July 20, 2026 - 10:28:10
July 13, 2026 - 10:39:51
807 S.W. Central Ave.
Seaside Park, NJ 08752
phone: 732-793-2708
fax: 732-597-9497
In 1969, Betty and Nick Bushell of Perth Amboy, NJ purchased Mike's Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park. Mike's was a "Mom and Pop" type fishing store that was patronized by local and transit fishermen alike. The purchase was completed and the name was changed to Betty and Nick's, thereby explaining the origin of the name. A problem soon arose that would change the lives of many people for 25 years to come. At the time, Nick was one of the state's top striped bass fishermen. The newly acquired business was getting in the way of his angling. Something had to give, so Nick decided to offer his new venture to his son and daughter-in law, John and Beth. The changeover occurred in 1970 and so began the new era. When John and Beth took over Betty and Nick's, they were very young with a son still in diapers. The store was 13 the size you see today with just a little ten stool counter. Times were tough, but the duo had a lot of energy and new ideas. Their dream was to create a successful business while making new friends and a good life for their son and themselves. Working 14 hour days was common, but the rewards were great. Their philosophy was, and always will be, "The customer's needs must always be met." The one thing they were interested in was taking the time to teach the children who visited Seaside Park about fishing and conservation. After all, these are the future fishermen and women of tomorrow. The restaurant has become very popular and a mainstay in the lives of some of their hard working locals. Beth has been working very hard at building up the kitchen business by pleasing fishermen both young and old with delicacies like Carroll Shelby's Texas Chili and her heartwarming breakfast specials like "Deuces are Wild." Opening as early as 4 a.m., she catered to the fishermen and locals so that they could get their coffee and breakfast under their belts before facing the day and the elements. With the cost of operations rising steadily every year, a decision was made in 1983 to enlarge the store. John and Beth wanted to do this without losing the personality of the place. They separated themselves from big chain stores by offering personalized service to every customer. The expansion was completed a year later and is what you see now. The large capacity gave them the ability to carry a larger selection of the latest fishing equipment. By buying low, they are able to compete with the larger stores and catalogs while still keeping a one-on-one environment with their customers. This type of dedication has disappeared from the industry nowadays. In 1995, Betty and Nick’s celebrated its 25th anniversary in business. The newest arrival to the Betty and Nick's family is John Jr. Beth and John are hoping that he will provide a fresh insight on the future of a pursuit (fishing) that has become a science and not just a sporthobby. With the introduction of the "Fast Fishing Fax", mail order catalog, weekly lunch special faxes, and a website they are confident that they can provide their customers with the best service and personal attention around.
