Coastal charm: Christmas shopping ideas in Rehoboth Beach

Shoppers are set to spend more than $1 trillion this holiday season, and shop owners in Rehoboth Beach are using their unique brand of coastal charm to attract some of those eager customers.

Forecasters with the market analysis company Deloitte predict retail holiday sales will increase from 4 to 4.5 percent over last year between November and January. Although online sites have presented more of a challenge to small businesses than in past years, brick-and-mortar stores still account for about $9 out of every $10 in holiday spending, according to the analysis.

Rehoboth Beach retailers all use the same word to describe their recipe for success: Unique.

“It’s our different merchandise that makes us unique,” said Linda Abrams, co-owner of Sea Finds. “What we have, you can’t find anywhere else.”

“When you come in, just look around to see what’s unique,” Buddhas and Beads Owner Brad Davis added. “People are always surprised by what they can find.”

For many merchants, that uniqueness extends to personal interactions with customers that online shoppers just can’t get.

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“Everybody has a story, and I love listening,” Liquid Surf and Skate owner Mike Ridings said. “When I get to help people find what they want, I get so stoked.”

There are dozens of options for shopping small and local in Rehoboth Beach. Here are just a few ideas for holiday shoppers looking for some coastal flavor:

Liquid Surf and Skate

Owner Mike Ridings stocks his surf and skateboarding shop with both brand names and local artisan products. The shop sells ocean-themed work from local artists, casual boutique clothing often sported by aquatic athletes, customizable shirts and a variety of surfboards and skateboards.

He attributes the shop’s 11 years of business to his ability to connect with customers and give them something special.

“I like to get someone in here and put a smile on their face, which is hard to do during this time of year,” he said. “To build a board for a kid and see the smile on their face is just awesome.”

Shopper Shannon Capiro, of Lewes, was all smiles as she purchased a longboard skateboard for her 11-year-old son. Capiro opted for Liquid over other larger name shops.

“It’s just a cool little spot,” she said. “I like buying locally, and I think it’s really important.”

Buddhas and Beads

Owner Brad Davis travels regularly to Asia in order to find the beads, healing crystals, statues and works of art he offers customers. He said going abroad helps him diversify his merchandise and keep prices low.

“People come in who say they have walked by 1,000 times and just never stopped in, and they’re surprised to find little museum-like treasures,” he said.

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Shopper Annie Logan said she makes a point to visit from Salisbury at least once a year. She is not able to travel much, but coming to Buddhas and Beads gives her a sense of being overseas.

“What I like is when I walk in the door, it feels like I’m in another country. It’s so exotic,” she said. “This place could give big craft stores a run for their money.

“This is a one of a kind place that sells one of a kind stuff.”

Scandinavian Occasion

Owner and jewelry designer Johan Poulsen draws on his Scandinavian roots when designing jewelry and stocking his store, but he makes sure to add a touch of Rehoboth Beach, too.

Much of his jewelry includes locally gathered sand and water, and merchandise not made by Poulsen often comes from other local artists.

“The store is modeled after the quaint, little boutiques in Scandinavia where I grew up,” he said. “Everything was unique in them, with handmade crafts and gifts.”

The Olive Orchard

Co-owner Roy Eckrote looks like a chemist pouring potions as he mixes oil and vinegar concoctions for customers to try. He loves introducing patrons to new flavors, which he acquires from all over the world.

“I think people like our quality products at reasonable prices,” he said. “We try to have things that other people in Rehoboth Beach don’t have.”

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Shopper Peggy Martin, of Rehoboth Beach, visited the shop with a long list in hand and said she is buying The Olive Orchard’s edible wares for all of her friends and family.

“They’re all foodies, and if you’re a foodie, you want good, quality products,” she said. “I think this is the most unique store in Sussex County.”

Sole and Sole Kids

Manager Tracey D’Agostino said owners regularly travel to shows in New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta to pick up on the latest clothing and accessory fashions. She said customer favorites often include their cashmere sweaters and jewelry. 

D’Agostino admits online retailers, such as Amazon, have made it easier for people to shop online, but after 17 years, the store is still attracting loyal fans.

“We try to find unique items, and that’s what helps keep us going,” she said. “Our customers just expect to find new and different things here every year.”

Sea Finds

Among the home décor items and festive trinkets – including coastal-themed Santa Claus statues and novelty napkins – co-owner Linda Abrams said customers can also find a friendly ear. The store has exclusive rights on several items crafted by local artists, and beach-goers enjoy visiting and chatting about their finds.

Often, Abrams said, friendly chats with customers evolve into lengthy heart-to-hearts that she treasures.

“We meet a lot of interesting people, and we really get to talk to them and get to know them,” she said. “We hear so many peoples’ stories, and they just open up.

“We always say the store has some magic in it somehow.”