How Many Years to Become A Tradition on the Boardwalk?

We discussed this building at 6th Street and the Boardwalk at some length in the Jan. 7 post, "Layers of Ocean City History in a Boardwalk Building" (to see that story, scroll down three posts).

Today, I'm thinking about the T-Shirt Factory sign, pictured above, that stands in front of this building today. "An Ocean City Tradition Since 1986."

A tradition since 1986? Hmmm. In the history of the Ocean City Boardwalk, 1986 is fairly recent. At least it sounds recent to me. Let's see: 1986 to 2009. That's 23 years. But wait! There are people who were born after 1986 who are old enough to vote, buy booze, and sign legal contracts! There are people born after 1986 who have bachelor's degrees from Harvard and the University of Maryland. Some have master's degrees. (Is there anyone born in 1986 who has already piled it higher and deeper?)

Upon consideration, I am prepared to concede that 1986 is long enough to qualify as a tradition on the Boardwalk.

The first post in my series of pictures featuring long-standing businesses on the Boardwalk was Dolle's Candyland, established in 1910 (scroll down four posts). I now realized that I have pictures of two other businesses with even longer traditions on the Boardwalk than Dolle's.

Those establishments would be the Atlantic Hotel, which opened in 1875, and Trimper's Rides, which dates to 1891. Now that is tradition!

So as far as I am concerned, we have established the parameters for business tradition on the Ocean City Boardwalk. Any business from 1875 to 1986 has seniority enough to be a tradition. Businesses started in 1987 or later are a work in progress.