Sunday, February 17, 2013

Restore The Shore Projects: Sam Hammer of The Crabs Claw Inn

The Restore The Shore Projects web series is back with Part 9. Professional Surfer Sam Hammer gives us a little insight on his sandy experience, the ocean, and his families restaurant, The Crabs Claw.

Produced By: Carmen Vicari

Film: Carmen Vicari / Seth Stafford

Post Production: Carmen Vicari

Music by: Beach Fossils

Shot in Lavallette, NJ / Mantoloking, NJ (1/29 – 1/31/2013)

About Restore The Shore:

Restore The Shore Projects is an initiative to assist in disaster relief for Hurricane Sandy victims. Our main goal is to work quickly to provide relief and deliver it right into the hands of victims and restore their lives back to normal.

This channel is to provide any kind of awareness in support of Sandy Relief. By simply sharing this you are helping those in need.

facebook.com/restoretheshoreprojects

shop.ergoclothing.com

Here’s an excerpt about the Crab’s Claw Inn from: www.nj.com By Lisa Rose/The Star-Ledger
on January 25, 2013

Nightlife makes a return to the Jersey Shore

The Crab’s Claw Inn, a Lavallette landmark that dates back decades, will resume serving seafood and craft beer next Friday.

“We’ve been anxious to get them back,” said Lavallette mayor Walter LaCicero. “It’s our only full-service restaurant with alcohol. There’s a tremendous amount of contractors in town and there’s no place to go and have a beer and unwind.”

Initially, owners Sam and Louise Hammer thought it would take six months to fix up the flooded eatery, known for its epic surf and turf menu, “99 Beer Club” and ragtime piano player, Frankie “Fingers” Staknys.

The rebuild has been running ahead of schedule, so the Hammers decided to move up the opening date.

“People have been calling and they’re so happy to hear us answer the phone,” Louise Hammer said. “They want to know, ‘You’re not changing anything?’ We say, ‘Absolutely not.’ It’s going to be the same. … Frankie Fingers will be here. He’s been playing for 30 years. His piano is fine. He came in the other day and said that it’s still tuned.”

Getting the Crab’s Claw prepped for next Friday is a Hammer family endeavor.
Louise and Sam’s son, also named Sam Hammer, is a professional surfer who has been dividing his time between restaurant cleanup and community volunteer work through the Waves for Water organization.

When he posted a note about the Crab’s Claw on Facebook, more than 1,000 friends hit “like.”
“People want normalcy, but things are not going to be normal for years,” Hammer said. “I almost feel like in places outside New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, people are already forgetting about us. We do get the sightseers because people are curious and I don’t have a problem with it.
“If it helps raise awareness and if they’re spending money in the local economy, fine.”

The Crabs Claw Inn website: http://www.thecrabsclaw.com