Client Spotlight

Pleasantville Music Shoppe

Pleasantville Music Shoppe

Pleasantville Music Shoppe is one of the oldest mom and pop music stores in South Jersey.

My dad, Gaston Ragno, at 20 years old, purchased the business on a handshake and a promise to pay when he could from his boss who wanted to retire.

Over the years there were a few moves and some changes – but what remained constant was the belief in giving back to the community and the importance of music education in the schools.

I was lucky to work side by side with my dad for many years until his passing in 2015. Today, I am trying to continue his legacy.

We lend our support to students, music teachers and their programs. Jim and I try and attend as many of the school holiday and spring concerts as we can. We have helped with the music program, VH1 Save the Music as well as others of the like. The Food Bank of South Jersey, Veterans and the Marines Toys for Tots are other important  organizations that we support by collecting food and toys and holding yearly free concerts.

I’ve been running the Pleasantville Music Shoppe for the past 12 years with the help of my husband, Jim, and two key members of our team, Luis Gonzalez and Cynthia Ivey.  Our relationship with Capaldi, Reynolds and Pelosi has been a very important one. We have relied on their expertise in helping with all our business and tax needs.

Generations of families continue to patronize Pleasantville Music Shoppe. We love hearing all the stories of first instruments and memories of their musical journey.  It still makes me happy to hand a student their first instrument and see the excitement on their face.

Our customers are important to us and we try and give them the very best customer service.

I love what I do! Whether it is finding the right piano for a student, putting a guitar in the hands of a beginning musician or fixing a broken instrument…We are here for you!

Contributed by Joanne Schilling, Pleasantville Music Shoppe

Tilton Market: Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Tilton Market: Where Everybody Knows Your Name

It’s not in Boston nor a bar, but in Northfield, NJ, there is one establishment where many of its customers frequent it regularly and everybody who works there knows their names. It’s that super friendly atmosphere and its high-quality foods that have become the signature features of the Tilton Market.

This family-like atmosphere is no accident. Members of the Senese family have collaborated toward customer service and the corresponding success of this business for decades. Those family members who have worked in the business have developed an affinity for the residents of Northfield and surrounding communities, essentially considering many of them to be akin to an extended part of their family. read more…

Client Spotlight: Platt’s Beach House Furnishings

Client Spotlight: Platt’s Beach House Furnishings

Platt’s Beach House Furnishings is a multigenerational business that first began in South Jersey in 1946.  The business started as door-to-door sales in Atlantic and Cape May counties when Dave Platt Sr. moved his family from Philadelphia to Ocean City, NJ.   By 1950, he had a store on Asbury Avenue in partnership with family members where they sold appliances and TVs.

In 1954 he moved his store to Somers Point to open Platt’s Furniture and Appliances, but it was so much more than that since the store also carried carpet, window treatments, and even men’s clothing.  The store moved to its current location in 1958 and shortly thereafter, Dave Platt Jr. started working for his father in delivery and stock after his military service. Eventually he became the business administrator.

Dave, Jr. and wife Celeste bought the business in 1976 and are responsible for expanding the business into custom woodworking, reupholstery, and window treatments while also establishing brand name furniture galleries.  Dave Jr’s son, Dave III, who started in delivery and soon became warehouse manager, joined the ownership team in 2004.  It was then that the focus turned to the beach house and rental property market, and the business name changed to reflect that.

In 2014, the business passed to the third generation.  Dave Jr., Celeste, and Dave III officially retired, selling the business to Thomas Platt, Cheryl Platt, and Jeanette Mueller.  All three had worked in the business in many roles throughout their lives and were well-prepared to continue the family tradition.  They remain dedicated to serving the shore homeowner and visitor with unique products and personalized customer service, while capturing new trends in the coastal lifestyle.

“Capaldi, Reynolds & Pelosi team members have assisted Platt’s with accounting, tax, and business transition issues for almost two decades. They are trusted advisors who have worked with  us to help us achieve our long-term goals.”

Spotlight: Milton & Betty Katz JCC

Spotlight: Milton & Betty Katz JCC

For more than 110 years the Jewish Community Center has been a focal point of the Atlantic County community. We have been a place where families come together, Jewish culture thrives, children are cared for and their futures shaped.  The Atlantic County community has flourished in substantial part as the result of the JCC’s programs and services. While times have changed, the need for the JCC in Atlantic County has not.

