s Pedal Power has begun a makeshift set-up in this store, which is planned to be their ultimate permanent location. Cameras were there on Padi’s first day to wish them well. Readers may be wondering what happened to the Gazette’s offices which were two doors down from Padi’s at the time of the fire. Luckily, space was opening up in the same building that houses the Gazette’s Lavallette offices at 76 Grand Central Avenue, and all the Ortley operation were moved to this space. Station 44 helped fight this blaze, and the video of the dramatic fire produced by shfd44.com webmaster Pete Smith was posted on youtube.com in February, and the film has gotten nearly 7,000 views in the ensuing time.
Padi’s Pedal Power in Ortley Beach has re-opened in a relatively undamaged store at the strip mall at 1957 Route 35 North. This buidling was partially destroyed after the huge fire of February 24, 2007, and Padi’s has reopened in this unit at the far southern end of the property.
Ken from Padi’s Pedal Power is seen outside his newly opened temporary Ortley Beach store on opening day, June 23, 2007. Notice the gutted buildings on the northern end of the building, the site of the old Padi’s where a terrific fire burned on the frigid morning of February 24, 2007.
HERE IS A RE-RUN OF VIDEO OF THE FIRE AT PADI’S PEDAL POWER, SATURDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2007:
