Coastal Point • Submitted: Community leaders, educators, businesspeople and elected officials will come together to raise public awareness on current economic issues at the 22nd Annual Sussex County Today & Tomorrow Conference on Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 7:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Carter Partnership Center at DelTech.Community leaders, educators, businesspeople and elected officials will join together to raise public awareness regarding current economic issues at the 22nd Annual Sussex County Today & Tomorrow Conference. The event will be hosted on Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 7:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Carter Partnership Center at Delaware Technical Community College in Georgetown.

Following welcoming remarks by Sussex County Council President Michael Vincent, Delaware Tech President Mark T. Brainard, and Vice President and Campus Director Ileana Smith, the morning will include information that could be important to Sussex County employers.

The conference will include a statistical update by Workforce Analyst Ed Simon of the Delaware Economic Development Office and a keynote address by Sam Calagione, founder of Dogfish Head Brewery.

There will also be an hour reserved for Delaware Tech’s 1 Million Cups initiative, a partnership effort with the Kauffman Foundation to support entrepreneurship nationwide. The two presenters will be Rob Rider of Body & Soul Fitness and Katey Evans of the Frozen Farmer.

There will also be a panel discussion titled “Innovation” that will include Eric Christianson of Perdue, Marnie Oursler of Marnie Custom Homes, Dr. Jeffrey Cooper of Enhanced Dental Care, Lisa St. Clair of Tailbangers, Bryne McDowell of DENTSPLY International and Stephen Holmes of Discover Bank.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to choose two of three breakout sessions, which will be led by Valery Cordrey of East Coast Garden Center, Wreed Petersmeyer of AirBnB and Jack Berberian of Delmarva VOIP.

Tickets for the conference cost $30 for the general public or $25 for members of the sponsoring Chambers. The fee for registration after Oct. 25 is $40. Seating is limited, and the conference is expected to sell out. A continental breakfast and networking lunch are included.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the website at www.sussexcountyconference.com or contact Jackie Berger at (302) 259-6090 or jberger2@dtcc.edu.

Coastal Point • Laura Walter: A small sampling of the offerings at Taco Taco on Rt. 26 in Millville, across from Atlantic Auto.Quick service, flavor and a filling meal are key for Millville’s newest taco shack, called Taco Taco.

Owner Kevin Martin loved the simplicity of a small, quick and easy restaurant, mirroring the create-your-own meal style of fast-casual restaurants like Subway, Chipotle and Moe’s.

“I knew the area always needed quick, quality food for a reasonable price … for the working man.” Martin said.

People choose either two tacos, a burrito, a salad or burrito bowl. Meals are priced by the meat, which includes chicken, chorizo, fish, breaded shrimp and ground beef. Overnight slow cooking is the key to shredded beef and shredded pork.

“It just falls apart in the morning,” said Martin, also brainstorming a vegetarian option.

With 16 toppings to choose, people can get the classics, like three cheeses, onion and tomato, plus the zing of cilantro, pico de gallo, pickled cabbage, jalapeno, homemade salsa and chipotle aioli.

“We tend to put a whole lot of everything on it,” Martin said.

Coastal Point • Shaun M. Lambert: A view of Taco Taco’s open kitchen and prep area.All meals range from $4.99 to $7.99, served with beans and rice. Tortillas are available in flour or corn (gluten-free). Meals can be topped off with chips, salsa, guacamole and a fountain soda.

Chuck and Wendy Schafer ordered shrimp taco salads, which appeared with a mound of toppings.

“I like Mexican food,” said Wendy, who passes the restaurant daily while driving home.

“It was a new place and it looked good,” Chuck said. “I like the layout. I drove by last night and I could see people in here.”

As owner of Atlantic Auto Repair across the street, Martin is new to being a restaurateur, although his family was in the restaurant business when he was growing up. Now, he’s bundling some spices, low prices and advice from Jim Rickards of Perucci’s to serve restaurant quality in a fast food atmosphere.

He really started planning in January, and finally opened Taco Taco one month ago.

“The local community has definitely blessed us so far,” Martin said. “People are really enjoying it. It’s fresh, quick, quality.”

Behind the counter, employee Stephanie Baker is already starting to learn the names of repeat customers.

“For five bucks you can get two tacos, rice and beans,” she said. “You get something fresh and healthy, depending on what toppings you get.”

The taco shack comes complete with Wi-Fi and handicapped-accessible restrooms. Indoor seating will be coming soon.

Taco Taco is open Monday to Friday, from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Martin wants to “get it right” before expanding soon to a 7-day schedule this winter.)

“Come on in, check it out. You’ll love it,” he said.

Taco Taco is located at 35831 Atlantic Avenue. Parking is available in front and in back of restaurant.
Orders can be placed beforehand at (302) 829-8024. Learn more online at www.taco-taco.de.

Dr. Christine Fox recently brought her 20-plus years of experience as a general dentist to Bethany Dental Associates.

Fox previously owned her own practice in New Jersey before moving to Delaware to be closer to her aging parents. She said patient comfort is of the utmost importance for her, and her patients experience, gentle, caring treatment.

She is a 1994 graduate of the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, which is now the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. She is proficient in restorative and cosmetic dentistry, as well as oral surgery and Invisalign braces.

Along with her two teenage children, she and her husband enjoy travel, antiquing and spending time with their two dogs, Bella and Copper.

The Delaware State Chamber of Commerce on Nov. 10 honored SoDel Concepts, a Rehoboth Beach-based hospitality company, at the 2015 Superstars in Business Award luncheon, held at the Hotel du Pont in Wilmington.

Named for the late Marvin S. Gilman, a homebuilder in Delaware, the awards were established in 1998 to pay tribute to extraordinary businesses. SoDel Concepts, which has eight restaurants along the Delaware coast, received the award for a business with between 60 and 150 employees. Eleven people on the SoDel Concepts team traveled to Wilmington to attend the luncheon, which had more than 300 attendees.

“It was an overwhelming honor to receive this prestigious award from a statewide group of our business peers,” said Scott Kammerer, president and CEO of SoDel Concepts, which also owns Plate Catering, the food truck Big Thunder Roadside Kitchen and hospitality management and consulting divisions. “Our team has amazed me with their hard work and their dedication, and it’s very rewarding to see the business community acknowledge it.”

The award is part of the chamber’s Small Business Alliance group. Since the award program’s start, more than 70 businesses have been named Superstars. This year’s other honorees included the Girl Scouts of Chesapeake Bay Council, Back to Basics Learning Dynamics Inc. and Bernardon, an architecture firm. SoDel Concepts is the only southern Delaware-based company to receive an award this year.

State Sen. Robert Marshall (D-Wilmington West), has introduced an amendment to his minimum wage bill that calls on Delaware to increase its lowest wage to $15.05 per hour by the year 2023.

He said the legislation would ensure that all Delawareans are earning a living wage, so they can better provide for their families and fully engage in the state’s economy with newfound purchasing power.

Even as Delaware’s economy recovers from the recession, more and more Delawareans are working low-wage jobs, prompting the state’s poverty rate to spike to 12.5 percent in 2014.

“In total, nearly 29,000 more Delawareans are living in poverty today than they were a decade ago, and the biggest reason is that wages have not kept pace with the cost of living,” Marshall said. “After decades of stagnation, with only minimal minimum wage increases, it’s time we enact a plan to make Delaware’s low-wage workers whole. After all, they represent the base of the pyramid on which our entire economy is built.”

Marshall’s amendment would call for staged increases to the state’s minimum wage on June 1 of each year: 50-cent increments annually through 2019, and then $1.20 increments starting in 2020 and running through 2023. Delaware’s minimum wage is currently $8.25 per hour, a dollar more than the federal minimum wage. Delaware’s minimum wage increased by 50 cents twice in the last year as a result of previous legislation Marshall successfully worked through the General Assembly.

Marshall, who co-chaired the General Assembly’s Low Wage, Service Worker Task Force in 2014, said he’s amending Senate Bill 39, which he filed last year, because of new Census data that makes it increasingly clear that poverty continues to grow even as the unemployment rate stabilizes in Delaware and more people are heading back to work.

“More people are working, yet they’re still being left behind,” Marshall said. “We can’t grow our middle class without giving the 113,000 Delawareans living in poverty a real chance to join the American dream and reach the middle class.”

In Delaware, any individual earning under $11,770 is considered “living in poverty,” while that threshold is $24,250 for a family of four. That’s simply not enough to support a family, said state Sen. Bryan Townsend *(D-Newark, who is co-sponsoring the amendment.

“In all the ups and downs of our economy in the past decades, there’s been one constant truth: low-income Americans have been left out,” Townsend said. “Raising the minimum wage is an important part of rethinking our economic policy and addressing the deep and growing inequalities in our society.

“It will put more money into the local economy and Delaware small businesses. It also will put more money directly in the hands of workers, enabling them to rely more on the product of their own hard work and less on government programs and taxpayer support.”

Coastal Point • R. Chris Clark: The Burnzy’s Bar & Grill crew with owners Jackie and Matt Burns and business partner Robbie Bedell front and center.Buffalo wings, brisket, cheesesteaks and sports headline at Burnzy’s Bar & Grill near Bethany Beach — the newest venture from owner and local restauranteur Matt Burns.

Taking over the space previously occupied by Turquoise in the Market Place at Sea Colony Burns and his team have completely renovated the space to turn it into what they’re hoping will become a staple of the area and hotspot for sports fans in Bethany Beach.

And with a completely revamped bar and dining area, bartenders and waitresses clad in a referee uniforms, and the walls lined with sports memorabilia, with an array of local teams represented, the atmosphere reflects that of the menu for locals and tourists alike.

“Everybody’s so excited for us to be here. They love the atmosphere,” Burns said of the renovations. “There was so much to do before we could even think about the theme, so it kind of happened as we were building it. I tried to do a classic sports theme throughout.”

Burns helped bring the Jetty Deli to the Bethany Beach boardwalk this summer, along with his wife, Jackie Burns, and Jetty business partner Robbie Bedell, who joins the team over at Burnzy’s as the head chef and brings along lifelong friend Russ Campbell as sous-chef.

“Robbie as a chef is amazing,” Burns said of the team. “He and Russ, as the sous-chef here — we three have grown up together, we’ve cooked with each other since we were teenagers, so we know each other’s cooking styles. It just works.”

So far, Burns and Bedell said, the most popular menu items have been the house-cooked and wood-block-carved Burnzy’s Texas Style Angus Brisket Sandwich served with house au ju, the hand-cut ribeye char-grilled cheesesteak and the Burnzy’s Par 3 Angus Burger. Burnzy’s Par 3 burgers are topped with Texas beef brisket and house pulled-pork and finished with Burnzy’s homemade slaw.

But like some of the dishes already becoming local favorites, there are a few others at Burnzy’s that you probably won’t find anywhere else — especially Burnsy’s Original Buffalo Wings.

“Our family’s originally from Buffalo. My great aunt was a bartender over at the Anchor Bar,” Jackie Burns explained of how they got the recipe for original buffalo wing. “It’s not just the sauce, it’s how the actual wing is prepared, too. Most wings are prepared one way. Ours are prepared a different way. When you come in and you taste the wings, you’ll taste the difference.”

“Everybody we’ve had have really enjoyed the wings,” added Bedell. “We’d like to tell you the process, but we can tell you that all the sauces are made in-house. Every single one we do, we follow the recipe from 65 years ago. We think it’s gonna be a mainstay.”

The menu also includes other options, including an assortment of house-made salads, fresh-made soups, a build-your-own Burnzy Burger to go along with Burnzy’s specialty burgers, sandwiches, entrees, appetizers and sides — but the most unique side option has to be the house-roasted Idaho baked potato toppers.

“Something nobody else does is we do a baked potato with any topping you want on it,” Burns explained. “If you want crab dip on it, you get crab dip. If you want chili on it, pulled pork, brisket, anything, and all of our options come as a side, too.”

At the bar, customers will find plenty of Burnzy’s specialty drinks, local brews on tap, in addition to all the domestic favorites, and even some of the newest brews on the market, including “The Best Damn Root Beer” on tap. But while Bedell and Campbell will take care of the menu, Burns put his focus on selecting his front-of-the-house staff, which is an area that he holds to a high standard.

“Staff means everything,” he explained. “I think, as far as any of this goes, we’re like a family here. We’re a real tight-knit group, and we like it that way. It’s nice to see everybody working together for the same goal. Everyone cares — it’s the difference.”

With an aim of being Bethany’s local “Sports Center,” if there’s a game playing, you can bet that Burnzy’s will be showing it. With 10 televisions, a 70-inch screen, the NFL Sunday Ticket, and individual sound speakers for each table, Burnzy’s is looking to have everyone represented — no matter what team they’re cheering for.

And anytime an NFL football game is playing, you can bet that it’s happy hour at the bar, which also gets under way from 1-6 p.m. daily, in additional to Friday- and Saturday-night drink specials.

“It’s kind of for everybody,” Burns said. “I don’t want people to feel like they have to dress up to come here by any means, but I want them to feel like they could.”

The restaurant is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. all winter long, as well, with big plans upcoming that include live music and entertainment, shuttles to the bar, car show weekends, pig roasts and much more.

“Living around here, born and raised here — I know it’s hard to find a place to go on a Monday or Tuesday when the wintertime comes, so I did that. I keep the food as top quality as I can keep it, prices as reasonable as I can keep them and provide a really nice atmosphere, and I think that’s all you can do,” said Burns.

“I want Burnzy’s to be something that people talk about when they go home. I want them to tell other people about the food, the staff, entertainment — everything.”

For more information about Burnzy’s or to see the full menu, check out www.burnzys.com, or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/burnzysbarandgrill.

Burnzy’s Bar & Grill

Hours: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Happy Hour: 1- 6 p.m., daily

Location: 33544 Market Place, Bethany Beach

Phone: 302-829-8412

Website:www.burnzys.com

A nationally-known pet store is close to getting its final approvals to come to Millville.

The Millville Town Council has approved a preliminary site plan and final site plan for Petco, a retailer of pet supplies and services, with more than 1,500 stores across the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico.

Petco plans to expand a store unit to the west side of the Super Giant grocery store in Millville Town Center.

With Harry Kent and Steve Maneri absent on Dec. 8, the remaining three council members unanimously voted to approve the site plans.

“I know that Petco is very excited to be coming to the town of Millville,” said engineer Ring Lardner of Davis, Bowen & Friedel Inc. architecture and engineering services.

The rear of the building will be expanded by approximately 2,282-square-feet. The space will also be expanded by pushing the side wall into an empty neighboring unit.

But since the project is just an addition to the existing structure, Petco didn’t have to provide much information to get approval.

That being said, the drawings provided weren’t completely straightforward.

“From the drawing I have of how it is today … to me it looks as if the proposed addition is larger in scale than the one that’s already there,” Councilman Robert “Bob” Gordon said. “There’s no legend” to clarify that.

Although the drawing didn’t spell it out, the Petco unit will be widened and lengthened, Lardner confirmed.

The drawing showed only half of Millville Town Center as a series of large buildings, instead of individual units. There were no business or road names for reference.

Several people crowded around the map while Lardner explained the layout, including where Giant and the other shops were located.

The applicant met all requirements for site plan approval, with no objections from Sussex Conservation District or Delaware State Fire Marshal. The expansion won’t affect the fire lane.

Due to the disbanding of the Town Planning & Zoning Commission, the town council simultaneously conducted the preliminary review and final approval of the site plan.

Petco must still apply for building permits.

P&Z Committee made official

Due to the difficulty in filling seats on the Planning & Zoning Commission, the town council had disbanded the group in October, opting for a slightly more casual Planning & Zoning Committee.

This month, they changed the Town’s Zoning Code (Chapter 33) to reflect the changes and outline the duties of a P&Z Committee. Ordinance 16-04 passed with a majority of the quorum, 2-0-1, with Councilwoman Susan Brewer recusing herself.

Millville’s new committee will include the town manager, town code and building administrator (Eric Evans), town planner (Kyle Gulbronson of AECOM, formerly URS) and a town council member (Brewer).

The members will be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council. There are no defined terms for the appointments, although the former commission had three-year terms. Unless removed by the mayor and town council, each member will serve until a replacement member is appointed and confirmed.

Meetings and records will be open to the public.

The town charter doesn’t require a planning commission or committee, noted Town Manager Debbie Botchie.

Fire company gets grants

The Millville Volunteer Fire Company received approval, 3-0, to collect its Town grant money.

In June, the town council had approved a new $500 impact fee for new commercial and residential construction, specifically to benefit MVFC.

In the first three months, $26,500 was collected. The MVFC’s annual application stated the money will reduce loan principals for two ambulances and one traffic-control unit.

The funds may be used to buy new equipment or replace outdated items. It is not meant to pay salaries or to replace operational expenses. It doesn’t affect the Town budget.

Officially, the MVFC will submit receipts to receive reimbursement.

Although the vote was unanimous, Gordon said he was surprised that the fire company had sent no representatives to the council meeting.

• Ordinance 16-03 passed with a 3-0 vote, cleaning up some language by removing special exceptions requirements from the Board of Adjustment ordinance. That was previously overlooked when those requirements were removed from the zoning code.

• In the absence of two council members, Resolution 16-02 was tabled, as Millville considers requesting a charter change from Delaware State Legislature.

• The Millville Town newsletter has been released this week.

• The council will vote to accept contractor bids for the new municipal building on Dec. 22.

The next meeting will be the council’s workshop on Tuesday, Dec. 22, at 7 p.m.

Coastal Point • R. Chris Clark: Kristina Isom stands outside Mind, Body & Sole Wellness Center in Bethany Beach.Since Kristina Isom took over the Mind, Body & Sole Wellness Center in Bethany Beach, it’s seen its fair share of expansion. The facility has gone from what was simply a place for detoxification to expanding into saunas and massage therapy, and then again into facials, manicures and pedicure services.

But even after the newest addition this past October, taking over the adjacent studio for yoga, Zumba and Pilates classes, Isom still isn’t finished with what she envisions Mind, Body, & Sole becoming in the future, as she continues on her campaign for wellness in an area where she sees a growing demand for it.

“This is a growing area for wellness. There’s a need for it,” Isom said of the continued additions. “There’s a need for a place for people to come and feel comfortable taking care of themselves.” The yoga studio “was a great addition to what we already offer now.”

