Sweet pea

LOCAL RESIDENT Ellen Kelly Gerard started Spring Lake’s Third Avenue staple, Sweet Pea with her childhood best friend, fellow resident Madeleine Kineavy. It was more than 38 years ago when the friends saw a need in town for home furnishings. They wanted a place where people could select the fabrics and styles they liked for their beautiful beach homes. Gerard had an art background, having worked in the Impressionist and Modern Art Department at Christie’s in New York. Kineavy was an accomplished nurse with a passion for design. The women were in their 20s at the time and were eager to succeed right from the start. 

They acquired a business loan together and found the original space, located farther south on Third Avenue closer to the lake. When that lease unexpectedly ended after only two years, the founders had to quickly find a new space to house all of their wares. 

They found luck and community spirit in the soul of a fellow resident, Fred Casagrande. They made a handshake deal with Casagrande, who owned the building that housed a vacant space. Casagrande helped the women move into their new space, which is now occupied by Elan Salon. Fred Casagrande charged them fair rent and never raised it in the 18 years the store was there, all based on that same handshake deal.  

Gerard knows the spirit of the town well. She lives in Spring Lake with her husband, Dr. William Gerard, in the same historical house that belonged to her parents and grandparents before them. One of eight children born in nine and a half years, Gerard and her siblings are part of the rich family history that is at the core of Spring Lake. Friendship between their parents is how she met her husband; the families even shared one of the original boxes at Giants stadium. 

Evolving Design 

Sweet Pea has continued through generations. It pressed on after Kineavy decided to stay home to raise her family and through the raising of Gerard’s four children. It is still going strong at its current space at 1222 Third Ave. today. 

Sweet Pea specializes in custom window treatments, wallpaper, furniture, furniture reupholstery, and design services. The store also has an array of charcuterie boards, serving trays, silverware, art, and other beautiful and unique items to use and decorate homes. 

Gerard’s team includes talented local designers Nancy De Maria, Donna Furlong, and Rula Casey. The team loves blending antique pieces and giving them modern compliments that work together. 

The border chosen for the first store was a piece called “Sweet Pea,” which inspired the name. This local business has, like its namesake, woven into the fabric of the downtown. Evolved from offering small gifts and furniture, it is now a custom, quality design business that hundreds of locals have trusted for their Spring Lake and Sea Girt homes. 

The start of January is their busiest time of year, when Gerard says people take stock of their homes and decide how they want to revamp their spaces before summer. With in-house consultations available and custom selections stacked high to their antique tin ceilings, Sweet Pea continues to complement the town with its sensitive style, classy charm, and thoughtful presentation.