Assateague Island Surf Shop in Berlin to add beer and wine

In a little more than a year, Denny Riordon and Nancy Sweeney have turned the Assateague Island Surf Shop into a one-stop shop for all things clothing, surf boards, bike rentals and, recently, much more.

They turned a small coffee and smoothie cafe, called Born to Move, into a full-fledged cafe complete with gourmet sandwiches and salads.

And soon they’ll have available beer and wine, making the business on Stephen Decatur Highway next to Buck’s Place in southeast Berlin a must-visit heading south to Assateague Island or on the trip back north.

The business recently applied for and was granted a Class B beer and wine license. Riordon said he expects the alcohol to be available within the next two weeks. The business will “blast” the news on Facebook and Instagram to let people know when it's good to go.

The license, Riordon said, allows for carry-out beverages. They will sell six-packs and 12-packs of beer, along with bottles of wine. Guests will be able to drink inside the cafe but not outside on the picnic tables.

“If it becomes a problem we’ll nix it,” Riordon said.

Riordon said he expects to offer local craft beers as well as island-themed brews and higher-end wines. He said Burley Oak owner Bryan Brushmiller was in the other day. Assateague Island Surf Shop already carries Burley Oak’s cold brew coffee, so Riordon expects to be selling its beer, too.

“It gives them another reason to come into the store,” Riordon said when asked what inspired the idea. “We added sandwiches for the same reason. They want us to do breakfast sandwiches, but we don’t have the facility for it right now.

“Basically everything we do in here we listen to our customers. We have a little more of an upscale customer. A lot of South Point people, people from the D.C. area and northern Virginia that are looking for a little more upscale stuff and aren’t afraid to spend money.”

Riordon said he wasn’t sure at first if his landlord, who owns Buck’s and Assateague Market, would be into the idea of the surf shop being allowed to sell alcohol, but they aren’t really competing.

The move also gives people a place to grab six-packs and more during the offseason, when most nearby businesses close.

Riordon, who was away last weekend celebrating his son’s wedding, said business has been great since opening last July 4 weekend.

“You couldn’t really ask for a better start,” Riordon said. “We’re basically chasing our tails right now. Things have moved so much faster than anticipated.

“We keep pinching ourselves because we’re like, ‘Is this really happening?’”

Riordon still works a full-time job as a sales rep in seven states for Fox Racing. And as the surf shop continues to get bigger and add to its offerings heading into August — the busiest month — the license to sell alcohol may just benefit him as well.

“That could be true,” Riordon said with a laugh. “By the end of the day a cold beer is a nice thing to have.”