Isom’s interest in both physical and mental wellbeing began early, being introduced to physical fitness and proper nutrition by her mother’s involvement in bodybuilding and working out. However, the Pennsylvania native was working as a bank teller in South New Jersey when she started to hear her calling.

“I was working at a bank. I always loved working with my hands and always loved customer service,” she recalled. “I heard that there was a school down the street from where I lived that was a massage and facial school. I went in and loved the smell — everything smelled so clean and fresh and plant-based, and just felt right. I went in and was hooked.”

From there, she began developing skills in beauty and aesthetics, eventually going on to earn the title of Master Aesthetician. That was her original foray into health and beauty when she first moved to the area, starting off in natural nail services before landing a job at an Aveda salon in Ocean View.

She continued developing her knowledge and skills at a spa in Fenwick after that, but again she began to hear a calling, leaving to go off on her own before Mind, Body & Sole went up for sale at just the right time.

“I had just recently left a spa, and I kept hearing something in spirit, just kind of telling me it’s time to go,” Isom recalled. “I kept feeling the need to leave, and I finally did. I left and I had no plan.

“For a couple months, I was doing house calls, basically. I was doing home birthday parties, which I really loved — doing nail parties for little kids and seeing the joy that it would bring to them. But I was at this party and the mom had said, ‘Hey, did you here that Mind, Body & Sole in Bethany is up for sale?’ and I kind of felt that feeling again, saying ‘This is it,’ kind of like a spark.”

After going to check out the business and meeting former owner Michelle Salisbury, Isom said she knew right away where that spark had been sending her.

“That was it,” she said. “I pulled up, I shook Michelle’s hand and she told me, ‘You’re just what this place needs.’ It was right. It was perfect. It was definitely meant to be.”

Ever since then, Mind, Body & Sole has continued to offer more and more. First, she took over the space next door for beauty services and makeup services, before taking over another space for yoga, Zumba and Pilates. One of the major features is the spa’s infrared sauna, which can fit up to four people and sends out rays that penetrate the body and are believed to detoxify joints, muscles and organs.

“It’s actually a lot of fun to have a group of four come in. They have a lot of fun with it,” Isom noted. “Much better than just a steam sauna, it really penetrates down. It’s great for cleaning out the system, sore joints and losing weight — you feel a lot lighter and a lot better.”

The INF sauna’s dynamic for groups or individuals is exemplary of the atmosphere that Isom is trying to create for her clients, as whether they’re in for a facial, massage, full-body waxing, beauty, makeup or anything else, she wants them to enjoy taking care of themselves.

“It’s just a very nice environment, if you’re coming in to treat yourself or just need a little downtime or relaxation, it’s just a great place to be,” said Kim Bowden, a regular at Mind, Body & Sole. “That’s what this is about. It’s coming in to take care of yourself.”

“This is a social place for some people,” Isom added. “I have a handful of clients that come every Tuesday, Thursday or every Monday and Wednesday and this is their place to go — a lot of my clients were at my wedding. It’s definitely like family. I really try to just make it very warm and comfortable in here, and I just want people to have a good time and relax.”

But even with all the services already offered, Isom isn’t quite through with what she has planned for Mind, Body & Sole, as she continues to feel the “spark” — this time leading her into counseling, nutritional services, and possibly a food market and smoothie bar.

“That’s definitely the path that it’s headed down — this being a whole wellness center,” she explained, “not even just nutritional counseling — counseling in general. We also love integrating art and yoga and wellness, so we like to have a little fun, too.

“As we grow and expand, I’m looking for good people — good massage therapists, nail technicians… I would love another yoga instructor or any kind of fitness instructor, and we would love a nutritional counselor. I have a vision, and it’s gonna happen.”

The Mind, Body & Sole Wellness Center is located at 32892 Coastal Highway (Route 1), #3, in Bethany Beach, right behind Wilgus & Associates. For more information or a full list of services, visit their website at www.mindbody
solespa.com, or their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mindbody
sole.bethany, which is the best way to
keep up with cancelations, changes or
additions, Isom suggested.

The Coastal Region of Long & Foster, which includes the New Jersey shore, the beaches of Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland, recently congratulated its top producing agents and teams for the month of November 2015.

November’s top 10 agents by units year-to-date included local Realtors Ashley Brosnahan at No. 8, with 34 units, and Shirley Price, at No. 10, also with 34 units, both based in Bethany Beach.

November’s top 10 teams by volume year-to-date include the Leslie Kopp Group at No. 1, with $104,629,517 in volume, and the Allison Stine Team at No. 8, with $18,275,000 in volume, both based in Bethany Beach.

November’s top 10 teams by units year-to-date included the Leslie Kopp Group, with 132 units, and the Allison Stine Team, with 65 units.

“We are proud to announce this month’s top producing agents and teams in the Coastal Region, and congratulate them on their success,” said Terry Spahr, senior regional vice president of the Coastal Region of Long & Foster Real Estate. “These sales associates and teams are great examples of Long & Foster’s highly-trained professionals who go to great lengths to best serve clients seeking the total homeownership experience.”

For more information, visit www.LongandFoster.com.

For the fifth consecutive year, data compiled and released by the Sussex County Association of Realtors (SCAOR) earlier this month indicates a period of modest growth in the region’s real estate markets.

Again led by the coastal market, the numbers indicate nearly $1.52 billion in southern Delaware real estate changed hands in 2015, which is a 1 percent increase over the previous year.

There were more than 5,000 properties sold during the calendar year, also a 1 percent gain from 2014.

But sales exclusively in the category of “single-family homes,” which excludes commercial properties, lots and land, mobile homes and condominiums, were up 6 percent over 2014 figures.

“We’re continuing on this path of modest growth, and that’s really what we want to see here in southern Delaware year after year,” said 2016 SCAOR President Frank Serio. “We are fortunate to be buoyed by a strong coastal market, but overall the county is performing very well, as indicated by the fifth year in a row of positive data.”

Single-family home sales for 2015 accounted for more than $1 billion, with the average residential home in the county selling for a price of $359,395.

In total, 2,921 single-family homes were sold in Sussex County in 2015, with residential homes remaining on the market last year for an average of 86 days before sale.

