But with the big-box boom along Route 72 in the past few years, Bay Avenue has become a side-note, and the common refrain among business owners there is that they feel as if they're forgotten.

"People don't even know it exists," said Dave Taylor, the owner of Taylor Made Cabinets, west of McKenna's shop on Bay Avenue.

Taylor's been in business 24 years, 12 of them on Bay Avenue, and he said in the last few years he's watched several stores close their doors as traffic along the road has dwindled. He said the small businesses have services to offer that the larger ones don't, but their struggle has been reminding shoppers that they are there.

The township, in its last version of its Master Plan, implemented zoning changes to encourage more business along the road. Business owners said the changes have been helpful but are not enough. That's why, in the past few months, Bay Avenue business owners have been meeting to discuss forming an association.

Taylor said that effort is still in its infancy stage, but he has no doubt it will happen, if not only because it has to.

"We need to focus on us," he said. "If not, Bay Avenue is going to shrivel up and die."

The idea of Bay Avenue businesses forming an association isn't new, and it's been tried before to no avail. But Taylor said the recession and construction of the Stafford Business Park both have been catalysts to encourage business owners there to join together and finally form an organization.

Down the street, Verde Antiques and Rare Books owner Ray deThy has been another catalyst. After meeting with other business owners and township officials in the summer, deThy has been active in working to organize the effort.

"The plans are to make Bay Avenue a destination shopping area," he said, "rather than a street next to the street where the big boxes are."

"Bay Avenue is the central street in Manahawkin, but no one has paid attention to it."

After a meeting in November, deThy made an informal list of goals the organization could have:

Advertising the Bay Avenue shopping district's variety and unique goods and service;

Generating funding for signs and decorations;

Developing a positive relationship with the township;

Developing a support system for new businesses;

Becoming a positive political force.

With those and other points in mind, the business owners hope to hold a meeting in mid-January to begin formally organizing. Several of the businesses owners were bullish about the association coming to fruition this time around, including Denise Joseph, whose family has owned Roxie's Liquors on Bay Avenue for more than 60 years.

Joseph said she's seen such efforts fail in the past, but she worries that it can't afford to fail now.

"We were the original Manahawkin," she said, "and the businesses along Bay Avenue need help."

McKenna agreed. She said she's tired of hearing from people that they never even knew Bay Avenue existed. There's more of a sense of urgency now than ever, "and the economy certainly isn't helping any," she said.

E-mail Lee Procida:

LProcida@pressofac.com