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Often acknowleged as the first motel in the Wildwoods, Jay's was a motor court-style complex, consisting of one and two-story, stucco-clad buildings. It was built by Lou and Will Morey, who were inspired by similar designs they encountered on trips to Florida in the late 40s and early 50s. The structures were ultimately demolished in favor of new development in 2004. Jay's was situated on the northwest corner of Atlantic & Hildreth in Wildwood proper, two blocks west of the Boardwalk and one block north of the Crest border at Cresse Ave. Shortly after it opened, Debbie's Motel, another early property, was established diagonally, on the southeast corner of the same intersection. The Ala Moana Motel still stands to the immediate south, across Hildreth Ave. Other nearby landmarks of note were the Eden Roc Motel (one block north, at Bennett) and the Sea Gull Motel (one block south, at Cresse), both of which are still in operation.

• Jay's was built by Morey Brothers Builders (Lou and Will) during the winter of 1951-52, and opened for the 1952 season. It was the brothers' first motel project.
• The motel opened four years before Will Morey completed the Fantasy Motel on Rio Grande Ave., which is considered by many to be the first 'Doo Wop' property in the Wildwoods.
• Jay's original owners were the Juvinos family. The motel would undergo just two ownership changes over the course of its 50-plus years of existence.
• The true origin of the 'Jay's' name remains a mystery. One theory is that it was some sort of play on words of the 'Juvinos' family surname. Another is that it was directly named after another motel the Moreys might have encountered during their travels (most likely in Florida, if true).
• Jay's was, originally, a one-story, L-shaped structure with a separate structure in the middle of the property that housed the motel's office and living quarters. The western wing of the motel structure had rooms that faced east, while the rooms of the northern wing faced south.
• In its earlier days, Jay's was a popular resting spot for a number of celebrities who passed through and/or performed in the Wildwoods. The motel's layout and location away from many of the premiere clubs of the time made it ideal for those looking to relax in a relatively private, low key setting. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and various members of the Four Seasons were all, reportedly, repeat visitors over the years.
• The motel's freestanding stucco signage pillar took on various forms and designs over the years, generally reflecting the changing appearance of the motel itself, as well as the times.
• Jay's was purchased by Salvatore Ferro in 1997 and remodeled to match a postcard of the Motel from the 50's he had found. He also had the stucco sign refurbished and all the neon lights working for the first time in a decade. The motel had been falling apart for many years and he put a lot of hard work into reviving the motel to as close to its orignal grandeur as possible.
• Jay's was demolished in June 2004.

Motels of the Wildwoods MPDF S.R. 1/16/2004. No memories from our users yet.  Be the first, contribute your memories today!