New Burger Restaurant Could Be Coming to Former Barber Shop in Wildwood

A new burger restaurant could soon be coming to one of Wildwood’s busiest streets

Sear Burger, LLC has filed an application with the City of Wildwood Planning/Zoning Board seeking approval to renovate the commercial space at 3801 New Jersey Avenue into a new dine-in and take-out burger restaurant.

The proposal would also include outdoor seating, while maintaining the existing residential apartment located on the building’s second floor.

The property, located next to the Wildwood Water Tower, has long been home to a neighborhood barber shop. In fact, when the mixed-use building was listed for sale in 2023, the commercial space was still occupied as a barber shop, while the upstairs contained a three-bedroom apartment.

The property was later sold in January 2024 for $365,000.

Also See: A New Development Could Transform One of Wildwood’s Largest Boardwalk Parking Lots

Now, the new owners appear to have plans to transform that storefront into what would become a brand-new restaurant concept.

According to the application, Sear Burger is proposing mostly interior renovations to accommodate the new restaurant.

Outside, the plans call for a small outdoor dining area covered by a roofed structure, construction of a customer restroom, a fenced storage area, and a covered trash enclosure.

Because the nearly 90-year-old building predates many of Wildwood’s modern zoning regulations, the applicant is also requesting several variances.

Those include relief from parking requirements, loading space requirements, side-yard setbacks, and screening for mechanical equipment.

Additional technical variances relate to existing conditions such as the property’s lot size, frontage, depth, roof pitch, and other longstanding nonconformities.

At this point, very little is publicly known about Sear Burger itself. The Planning Board application is the first public appearance of the company, and no website, menu, social media pages, or restaurant locations have been identified.

The application will be reviewed by the Wildwood Planning/Zoning Board during a public hearing scheduled for Monday, Aug. 10, at 6 p.m. at Wildwood City Hall.

If approved, the project would bring another new dining option to New Jersey Avenue and give new life to a longtime commercial storefront just a few blocks from the beach.

We need more restaurants down here, and so Sear Burger would make a great addition.

Would you like to see something new in this location? Let us know

Below is our latest YouTube video. Before you watch, please consider subscribing.