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Many Celebrate Memorial Day Down The Shore

By Cleve Bryan

OCEAN CITY, N.J. (CBS) - Clear skies and bright sun provided the perfect setting for solemn ceremonies as well as whole-hearted celebration Monday to the start of a new summer.

In Sea Isle City, it was a tribute to the fallen on the beach as the beach patrol rowed into surf with a flower wreath while hundreds turned out to pay their respects.

Elsewhere, families filled the boardwalks and beaches all along the shore. The entire weekend, mother nature cooperated so people could enjoy their plans worry-free

"The weather is great, the shopping, the entertainment. John Legend was amazing yesterday," Susanna Gelman tells CBS3 Eyewitness News.

Large crowds gave business owners a much-appreciated jump-start to summer sales.

The Bag Boutique in Ocean City has been family run for 30 years. Last summer, businesses had Super Storm Sandy to rebound from. This year, they're putting it far back in the rearview mirror.

"It's been great, we were really amazed at the amount of people walking in," says Bag Boutique employee Jean Riviello. "I think they were ready for the season."

The only complaint this Memorial Day is that it had to come to an end. Unfortunately, for most students, they've got snow days to make up before they can really enjoy the start to summer.

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