Our JCC serves not only our Jewish Community but also the broader Atlantic County community with new and varied programs that reflect both the complexity of the Jewish experience and life in our modern world. Our children benefit in various ways from our Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) and Camp By The Sea. (more…)

Landsman Uniforms & Embroidery

Landsman Uniforms & Embroidery

Landsman Uniforms and Embroidery is excited to share the story of our business – a tale of resilience, passion, and a commitment to serving customers in Atlantic County for three generations.

The family business began in 1932 when William Landsman opened a general department store that evolved eventually into a menswear shop in the 1950s. Max, William’s son, and Cissy Landsman worked in the department store and, in 1962, also opened Landsman Uniforms out of their home. This new business venture was in addition to their job responsibilities at the department store. This entrepreneurial couple also had five children, one of whom now runs the business with her husband Dennis Smith. Janet Smith, Max and Cissy’s daughter, can remember opening packages of uniform shirts for this ‘cottage” industry at the ripe old age of six.

Eventually the uniform business outgrew its cramped quarters and moved into the menswear shop. By the time William Landsman retired (at age 85), the uniform business was thriving in Ventnor. Max and Cissy aimed to build a legacy deeply rooted in the local community, and that is what they did. What started as a small venture has blossomed into a cornerstone of our community. Landsmans Uniforms prides itself on quality products and unmatched service. Professionals from law enforcement and medicine and restaurant and casino employees have been the mainstay of Landsman Uniforms over the years, because here they can find quality garments with same-day monogramming, screen printing, computerized engraving and heat-sealing capabilities. Janet strongly emphasizes the importance of having imprintable technology on hand, because probably 9 out of every 10 garments sold are customized in some way. Needless to say, this in-house service is a major selling point, since most custom work can be handled on a while-you-wait basis.

As management was passed from one generation to the next, the family has maintained the commitment to quality products and the kind of service that comes with an on-premises owner. Landsmans offers the inventory of a large business with the personal touch of a family-owned and operated establishment. According to Janet, “It is the same formula used by my grandfather, father and mother and it works as well today as it did sixty years ago.”

“No business, including Landsman Uniforms and Embroidery, can be successful without a professional team to help manage growth. Our team is fortunate to include Capaldi, Reynolds, and Pelosi. Mike Reynolds has been an integral part of our growth and success.”

Client Spotlight: D’Arcy Johnson Day

Client Spotlight: D’Arcy Johnson Day

D’Arcy Johnson Day was founded in 2008 when the law offices of D’Arcy Johnson (Patrick D’Arcy, Andrew D’Arcy & Steven Johnson) combined with Christopher Day and Richard Albuquerque.  Both firms specialized in representing injured people and their goal was to combine forces to better serve their clients as well as launch their campaign to give back to the local communities.  With their shared resources, the Partners were able to commit over $100,000 a year to local charities and they continue to do so to this day.  Guided by the advice of Benjamin Franklin, DJD’s mission since 2008 has always been to “do well by doing good”.  According to Chris Day, “Capaldi Reynolds & Pelosi has been instrumental in the growth of D’Arcy Johnson Day from the very beginning and has provided valuable professional accounting and business advice.  Their level of service is second to none.”

For more than 15 years, D’Arcy Johnson Day has been regarded as leaders, known for results, both inside and outside the courtroom. The firm is known for its high-profile cases, such as the lawsuit that helped intensify the investigation into the murder of April Kauffman and a case that spotlighted the treatment of injured professional athletes. DJD has also handled matters that may not have made headlines, but nevertheless have made a huge impact on the people involved – people like the police widow who, with the firm’s help, received past due workers compensation benefits nearly 46 years after her husband was killed in the line of duty. DJD regularly takes on drug companies, neglectful nursing homes, and other corporate behemoths to advocate for those who need protection. The firm’s clients have shown their appreciation, recognizing DJD with the Best of the Press Gold Award in the legal services category for nine consecutive years.

