Mary's Husband's Pub

Before Joe’s Surf Shack started pouring drinks on 18th Ave, there was Mary’s Husband’s Pub—the kind of place where time stood still just long enough for a turtle to cross a finish line. Owned by James Guimes, this beloved Belmar bar was infamous for its weekly turtle races—yes, turtle races—where locals packed in to place their bets (bragging rights only), name their champions, and cheer like lunatics over what might be the slowest sport ever invented. It wasn’t just a bar. It was a ritual. The kind of spot where the walls soaked in stories, where strangers became regulars, and where the line between absurdity and tradition was delightfully blurry. Mary’s Husband’s Pub closed in 1991, but its spirit still echoes through the Shore—especially for those who remember the roar of the crowd… and the shuffle of reptilian glory. This piece is for the locals who lived it and the newcomers who wish they had.

Hardboard MDF at 0.12 inches with a cork backing of 0.04, finished with a high-gloss coating on top. It runs 3.74 inches square, waterproof and heat-resistant, so a wet glass leaves nothing behind on the table.