Bahrs makes great chowder instead of lemonade By MURIEL J. SMITH Posted:02/23/10
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Highlands - It's a well-known fact that Jay Cosgrove knows every aspect of the restaurant business, having grown up in it as the fourth generation at Bahrs Restaurant. What might not be as well known is that Jay, as his ancestors before him, has a knack for making lemonade out of lemons. Actually, in his case, it's outstanding chowder out of New Jersey surf clams.
Bahrs is a landmark in this bayshore community, as well as the oldest continuously run family business in a borough that has much family run businesses. It began when John and Florence Bahrs, he the son of a tall ship captain of the 19th century, had a necktie manufacturing business in Newark. There was a theft of all of their silk, creating a serious setback to the business. So the enterprising couple traded their faltering tie-making business for a rowboat rental and beached houseboat on the Shrewsbury River. Trying to make lemonade from lemons.
The day after John and Florence signed the papers, hoping for a successful rowboat business to supplement the boarders in the houseboat, a storm took out the rowboats. Time to make more lemonade, the industrious couple and parents of three sons and a daughter decided.
It was 1917, and John had recipes from his seafaring captain, so he and Florence, who quickly learned the quality of clams coming out of the Shrewsbury River and Sandy Hook Bay, started cooking it up for the boarders who were staying in the houseboat, along with fresh fish and eels. (And hearty breakfasts.) Making lemonade.
The senior Bahrs passed management of what had become a popular seafaring restaurant to the next generation, and their son, John, better known as Bud, and his wife, Peg, continued to maintain the restaurant's reputation for fine seafood, great chowder, and tables overlooking the Shrewsbury River "ever at the bridge."
When Bud and Peg retired, their son-in-law, Ray Cosgrove was next to take the helm, bringing his son Jay right along with him at a young age to learn the business from every angle...busboy, waiter, dishwasher, clam shucker...whatever it took.
Now, a few decades later, Ray is still involved as Chairman of the Board, but Jay as CEO has added his own personal touch, inheriting that Bahrs' ability to make lemonade out of lemons.
Two years ago, when most locals and every kid who had every jumped off the Highlands Sea Bright Bridge learned of the state's plans to tear down the bridge built in 1932, there was great lamentation and gnashing of teeth. But Ray and Jay knew it was a fait accompli and no amount of complaining or protesting would change it. They were sad, and also knew that several years of construction and traffic diversion would impact their downtown business and not in a good way. So they did the Bahrs lemonade trick once again...making the best of a bad thing. Jay conjured up a Bridge-tini and simulated bridge rust by rubbing the glass rims with powdered Tang. On the deck at Moby's, the outdoor restaurant just below the bridge, there were games every day connected with the construction of the new bridge. Their website bahrs.com has a camera focused on the traffic at the bridge. And even last week, when the state was continuing the implosion of the old bridge, folks were gathered at Bahrs tables at lunch to see the event. (More lemonade.)
None of that is new to the Cosgroves. In 2004, knowing that customers came from all over to sample the famous clam chowder, Jay, armed with degrees in restaurant management and business from Bucknell, the same university where his parents had met, looked into canning the chowder, both New England and Manhattan varieties, and making them available in local stores. Former State Senator Joe Azzolina, a Highlands native and president of Food Circus Food Towns, also thought it was a good idea and put the canned local chowders in his markets. Jay set the displays in open rowboats, and the effect was appealing and attractive. Other stores joined the list, and Jay added sales on the Bahrs Restaurant website. Today, there are four varieties of Bahrs famous soups available in cans on line and in major supermarket chains including the A&P, Pathmark, and Foodtown. Two kinds of chowder, Lobster Bisque and Oyster Stew from Bahrs have been shipped to all 50 states.
"It's those Jersey surf clams," Jay smiles broadly, "we even had a caller from Maine...and they're proud of their quahogs up there as well...call to say it was the best chowder she had ever eaten."