“All in all, the data here is very positive and, most importantly, the rate of growth is slow and steady,” said Serio. “We may have had better overall years in the last decade but, as we later found out, it wasn’t sustainable. This steady rate of growth leads to a much healthier overall real estate market in Sussex County.”

Year-end figures revealed that more than 5,000 real estate transactions were completed in Sussex County during the last calendar year. That includes single-family homes, as well as more than $307 million in townhome and condominium sales, nearly $23 million in mobile home sales and more than $105 million in sales of lots and land. There were also 12 farms that were sold last year, with the average farm selling for approximately $475,000.

Commercial real estate, which has enjoyed a recovery of its own in the last couple of years, showed gains again in 2015, with nearly $34 million in commercial sales being conducted in the county. A total of 64 commercial properties changed hands during the previous calendar year.

The data released by SCAOR is compiled from the Association’s Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which tracks all data regarding real estate transactions in Sussex County.

To read more about issues related to Sussex County’s real estate industry, visit SCAOR’s website at www.scaor.com.

Bishop-Hastings Funeral Home rang in the new year early, with a rebranding ribbon-cutting ceremony held on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2015, to commemorate its new name. Family and friends joined new owner W. Bryan Bishop Jr., along with Selbyville Mayor Clifton C. Murray, and State Rep. Ron Gray in celebrating the rebranding.

Having worked at the home since 1994, Bishop said he wanted to maintain the long-standing history of Hastings Funeral Home by simply adding Bishop to the name. The ceremonial ribbon-cutting was followed by a reception in the parlor to showcase the facility.

The funeral home was founded in 1896 by Paynter F. Watson. Bishop is a licensed funeral director in both Delaware and Maryland. He is a member of the National Funeral Directors Association, the Delaware State Funeral Directors Association and the Delmarva Funeral Service Association.

Bishop-Hastings Funeral home is located in downtown Selbyville, at 19 South Main Street. For more information, visit the website at www.hastingsfuneralhome.net.

The Bethany Beach Town Council has formally made known its opposition to a development of six four-unit multi-family structures proposed to be built off Garfield Parkway on property that contains forested wetlands — 1.9 acres of which would be filled in by owners Stanley and Delores Walcek if permits from federal, state and local officials were granted.

At their Jan. 15 meeting, the council voted unanimously to issue an official response to a DNREC request for comment on the Walceks’ application for a federal consistency determination of feasibility for the project from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. That response was firmly negative. It was also the latest Town response to efforts by the family to develop the parcel that lies between Garfield Parkway and the Loop Canal, which have been ongoing since at least 2008.

Councilman Bruce Frye noted in his motion before the council that the Walceks were “continuing to seek approval” for the project, speaking to two prior attempts to develop the parcel, in 2008 and 2012, both of which were met with opposition from neighbors and Town officials.

While no plans have been submitted to the Town as yet, in its latest iteration, the development battle requests that the Corps find that the Walceks would be adequately mitigating the loss of the 1.9 acres of forested non-tidal wetlands along the flood-prone Loop Canal in Bethany by creating 4 acres of new wetlands at a location behind 84 Lumber in Clarksville.

Frye said in his comments that he felt new wetlands in that location “wouldn’t do much for Bethany.”

With the Dec. 20, 2015, request for the consistency termination came an opportunity for public comment, and the public has obliged, both through council members’ statements at the Jan. 15 meeting and letters to the editor, as well as letters addressed directly to DNREC and Corps officials, which are due prior to Feb. 12.

“I and many residents do not believe the development would be good for the town, especially in light of the recent flooding study from the Army Corps of Engineers, which basically says we have no cost-effective remedies for flooding,” Frye said. “We want solutions that mitigate flooding and want to avoid projects that would make flooding worse.

“Wetlands are natural sponges and filters for water. We should preserve them,” he added, noting also concerns about loss of wildlife habitat and increased traffic should the development off Route 26 go forward.

Resident Carl Tull also spoke in opposition to the proposal on Jan. 15, noting that filling the property would eliminate one of only two wetland areas near the Loop Canal. “It is one of only two that act as a sponge for all of the water that drains there, from Pennsylvania Avenue to the Loop Canal.”

Those who saw the area during and after Hurricane Sandy and the October 2015 nor’easter “know we have a serious flooding problem,” Tull emphasized, noting a nearby parking lot had been completely flooded and trees knocked down because of floodwaters during the latter storm.

“If you develop that land, you take away one of those two wetlands,” he added, noting also the potential loss of habitat and the ecological, as well as flooding-related, value of the property to the area.

Vice-Mayor Lew Killmer recommended those already preparing to fight the proposed development watch for further action by the Corps and other agencies.

“Even if this got approved by the Corps, the Walceks would have to meet all the requirements set forth in our code to build anything there,” he said, noting also approvals that would be needed from the Sussex County Soil Conservation District, DelDOT and DNREC. “This is one stage in a long process. It is not the end of the road in the event the Army Corps says, ‘Go ahead.’ It’s not that simple.”

Councilman Joseph Healy voiced his own concerns over the potential impact that the loss of the wetlands on the property could have.

“When we have a heavy storm … I drive behind St. Ann’s to look at the water back there. I can tell you it is just absolutely awful. Pennsylvania Avenue is bad, and I think all of us see that, but I go back there… I just can’t support using those wetlands for development,” he said.

Council members voted unanimously on Jan. 15 to send a letter of opposition to the project to the Corps ahead of the agency’s consideration of the Walceks’ request for Corps approval.

A long history

of development

attempts, opposition

Should the Walceks garner approval from the Corps to develop the land by filling in 1.9 acres, it could be the third time they would come in front of the Town with a plan to build there, with prior attempts made in 2008 and 2012.

In 2008, the property at 501 Garfield Parkway (Lots 10, 9, 8 and part of 5, Block 25, in the R1 zoning district) — on the north side of Route 26, opposite Candle Light Lane and adjacent to the Loop Canal, between Hudson Avenue and Weigand Lane — was proposed for a planned residential development (PRD) or minor subdivision.

A sketch-plan review was held by the Planning Commission in January 2008, which elicited a number of criticisms, comments and suggestions from commissioners. The commissioners don’t vote on approval of a sketch plan but use the process to give the applicant feedback on whether the proposal meets the requirements of town code and whether it fits in the area proposed, as well as to offer a chance for neighbors to comment on the proposed project.

