'A force of nature': Joe KroArt, Ocean Gallery owner, marks 50-plus years on Boardwalk

As unmistakable as the eclectic Ocean City gallery he's operated for more than 50 years, Joe KroArt is an unforgettable figure.

The extravagant owner of the Ocean Gallery at 2nd Street and the Boardwalk gesticulates wildly as he speaks, his hands accentuating every third word, moving closer and closer to whomever he's addressing.

His presence and movements might be imposing from anyone else, but from KroArt, it just emphasizes the enthusiasm he has for his passion.

"A college kid comes to Ocean City one summer with his paintings to sell them on the boardwalk," he said. "Fifty years later, the state of Maryland and the Comptroller of Maryland honors him with a proclamation for the contribution we've made to commerce in the state."

It's been the "true American dream," said KroArt, who sported a red bow tie and black suit as he was visited by numerous town and state officials Thursday to present him an award in recognition of his five decades in business.

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Comptroller Peter Franchot said KroArt's unique business held a special place in not just the town, but the entire state.

"This is a huge economic center of activity for the state during the summer," he said. "Joe is a force of nature, and what I like about his business is that it's positive and personal. It contributes to the spirit of the Boardwalk and, obviously, it's an iconic landmark."

The Ocean Gallery, owned by KroArt but operated in tandem with his wife, Adele, and his daughter, Laura, is an instantly recognizable Ocean City fixture.

Its exterior looks like a scrapbook gone amok. Signs and flags festoon its outside walls, and the interior is no less cramped with art. Visitors can barely walk through the heaps of posters, portraits and paintings for sale in the building.

"I really enjoy looking at it," KroArt said of the gallery's facade, which is made up of recycled pieces of buildings from all around the country. "I just know it's right. Believe it or not, it takes a tremendous amount of work keeping it all together."

The building is designed to grab attention, but also to elicit smiles, he said. It's a fine line he walks — shocking people and being outrageous without offending anybody — but it's one he said is carefully deliberated.

"The reason it's gotten this way is because when I see the reactions from people I do more of it," he said. "P.T. Barnum did that, by the way."

Maryland Sen. Jim Mathias echoed and amplified KroArt's words, saying the business owner "rivaled P.T. Barnum," the American showman and businessman who founded Barnum & Bailey Circus.

"Look at the presentation of this place," he said. "It's one of a kind. Joe KroArt puts the whole thing together so fantastically. He's a real promoter; a showman. That's what this Boardwalk is all about. To distinguish yourself and attract the families — he's the best."

For KroArt, the spectacle that is the Ocean Gallery aligns precisely with how he envisions its role in the town.

It isn't a business in his mind, he said, but an attraction. One for people to visit and smile, and be educated, he said.

The gallery is his life, according to KroArt’s daughter, Laura.

"My dad is genuine, creative, emotional and he is the strongest person I've ever met," she said. "I've had people come into the gallery and say 'I remember him working here when I was 5 years old.' Every day, all summer, he wakes up excited to come here.

“I feel like he could have done anything, but this is what he chose and he puts everything he has into it."

Before his showy, vibrant gallery became an Ocean City staple, KroArt considered several paths for his future, finally deciding on pursuing education and the arts.

Born in Baltimore near Memorial Stadium, KroArt considered being a minister or even an auto mechanic, but ended up going to Towson University and eventually became a junior high school art and science teacher.

But the Ocean Gallery and the artwork on display and for sale there is his fiercest passion.

"Everything I do is consistently inconsistent," he said. "I don't fit in any mold."

Dennis Foltz, who owns a summer home in Ocean City, said he's visited the town all 57 years of his life.

The gallery is an "icon of the boardwalk," he said, and 90 percent of the artwork filling his home has been found in the store's cramped aisles.

"The selection, the prices and the history this place holds for me just makes it stand out," he said. "I get lost in this place. I'll come in and wander for an hour without looking at my watch."

Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan seemed to agree.

"It's quite an experience even if you just walk through and take a look around," he said. "Then you come back another time and it looks different.

"It's a great asset to Ocean City and we thank (KroArt) for all the hard work," he said.