In the Kitchen with Holiday Coffee
Holiday Coffee brings a ‘latte’ friendly service, delectable brews and more to their new storefront in the center of town
IN 2021, Holiday Coffee set up shop in a little corner of Wonderland Pier.
The beachside coffee stand on the boards served up delicious coffee – especially cold brew, which was a welcome respite for beachgoers and those looking for a break from the happy chaos of amusement rides.
“We figured it could be a nice option for board walkers, especially those coming from the north end,” added Melissa Brown, who owns Holiday Coffee with her husband, Damon. “My boss, Mayor Jay Gillian, loved the idea and told me to run with it. We are forever grateful for that.”
Melissa and Damon met as 14-year-olds while attending Buena Regional High School in Atlantic County, and they moved to Ocean City 15 years ago. Their family has since grown to include their children Hudson (11), who attends Ocean City Intermediate, and Leo (8), a student at Ocean City Primary.
“We wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” Melissa said. “Our families have owned homes on the island since the 1940s.”
Holiday Coffee moved in 2025 to a new location at the bustling corner of Eighth Street and Atlantic Avenue, and since opening its doors, business has been booming. In a few short months, customers have become friends, and Holiday Coffee has established itself as an island staple.
In between lattes and cold brews, Ocean City Magazine had a chance to catch up with Melissa and Damon to learn more about their business inspiration, future plans and love of a perfect cup of a coffee.
Discover the Magic of Holiday Coffee
Q: What was the inspiration behind opening a coffee shop in Ocean City?
A: The love and addiction to caffeine and the love of La Colombe cold brew. We wanted to create a space like the ones we love to visit when we travel. We’ve taken bits of our favorite places from all over the world, especially Mediterranean seaside towns, and created a cafe that welcomes both locals and vacationers alike.
Q: You first opened up with a coffee cart and up on the boards. What brought you to 8th Street this year?
A: We always love a corner cafe when we travel, and 8th and Atlantic is such a busy corner. Eighth Street is a thoroughfare to the Boardwalk and the beach. There are businesses, hotels and Ocean City Bicycle Center all right there. The outdoor space is such a bonus for us and our guests. We were hoping with a nice awning, umbrellas and bistro chairs, people would want to grab a coffee and hang out, which they do. And Ocean City being such a great town for families, we have a few playsets and a small table and chairs for the kids. Kids play and parents can enjoy their coffees.
Q: Tell me about your menu – what are you serving up to customers?
A: We serve La Colombe coffee, which is based out of Philadelphia. They’ve been a great partner. We’ve had a lot of lattes in many different cities and would put La Colombe beans up against any of them. We serve up a dark and a medium roast for hot coffee. We have cold brew on tap, which is smooth and full of flavor. We make lattes, hot or iced, which come with your choice of milk and a flavored syrup. Many of the syrups we make in house.
Q: What are your most popular items? Do some things hold steady, or do they change depending on the time of year?
A: On the boards, our number one seller was cold brew. But this year, it’s definitely pivoted to the iced latte. Right now, our most popular items are the iced blueberry latte (homemade blueberry syrup), the Holiday crush which is made with a homemade orange syrup and topped with vanilla cold foam and an orange garnish. It tastes like a creamsicle. During the summer, people were coming for the “fluff on the beach.” We coat the cup with marshmallow fluff, mix espresso with a homemade peanut butter sauce, choice of milk and top it with vanilla cold foam.
We will tinker with specials as time goes along and certain fruits are in season. Thinking peach, fig and cherry for example. We have a couple items that are such a hit that will always stay on the menu. The coconut americano is coconut water and a double espresso over ice, very refreshing. And the golden honey latte which is espresso brewed over honey and then mixed with cinnamon. We called it “golden” because we introduced it during the summer Olympics in 2024, but it was so popular we’ve kept it.
Q: What about your most unique offerings?
A: Homemade whipped butter!
Q: And how about your personal menu favorites?
A: We love making blueberry muffins every morning.
Q: You listen to customer feedback, which is awesome. You’re currently working on adding some delicious eats to the menu, too, right? What can customers expect?
A: Ham and butter baguettes paired with an arugula salad and garlicky tomatoes. We’re planning European picnic baskets, seasonal beach snacks and kiddo bento boxes. Simple, good ingredients. All just the start – so much more to come.
Q: I love the name. How did you come up with Holiday Coffee?
A: We love to travel, especially to Europe. Europeans call vacation “holiday” – it just fit!
Q: What kind of feedback are you getting from customers? Do you have a solid regular clientele, as well as a lot of new faces being a beach town.
A: We have the best customers. A lot come in every day and we’ve gotten to know them very well. We share stories and laughs, thoughts and ideas. It makes for such a friendly atmosphere which is welcoming for the vacationers in town. It’s a comfortable space. Being on 8th Street has exposed us to a lot of new eyes which has been great for business. There is no better compliment than when someone says, “Holiday has been a really special part of our vacation.” It makes us and our team feel really good.
Q: Are you going to be open year round?
A: Aside from a family vacation late fall, our plan is to be open year round. The weather is great in OC through the fall and the city is so festive after Thanksgiving and through Christmas and then ultimately First Night on New Year’s Eve. We’re thinking maybe some heat lamps on the patio or a fire pit with hot cocoa and lattes.
Q: What’s the best part of having your business in Ocean City?
A: This year it’s been collaborating with local small business owners. Also seeing so many familiar faces pop in from our kids’ OC schools, the sports fields and neighborhood friends. It is just the best.
Q: Are there any other future plans for Holiday Coffee in the works?
A: Mona is the name of our coffee truck that is parked out front of the shop, on the patio. She is from Italy and we love her! She’s equipped with a cold brew tap and enough room for our mini espresso machine. She’s perfect for a wedding or baby shower or any kind of party. We’re thinking we’ll use her more so in the spring and fall, when the shop isn’t quite as busy. But now she’s a fixture out front. We have three counter stools in front of her where people can sip a coffee and chat.
Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
A: A couple things. Our team is fantastic. We always say how lucky we are to have found these girls. They work hard, are welcoming to customers, whether it’s 7am or 4pm. We couldn’t do this without them and we will miss a couple of them as they move away for college.
Also, we’re still learning every day. About coffee, about business. We like to try things and see what works and what doesn’t. We’re thankful for getting our start at Wonderland and never dreamt we’d one day have our own space. We bought the coffee bike with no idea where it might lead.
Over 4th of July, we saw our first customers ever. Back in August of 2021, they bought a couple cold brews, paid double for them and said keep the change as they wished us much success. Seeing them in 2025 on 8th Street was surreal. As they congratulated us, it felt like they were saying “we knew” with their smiles.
By Kristen Dowd. Photos provided by Holiday Coffee.