Flood Damage, Insurance Denial Force Asbury Park Biergarten to Close After 10 Years
The Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten closed down on Jan. 2, 2025. A devastating combination of flood damage and insurance rejections killed any chance of survival.
Wesley Lake overflowed in September 2023, when six inches of rain pounded the area. Water flooded through the basement and first floor. “We could see the water just running through the basement like it was a river,” said Nick Falco to Patch. Emergency crews rushed to help drivers stranded near the building when Wesley Lake jumped its banks. The flooding forced them to shut down right away. The September storms wrecked the main floor and basement.
After the flood, problems piled up quickly. Insurance companies turned down claims since the owners didn’t have the deed. Missing big events like Oktoberfest 2023 and St. Patrick’s Day 2024 wiped out their reserves. Then came the rent bombshell. Monthly payments would jump to a staggering $50,000 to $60,000 — three times the previous rate. Morgan Sackman, who owns the building, is looking for a new tenant to move in.
Without the beer hall’s energy, nearby businesses suffered. River Street Sweets saw customer traffic plummet since September’s closure. The place had been popular with locals and tourists since opening in 2015. Neighboring businesses watched sales drop as the beer hall’s regular customers disappeared.
Downtown lost a landmark with the beer hall’s closure. For ten years, it was the go-to spot for German celebrations and community get-togethers.
