For well over half a century, its neon marquee illuminated the bustling corner of Atlantic & Rio Grande, casting a glow of hot pink and cool turquoise seashore cheer into the night.
Even during daytime, the Sea Shell Motel sign was a local landmark in its own right - a can't-miss combo of whimsical red and white lettering on a bright yellow-painted metal base that just screamed WILDWOOD! in the most timeless sense.
Recently, very quietly and unceremoniously, the heavily-weathered unit was removed from its longtime perch near the terminus of the city's main entrance/exit boulevard, replaced by a simple plastic backlit sign as part of the property's re-branding as the Sun Shine Motel.
The good news is that sign was saved and is currently being stored by Fred Musso, owner of Ultra Neon (3901 Pacific Avenue), who has rescued dozens of neon classics from the scrap heap over the years. While the ideal scenario would see the Sea Shell sign remain and be promptly displayed somewhere in Wildwood again, its future is uncertain.
The Sea Shell/Sun Shine is one of the island's oldest motels, dating back to the years immediately following World War II, when it was built in the popular "motor court style" of the day. According to Musso, the sign is at least 50 years old, and thus has been in place for the majority of the motel's existence.
The only other visible exterior change of the Sea Shell's transformation into the Sun Shine is the color scheme of the window borders and some accents, which have gone from bright yellow to orange.
The re-branding continues a trend in Wildwood in recent years which has seen older motels take on new names and identities, often (but not always) accompanied by renovation. Perhaps the most prominent example saw the long-struggling Eden Roc Motel become the Dolphin Inn, under new owner Tim Patel in 2014.
Other examples include Castaways Motel becoming Beachside Resort (3700 Atlantic Avenue), the Alton Motel being renamed the Paradise Inn (235 E. Wildwood Avenue), and Dawn Motel changing to the Sunset Beach Hotel (4300 Ocean Avenue).
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