The Sunglass Menagerie

It all started in the summer of ’78 with two brothers…Having grown up surfing and lifeguarding on the Jersey Shore, two brothers opened up a small beach shop called Summer of ’78 as a way to “make it on their own and live at the beach year-round”. They had mild success and looked toward their best selling product as a way to “make it big” the following summer: Sunglasses! In 1979 our first two stores opened in Beach Haven and Cape May, New Jersey. Inspired by the title of Tennessee William’s 1944 play The Glass Menagerie, and the meaning of menagerie (a collection of unique animals), the founders were drawn to create a classic animal mascot that would definitely need a fresh pair of sunglasses… Seymour the Camel was born out of the simple question, “What’s sillier than a camel wearing sunglasses?“ “Not finding your next pair of shades at the Sunglass Menagerie!“ For over 30 years, Sunglass Menagerie has been proudly serving the shore communities of New Jersey, and providing our customers with the largest selection of sunglasses on the East Coast. With 12 locations across 9 shore towns, we still pride ourselves on having a pair of sunglass for every face and budget.