Shoobie
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A shoobie (or shoebie) is a derogatory term used in New Jersey to describe a person who visits the seashore for a brief period of time, primarily to use the beach during the summer months. Shoobies are typically seen in South Jersey, between the areas of Long Beach Island and Cape May. The term "shoobie" originates in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, and it allegedly derives from the habit among tourists of bringing their lunch to the beach in shoe boxes.
A similar term is "Benny," which usually applies to visitors from New York who travel to the Jersey Shore. "Benny" is more frequently used in Monmouth County and Ocean County.
Shoobies are essentially a mixed blessing for local beach residents. They bring in enormous revenue during the summer months, but at the same time they add numerous obstacles and annoyances to day-to-day life. In that sense, shoobies are not unlike the tourists that descend on any resort area.
Shoobies are not to be confused with "snowbirds," a term commonly applied to senior citizens who migrate to Florida and other points south during the winter months.
[edit] External links
- Shoobie.org - Visitor Information Resource
- Matthew in the Morning's Shoobie Guide
- Surfline.com - "What is a Shoobie?"
- "Locals to hard-partying renters: Show some respect", The Press of Atlantic City, May 12, 2006
- American Dialect Society mailing list
