If you’ve been lucky enough to be in Ocean City, MD when a kite festival is taking place, you know it’s an incredible sight to see. The host of these exquisite festivals is The Kite Loft, a long-standing Ocean City boardwalk business, “where fun begins.”
Jay Knerr and his wife Mary Lynn are the owners of the store, carrying on the legacy of the full-service kite shop stocked with all the kites you can imagine, garden decor, toys, souvenirs, and more.
About The Kite Loft
The first Kite Loft was opened in 1975 and was located on 2nd Street close to the Boardwalk. The main store for the Kite Loft at 511 Boardwalk was bought in 1983 by Bill & Mary Ochse. Back then, the store was exclusively kites but over the years several other unique products were added, making it a memorable store to visit.
Jay was originally from Western Massachusetts until he traded mountains for the beach. He moved to Ocean City, MD in 1982 after falling in love with the beach and the town. Working jobs around town, Jay met Bill Ochse and began working at the Kite Loft in 1984, quickly becoming the store manager and then business partner in 1986.
As they celebrate their 48th year in business, they are always searching for new and innovative products that only The Kite Loft will carry. The team personally visits gift and toy shows to find the latest and greatest items for the store.
However, the best part of a visit to the Kite Loft is always the experience. “We are in the business of fun retail so we want our customers to have the very best experience possible when they visit our store.” Jay says, “From an opening greeting to sharing our vast knowledge of kite information or just showing them how to play one of our many cool quick-learn games, our goal is to engage the customer and make them feel welcome.”
The Kite Loft hosts two major kite festivals each year in Ocean City, MD. The Maryland International Kite Expo is the last weekend in April, and the Sunfest Kite Festival takes place the third weekend after labor day. Both festivals showcase giant kite displays from some of the best kite flyers from around the world. The events are free for anyone to participate in and are tons of fun for families, locals, and visitors.
Next time you’re taking a trip to the beach, make sure to stop by the Kite Loft and check out what’s new in the store this year!
For more business spotlights and things going on in the community, view the news from Worcester County Economic Development.