In addition to seeking to confirm whether the project would be a PRD or minor subdivision, the commissioners in 2008 suggested the Walceks better describe the wetlands on the property and make changes to proposed roadways within it, as well as make changes to proposed setbacks and better illustrate features including ditches and recreational areas, and consider drainage issues.

Further, the commissioners told the Walceks: “At the meeting, a number of neighbors whose properties are adjacent to your property expressed their concern as to a possible negative impact that your proposed development will have on stormwater-related flooding in this area of the Town that is currently prone to flooding.

“Their concern is directly addressed in the Town Code: §200-43. Lots. C: ‘Where there is a question as to the suitability of a lot or lots, the Planning Commission may, after adequate investigation of flood conditions, wetlands or similar conditions, withhold development approval of such areas.”

The project did not move forward in the Town’s approval process at that time. Typically, a more formal plan would have been submitted thereafter by the applicant.

Then, in March 2012, a new PRD application was submitted to the Planning Commission, immediately garnering public attention as it once again went for sketch plan review of the proposal for six four-unit buildings, with an entrance on Route 26.

Official minutes from that meeting state, “Mr. Killmer acknowledged that there is much public interest involved with this application, which is why it will be advertised much in advance, even though it is not a requirement. He asked the Commissioners to review the requirements in the Zoning Code prior to the meeting to be sure that there is no violation of the Code.”

Killmer “explained that Mr. Walcek informed the Town that, in essence, before the Army Corps of Engineers makes a final decision on an application, they prefer to have knowledge of how the Town views the application. He added that the Army Corps of Engineers ultimately votes on all applications submitted to them, and it is difficult for the Planning Commission to make a decision on the application without having knowledge of the concerns of and/or conditions the Army Corps places on the property in question.”

Then-commissioner (now Councilman) Chuck Peterson said at the time that “determining the Corps’ assessment of filling wetlands for the feasibility study could solve this issue.”

Then-commissioner (now Councilman) Fulton Loppatto also raised the issue of a lawsuit and appeal in federal courts by the Walceks over issues related to past efforts to develop the property and denial of approvals from the Corps.

In April 2012, the commission deemed the submitted plan to have met the requirements of the zoning code but noted that the entire property was composed of roughly 12 acres of wetlands and that an application was before the Corps, asking them to allow the Walceks to fill in about 2 acres so that they would not be classified as wetlands.

“No further action by the Town will take place until the Army Corps of Engineers approves the project,” the meeting minutes stated at that time.

Corps has fought

past efforts

to develop property

Four years later, the Corps has yet to issue such an approval, but the agency could potentially offer some form of approval when answering the Walceks’ most recent request for a consistency determination.

In the past, the Corps has blocked development of the wetlands property, even issuing cease-and-desist orders when the family had previously proceeded with filling portions of it, despite having been warned about their status as protected wetlands.

The Walceks’ appeal of a related case in the federal courts resulted in September 2002 in an upholding of a finding against them. The decision in that case notes that the Walceks had purchased 14.5 acres of land for $117,731, in two transactions, in 1971, shortly before passage in 1972 of the Clean Water Act (which would later come into play), with the intent to develop the property to supplement their retirement income.

According to the decision, “The Walceks failed to investigate the potential physical or regulatory impediments to development of the property prior to purchasing it. The Court of Federal Claims found that: Before purchasing the Property, neither Mr. Walcek nor any of the other plaintiffs conducted any systematic studies of the Property, regarding such things as soil type, underground springs or other circumstances that might impact on its suitability for development.

“Nor, prior to the purchase, did any of the plaintiffs contact any engineering or land-use consultants regarding the Property, or attempt to secure any information regarding any existing or impending federal restrictions on the development of the Property.”

The decision states that somewhere between 4.5 and 5.2 acres of the property were mapped as wetlands by the State and that filling any portion would require approval from the State. It also states that it was understood that there was “no reasonable likelihood that such approval would be granted [by the State] to allow residential development.”

A portion of the property also falls below the mean high-tide water mark, which makes it subject to federal regulation, which prohibits construction that impacts navigable waters without approval by the Corps, with the Corps’ “public interest review” adding as concerns environmental and conservation issues, as well as purely navigational impacts.

In 1972, 13.2 acres became subject to regulation under the Clean Water Act, as federally regulated wetlands. That meant a permit from the Corps to fill and develop the property, as well as a Water Quality Certification and Coastal Zone Management Consistency Certification from the State of Delaware, were all required to be obtained before the property could be developed.

According to the 2002 decision, in March 1984, the Walceks entered contract to sell the property for $1 million to a group of investors, contingent upon the buyer obtaining necessary permits for the construction and sale of 60 or more townhouse units. The decision states that it was at that time, Stanley Walcek said, that he first realized the property was wetlands.

Having asked the Corps to identify the contours of the wetlands on the property, Walcek was subsequently told that there were 13.2 acres of federally regulated wetlands, with 4 to 5 of those acres being State-regulated tidal wetlands. The Walceks then released the buyer from the contract, the decision states.

In 1987, it was noted, the Walceks had pursued a border-to-border 77-lot residential development on the property, and began filling and developing the property without permits. The Corps issued a cease-and-desist order, with which the Walceks eventually complied, the decision stated.

In 1998, the family submitted to the Corps and DNREC applications for the authority to fill and develop the property. The Corps denied that approval and instead proposed alternatives, which the decision stated the Walceks considered economically unviable.

According to the 2002 decision, in 1994, the Walceks filed a federal complaint alleging the Corps had engaged in both permanent and temporary taking of the property, arguing that the 1993 decision by the Corps had rendered useless the economic value of the property and that a temporary taking had happened based on the delay between the 1986 cease-and-desist order and the 1993 permit denial. A summary judgement had found that no taking had occurred.

In 1996, the Corps issued the Walceks a permit to authorize some development of the property, but less than the Walceks had requested. The Corps authorized a 28-lot residential development on two cul-de-sacs, allowing them to fill up to 2.2 acres, conditioned upon their mitigation of that loss of wetlands by creating or restoring 4.4 acres of other wetlands.

