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“THE SHOOBIE SHUFFLE”
TALES FROM WILDWOOD FANATICS NEAR AND FAR. . .
The traffic lights suspended above Ocean Avenue swung
violently from side to side, oblivious instruments of the heavy
winds whipping in from the bay.
At street level, a lonely paper cup danced its way south, producing
the faintest little pings and pangs as the impact of its concrete
parade echoed off the walls of the slumbering resorts nearby.
“Wildwood tumbleweed,” mused Kory Carroll with a sly
chuckle, as he stood on the balcony of the Caribbean Motel,
presiding over the northern gateway to the Crest’s eerily tranquil
main drag on this chilly Thursday afternoon in late March.
“Summer’s coming,” he said, glancing upward as the sun
played peek-a-boo behind an overcast sky. “But our island is
beautiful any time of year, in the cold, rain, snow. It doesn’t really
matter. To me, this is the most special place on Earth. This is
Paradise.”
After traveling the globe for the better part of the past
three decades as a flight attendant for Delta Airlines, Carroll has
certainly seen his fair share of exotic locales, island getaways and
palm trees swaying in the breeze. But it’s the plastic variety of the
latter that have long beckoned him back to 5 Mile Beach.
Now retired from the grind of the airways at age 50, the
Asbury Park native is fulfilling a lifelong dream. Carroll recently
transplanted from St. Cloud, Florida to the Wildwoods, where
he is now a full-time resident.
“I know, I know. Most people move to Florida to retire,” he
jested. “But I never really embraced the lifestyle down there
and always knew that Wildwood was the place for me.
“Seriously, this is like a fantasy come true. I guess you could
say that I’m still not completely grounded, in more ways than
one. But, to be able to officially call the Wildwoods home… I
just can’t put the feeling into words.”
Though he boasts a commanding presence at 6’3”, Carroll’s
exuberant, boyish nature could not be contained as he began
to reminisce. His eyes widened and voice pitch level heightened
ever so slightly as he continued…
“I first came here when my mother was pregnant with me.
I just fell in love with the island as a kid, and have wonderful
memories of times spent here with my family. Memories of my
grandmother taking me to the Boardwalk stand out the most.
“For years, we came down at least twice a year. The excitement,
the rides, the games, the neon signs at night. So much fun.
Times I’ll never forget that will always stay with me.”
On this particular day in early Spring, Carroll was hard at
work, helping to prep the Caribbean for the upcoming season.
Just weeks earlier, he had gleefully accepted a position as the
motel’s new p.m. manager.
Carroll began vacationing at the Caribbean in 2004, around
the time that George Miller and Carolyn Emigh purchased the
legendary “Doo Wop” landmark. While many of the island’s classic
50s and 60s-style motels have fallen to the wrecking ball in
the years since, the Caribbean’s owners have repeatedly invested
in their property, in both financial an creative terms.
“George and Carolyn are my heroes,” said Carroll, his white
sweatshirt splashed with errant strokes of the vivid green shade
that the motel’s walls and ceilings are painted in (a Sherwin-
Williams brand appropriately titled “Lime Ricky,” by the way).
“They completely get it. They understand what they have
here and have not only restored it, but are consistently updating
and improving the motel. They have spent hundreds of thousands
in renovations and pour their hearts into maintaining the
Caribbean as the historic destination it is.”
As one of the more high-profile guests over the past few
seasons, Carroll has had a virtual front row seat from which to
witness the motel‘s renaissance. Beyond mere, though essential,
architectural preservation and design enhancements, the
Caribbean has become a celebrated hub of activity on event
weekends during the season.
Carroll, in fact, started one of the Caribbean’s most popular
ongoing traditions a few years ago, when he decorated the window
of his motel room in spectacular retro fashion during the
Wildwoods’ annual Fabulous 50s Weekend.
“Many of the guests have gotten to know each other and
have grown very close over the past few years,” Carroll explained.
“The events that have been hosted here have helped
create this special, inviting aura. We’re all like one big extended
family here, so to now be a part of the motel’s management is
another huge thrill.”
He paused for moment to wipe away a bead of sweat on
his forehead, his perspiration belying the nippy conditions outside
of the motel.
“I’ll tell you, though,” he said with a huff. “It is incredibly hard
work preparing a motel for the season. There is so much to do,
from painting to renovating, cleaning, getting all of the rooms
ready. You really have to appreciate all that goes into this, and
how hard motel owners down here work to keep everything
going. I know I’ve gained a new appreciation for it.”
All in all, life couldn’t be sweeter at the moment for Carroll,
who is also currently in the process of moving his large inventory
of 50s era furnishings into his new home.
“I started with Delta back in 1979, and it was an amazing
ride. Pun intended,” he added with a wink. “I had the chance to
visit Europe, Manila, the Caribbean islands, places I never would
have made it to otherwise. I met celebrities, from politicians like
ex-President Jimmy Carter to Gladys Knight. I even helped deliver
a baby one time in the back of a plane!
“I have had so many experiences and stories to tell. But
now, I'm ready for the next chapter. I’m enjoying every day of
life and still can’t believe that, well, here I am in Wildwood. I’m
looking forward to all of the new memories I'll be making and
new friends I'll be meeting here in Paradise.”
KORY CARROLL RELAXES IN THE CARIBBEAN
MOTEL’S FUNKY CABANA LOUNGE. |
VINTAGE PHOTOS BY ALADDIN COLOR.
WWW.DOOWOPSTUFF.COM |
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Al Alven is a lifelong Wildwoods visitor and enthusiast. He lives
with his wife Angie and son Lucas (a sixth-generation Shoobie!) in
Philadelphia, where he works as a freelance writer.
Attention all Shoobies: Are you a true Wildwoods fanatic? Do
you have a story to tell or memories of your experiences on 5
Mile Beach that you'd like to share? If so, we'd love to feature you
in a future edition of the "Shoobie Shuffle." Please contact us at
alalven@aol.com.
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