Blocked bridges, heat waves and severe weather: The Jersey Shore has faced challenges this summer. But now, with an unofficial week left before the season ends, local shop owners want to thank their customers for their support.

“It’s been very, very busy. We’ve had a lot of traffic this summer, it’s been good,” said Grace Sicoli, a hostess at Blend on Main in Manasquan.

“I just think this is going to go down as one of the best summers ever, for sure,” said Luke Mesanko, owner of Wanderlust in Asbury Park and Wall Township.

“We’ve had a great summer. The weather has been phenomenal, so that’s really helped,” said Brenden Carroll of Bing’s Beach House Deli in Avon-By-The-Sea.

Many business owners are reporting record or near-record sales.

“I think more people take their short vacations in cities like this than get on a plane,” Sicoli said.

Joseph D’Alonzo and Kristen Eddins decided to spend a long weekend on the New Jersey coast and came from Ellicott City, Maryland.

“It was easy for us to find a hotel that fit our plans and was just a stone’s throw away – so it made sense for us,” Eddins said.

“It’s a summer sun beach, so of course people have a great time,” D’Alonzo added.

“They did it and it was a sigh of relief that really got us started on the summer,” Carroll said.

And these weeks of scorching 35 degrees drove masses of people to the much cooler beaches.

“June was remarkable, one of the best ever, if ever, and I hear that across all industries on the New Jersey shore,” Mesanko said.

Will the momentum continue in the fall?

“We’re really hoping for nice weather, a nice summer, September or October, and people will still come out when the weather is nice,” Carroll added.