(That is a similar situation to that currently proposed, with a specific location of those new or restored wetlands having apparently been determined by the family but not yet approved by the Corps. The federal consistency determination by the Corps that the Walceks are currently requesting could decide whether the Corps finds the replacement wetlands sufficient to meet their previously stated condition for development of the Bethany property.)

In the 2002 decision, the court determined no compensable taking had taken place as a result of the Corps’ cease-and-desist order but allowed that there had been a non-compensable diminution in value, though the determination by the Corps had still allowed the Walceks “to realize to a not insignificant degree their reasonable expectations in developing the property.”

All of this information was made available to the council in the briefing book for their Jan. 15, 2016, meeting, via a request for information (a copy of which is online at http://www.townofbethanybeach.com/archive.aspx?amid=&type=&adid=1866), with the full 2002 court decision online at http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-federal-circuit/1161108.html.

The closing date for comments on the current application to the Corps is Feb. 12. It is unknown when a feasibility determination from the Corps might be forthcoming. No new proposal to develop the project had been received by the Town as of the council vote Jan. 15, and their most recent action on the prior proposal had been the commissioners’ ruling that no action would be taken without Corps approval of the proposal to develop the property.

Coastal Point • R. Chris Clark: Erik Schreiber works the bag at the new Custom Fit 360 facility in Millville.Accept the challenge.

That’s what Erik Schreiber told himself he had to do when, after making a career out of fitness, he finally decided to open his own gym last month. And at Custom Fit 360 in Millville, that’s what he asks his clients to do, too.

What he doesn’t ask those clients to do, however, is work out the way that he works out, or the way that anyone else works out, for that matter, because, as the name suggests, Custom Fit 360 is all about one thing: customizing the fitness experience for each individual client.

“Everybody has different things that they need to work on,” Schreiber explained. “You’re not gonna get P90X in here. You’re not gonna get Jillian Michaels — because that’s not customized; everybody does the same thing. You’re gonna get your own workout based on what your goals are, and we’re gonna accomplish those goals by working together.”

Individualizing everything from the exercises to the way he puts his clients through them, and even down the music selection, Schreiber is able to put the focus on specific, and typically very different, needs.

One of those clients has been local restauranteur Steve Hagen of the Off the Hook Restaurant Group, who has lost more than 30 pounds since signing up with Schreiber around three months ago.

“He’s customized my workouts for me,” Hagen said, putting the emphasis on the “me,” and also noting that the training has helped both his back problems and his golf game. “What’s impressed me the most are the results. I’ve made gains I didn’t think were possible before I started, and now I’m obsessed about what he has in store from week to week. I’m proud he has started his own business and believe he has a recipe for success, in building on his existing clientele and reputation in our ever-growing community.”

The rapport with his clients is another thing that Schreiber prides himself and his new business on, with his growing reputation leading to an array of fitness-seekers.

“My oldest client is 78,” Schreiber said. “I specialize in functional fitness, functional movement, just making everyday tasks easier, like picking up your laundry basket and putting it on a shelf.”

Playing semi-professional football as a linebacker for the Delmarva Crusaders, Schreiber of course knows a thing or two about adding size, speed and agility for more intense workouts and holds his fair share of clients from local high school football teams looking to do just that, as well. But with a young child of his own at home, some of his senior clients, such as the one he helped be able to pick up her grandson, really hit home with him.

“She’s 63, and when we first started working together, she couldn’t pick up her grandson. She didn’t have the strength.” he explained. “It’s emotional. It makes you emotional, imagining if my mother couldn’t pick up my kid, or just myself not being able to tie my shoes. It’s such a small thing, but it takes away so much of your independence.”

Even though his new business venture is rewarding, Schreiber also noted that it was still a little bit scary finally being off on his own. Originally from the Fairfax, Va., area, Schreiber spent six months in St. Thomas before deciding to move back to the States, choosing the area after always being fond of it from spending vacations at the Schreiber’s family beach house. It’s here that he not only found a home to finally launch his dream and start his business, but a home to start his family, as well.

“It’s still surreal — it’s like with my son — I still can’t believe it. I’m not working for somebody else anymore, I’m working for myself,” he said with a laugh after noting that he finally made the leap when his wife gave him permission. “We’ve been talking about this for so long. It’s super-exciting.”

But no matter what he’s feeling about the new venture, one thing’s for certain: Erik Schreiber is ready to “accept the challenge.”

“I like the ‘You fail 100 percent of the times you don’t try,’” he said of his philosophy. “Exercise is challenging, especially for people that haven’t been doing it. I’m gonna challenge you. Challenge yourself. Accept the challenge.”

Right now, Custom Fit 360 is offering introductory pricing and taking on clients of all needs. Also offered at the facility are classes in Muay Thai, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and boxing for youths and adults from instructor Noel Bowman and Bowman Systems. For more on Custom Fit 360, check them out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/customfit360 or their website at www.customfit360de.com. Custom Fit 360 is located at 35259 Atlantic Avenue in Millville, in the same shopping center as Al Casapulla’s. To schedule a consultation, call (703) 626-3157.

Coastal Point • Submitted: An undated photograph of Woody Sturgis, owner of Woody’s Diner, the original name of Doyle’s.The number embossed on the door of Doyle’s restaurant in Selbyville reads “5092.” It is a number that tells the very beginning of a story that now spans 65 years and is firmly planted in the area’s history — a history that includes agriculture, as well as tourism.

Originally called Woody’s Diner, after owner Woody Sturgis, the restaurant has been verified to be the oldest “Silk City Diner” still operating in Delaware — which is part of the story told by that 5092 on the door. It signifies, according to Brandon Doyle, that the diner was built in 1950 and it was the 92nd “dining car” — which is what the Silk City Diners actually were — built by the Paterson Vehicle Co. that year.

Doyle, whose family has operated the restaurant since 1983, takes pride in the fact that the diner appears today just about the same as it did in 1951, when Woody’s Diner opened. Coverings on stools and booths have been replaced over the years, and somewhere along the way the original blue coverings were replaced with red ones. But otherwise, the diner is very much unchanged — thanks in part to the Doyle’s efforts to find authentic replacement parts when they are needed.

Much like restoring and maintaining a classic car, maintaining the diner is a labor of love for Doyle.

