From the Rocky Mountains in Denver to the palm-drenched streets of Miami, Playa Bowls has established itself as an acai empire with hundreds of locations nationwide. But baked into the DNA of the business is an unmistakable Jersey Shore ethos which has been present since the company’s founding in 2014.
Though co-founder Abby Taylor can now boast a nationwide chain, her life in her hometown of Bradley Beach looked very different 11 years ago. The surfer and recent college graduate was bartending at D’Jais in Belmar, hoping to put her creative energy to use. “My life was kind of in the air at that point. I knew I didn’t want to have a nine-to-five job,” Taylor says.
When she and surfing partner Rob Giuliani wanted something healthier than the pizza and sub options typically found at the Shore, they formed a business idea out of the bowls they’d have on surfing trips around the world. The pair set up a makeshift stand outside of a pizza shop next to the beach after making a deal with the owner. Taylor says the business is still full of those fake-it-till-you-make-it moments.
“When you’re just out there doing it, you learn as you go and make mistakes,” she says. “You’re not looking at the big picture. You’re just in the moment.”
It didn’t take long for the business to take off, prompting Taylor and Giuliani to open full brick-and-mortar shops in Belmar and Manasquan in 2015. Ten years later, their business has exploded into more than 300 locations in nearly 30 states—far beyond the scope of New Jersey.
That’s why Taylor and the company recently gave the Belmar shop—the first-ever Playa Bowls storefront—a grand re-opening in May. Taylor chalks it up to nostalgia and the desire to give the Shore some more love. “I just wanted to give back to the community, bring them along on this journey and have them be excited about it again,” she says.
The full-scale renovation of the store features a new design and layout, created with the intention of staying true to the original shop while also featuring more modern elements. Despite the wide reach of the chain, a slice of the Garden State can be found in the stores even 2,000 miles away. Photos of Jersey beaches hang on the walls, and each shop’s artwork is designed with a Jersey Shore vibe in mind. Even in more subtle ways, Taylor says, a Jersey Shore attitude has crept into aspects of the business.
“We make pretty big bowls, and I feel like that’s such a Jersey thing,” she says. “We go over the top a little bit with everything. In Jersey, you’re all in. That’s how Playa Bowls was built.”
This go-getter mindset has only become more necessary for Taylor, who currently serves as chief marketing officer and is at the heart of the company’s visuals and branding. Last year, the company was acquired by private equity firm Sycamore Partners, and dozens of new locations are on the way.
As Playa Bowls grows into a household name, it’s helped spawn a wave of acai shops just like it. Through it all, one of the chain’s core goals has stood true: Bring the beach to as many people as possible, even when it’s far away.
“I’m two blocks from the beach,” says Taylor, who still lives in Bradley Beach. “I love it so much. That part’s easy because it’s literally my life.”