D’Arcy Johnson Day’s professional commitment to fight for justice is matched by its dedication to help the community. Each year, the firm has supported hundreds of local sports teams, schools, charity events, and nonprofit organizations with financial donations, sponsorships, and volunteer hours. From supporting a fundraiser to purchase new beds for a veterans’ nursing and rehabilitation facility to sponsoring multiple National Night Out events throughout Atlantic County, DJD can be counted on to make a difference.  After reviewing the firm’s extensive list of charitable efforts and the enthusiastic nominations submitted by at least a dozen nonprofit organizations, the Press of Atlantic City named the firm the winner of the 2017 Bailey Award.

D’Arcy Johnson Day’s philanthropic activities have not slowed since the firm received the Bailey Award. From sponsoring events that benefit the Donny Fund and the Hope Exists Foundation to honoring our local heroes by supporting the Atlantic City Police Athletic League, the John R. Elliott Hero Walk, the Wildwood Fire Department, and Tunnel to Towers Foundation, the firm remains committed to making an impact in the community. Supportive of area schools and educators, DJD sponsored numerous school activities and sports teams, donated Christmas gifts to families of a local middle school, and helped a local high school fund its first senior trip in 20 years. Whether they are helping those who need a strong advocate in their corner or helping the organizations that support and shape the local area, D’Arcy Johnson Day continues to honor their pledge to clients and community to “do well by doing good.”

Article submitted by John J. Moller, CPA.

Client Spotlight: DeSatnick Real Estate

Client Spotlight: DeSatnick Real Estate

Todd deSatnick began investing in real estate in 1996 when he purchased his first home in West Cape May.  After working with his family’s business, deSatnick’s Window Fashions, for a decade, Todd ventured into a full-time career in real estate in 2003.  In November of 2007, deSatnick Real Estate was opened on one tiny desk in the basement of The Historic Merry Widow on Jackson Street. read more…

Client Spotlight: The Law Firm of Cooper Levenson

Client Spotlight: The Law Firm of Cooper Levenson

The law firm of Cooper Levenson was originally formed in 1957 in Atlantic City, NJ with just two attorneys. Today, Cooper Levenson is a full-service law firm with 70 attorneys who practice in 25 practice areas. The firm has offices in five states. In New Jersey, offices are in Atlantic City and Cherry Hill. Additional offices are in New York, New York, Wilmington, Delaware, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. read more…

Client Spotlight: Bunting Family Pharmacy

Client Spotlight: Bunting Family Pharmacy

Josiah (Joe) Bunting is the owner of Bunting Family Pharmacy, an independent pharmacy in Northfield, New Jersey. Since 2008, Bunting Family Pharmacy has been providing quality health care and service to individuals in the local area.

Joe is a dedicated professional and a visionary, both of which have led to his success as an independent pharmacist. Independent pharmacists are not as common today as they were years ago. Today the big retail chain pharmacies dominate the marketplace offering 24 hour service, prescriptions, over the counter medications, and convenience store goods. You may ask yourself, how could Joe compete with such juggernauts, especially since he had no established patient base and only a little of his own savings to use as start-up costs? read more…

Navigating State Tax Nexus

Navigating State Tax Nexus

Introduction The Supreme Court's landmark decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. in 2018 transformed the landscape of sales tax compliance across the United States. Prior to this ruling, businesses were required to collect and remit sales taxes only if they had a...

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Congratulations Jennifer Wallace

Congratulations Jennifer Wallace

Congratulations to Jennifer Wallace, who is stepping into the role of President of the Atlantic-Cape May Chapter of the NJCPA.  Jennifer has been involved in the leadership of the chapter for many years, and she looks forward to giving back to the profession, the...

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Pleasantville Music Shoppe

Pleasantville Music Shoppe

Pleasantville Music Shoppe is one of the oldest mom and pop music stores in South Jersey. My dad, Gaston Ragno, at 20 years old, purchased the business on a handshake and a promise to pay when he could from his boss who wanted to retire. Over the years there were a...

read more
Good News from Social Security

Good News from Social Security

President Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law in January of 2025.  This law will have the effect of increasing the entitlement to Social Security benefits to as many as 3.2 million people who receive public pensions based on employment when Social...

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I’ve Been Scammed

I’ve Been Scammed

With luck, those words will never leave our mouths.  The sad truth, though, is that crooks are getting smarter and it’s really hard to know what nefarious scheme they will come up with next.  If you find yourself a victim, can you claim any kind of tax deduction for...

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