“Finding pieces and parts is very difficult,” he said. “When you do find them, they’re just astronomically expensive.” But when he does find authentic replacement parts — such as the clock that now hangs over the counter — it’s satisfying.

Doyle marvels at the sliding door at the front of the diner — the fact that it is original, and that “It’s still loud!”

While the original diner car is still the “face” of Doyle’s along Route 113, several additions have added to the restaurant’s ability to serve its patrons over the years. Large dining rooms now accommodate weddings, community meetings and other gatherings.

Doyle, 40, grew up hanging out at the restaurant and playing in the fields nearby. He recalls baseball games where the tax ditch at the edge of the property was a “home run,” by virtue of the fact that no one wanted to attempt retrieval of balls that landed there.

Over the years, Doyle watched his father, Mike Doyle, working hard to assure the continued success of the restaurant, and longtime employees, including Sheila Evans — who started working at the restaurant as a young teen, continued through college and now still works there part-time, even though her “day job” is teaching. Another employee, server Carol Phillips, has worked at Doyle’s for more than 25 years.

“There are 65 years of stories” within the restaurant’s walls, Doyle said. He pointed to a booth in the corner of the diner — the spot where Dick Clark and Connie Francis once dined. While he doesn’t know the exact date, Doyle said the story is definitely true and that the couple dined there “in their heyday.”

More regional luminaries would often stop in, such as longtime Baltimore mayor William Donald Schaefer and Ocean City mayor Roland “Fish” Powell — who would always sit at opposite ends of the diner if they were there at the same time, Doyle said.

Among the stories that the walls of Doyle’s could tell are many that tie into the area’s rich agricultural history — none more important than the restaurant’s role in the formation of the Eastern Shore Poultry Grower’s Exchange.

The Doyles like to say the organization was “hatched” during meetings of poultry growers in the restaurant in 1951. The industry was a few decades old at that point, and many growers were struggling because they were either being poorly paid or not paid at all.

Grower I.B. Hudson, Doyle said, proposed the establishment of auctions, like ones he had seen for the onion growers of Texas, where he had lived previously. Such a move, Hudson thought, might give poultry farmers more control. Soon, an auction was set up just up the road from what was then Woody’s Diner.

Then, the restaurant’s role in the newly re-energized industry expanded, when a bank of phones was installed in a small room off the dining area, so that poultry farmers could place auction bids.

Today, Doyle’s continues to serve as a community hub, hosting monthly coffee hours with state Rep. Rich Collins, as well as meetings of local organizations.

Brandon Doyle said the restaurant’s fried chicken is definitely the most popular item on the menu, along with its turkey and roast beef dinners and local seafood favorites, such as crabcakes and soft-shell crab sandwiches.

Not everything on the menu has stayed the same, though. In the early 1950s, a crabcake sandwich could be had for 40 cents, as shown on a vintage menu displayed in the restaurant. For many years, a greenhouse next to the restaurant produced vegetables for the restaurant — “tomatoes, cukes, squash, zucchini — all the good summer vegetables we all love around here,” Doyle said.

Today’s customers are just as likely to be tourists as poultry farmers, and the growing influx of retirees in southeastern Sussex County keeps the restaurant full year-round, Doyle said. Bridge players and retired Baltimore Gas & Electric employees meet there regularly, and along with weddings and other celebrations, Doyle’s often hosts meals for those who are gathering following the death of a loved one, he said.

A new sign erected in front of the restaurant by the Delaware State Archives honors the restaurant’s history, and dignitaries, as well as former owners, have gathered to celebrate its 65 years as an anchor for a community whose course is ever-changing.

Stacks of historical memorabilia, from old pictures of the restaurant to a 1923 bank calendar, sit in a spare room in the office behind the restaurant — a testament to the eatery’s place in the history of Selbyville and the faithfulness of its owners to their roles as stewards of that history.

Doyle said that Mike, his dad, is the historian in the family, with a love for antiques, including Depression glass — some of which is displayed in the restaurant.

Like the vintage jukebox in the diner that still cranks “oldies” from the diner’s early years, the beat goes on seven days a week, 14 hours a day, at Doyle’s.

These days, Brandon Doyle gets to watch a new generation of his family making his mark on the restaurant. His 2-year-old son Mykolas is a frequent presence, he said.

“He likes to run through the dining room” Doyle said, stopping occasionally to look up and say “Hi.”

Carl M. Freeman Companies recently announced plans for a new 19,000-square-foot fitness center and indoor pool at Bayside Fenwick Island, an award-winning resort golf community in Selbyville. A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for Friday, April 8, at 10 a.m. on the site of the new amenity, which will be located near the newly-opened Welcome Center at the entrance to the community. Bayside is located on Route 54 at Americana Boulevard.

This state-of-the-art fitness center, scheduled to open in 2017, includes a 25 yard heated indoor pool, hot tub, men’s and women’s locker rooms each outfitted with sauna options. Included in the plans is a 3,000-square-foot full service fitness and cardio facility, a 600-plus-square-foot aerobics area and a multipurpose room for programming. Permitting is underway and construction will be begin in mid May.

Plans for use of the new facility space will enable members the opportunity to enjoy group fitness classes, personal training, children’s swim programs, convenient food offerings and so much more.

“This facility aligns perfectly with the needs of our increasing year-round, health conscious residents in the community. Members can enjoy group fitness classes, personal training, children’s swim programs, convenient food offerings and so much more,” said Chris Garland, senior vice president of development for the Carl M. Freeman Companies. “The indoor pool and fitness center further cements Bayside as one of the most desirable communities at the beach,” he added.

Bayside Fenwick Island is an award-winning, planned developed by the Carl M. Freeman Companies. The property features an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course managed by Troon Golf, year-round lighted tennis courts, miles of trails for outdoor activities and a private community pier to accommodate water–related activities. The community is home to the Bayside Institute, which offers members the chance to explore fascinating subjects and ignite new passions.

For more information about Carl M. Freeman Companies, visit www.freemancompanies.com or call (240) 453-3000. For more information about Bayside, visit www.livebayside.com or call (302) 436-9998.

Coastal Point • R. Chris Clark: Lili Oller is all smiles about her new store, Water Lili, on the Bethany Beach boardwalk.It just kind of worked out.

The space for her store of 10 years in Rehoboth Beach was being renovated. There was a divorce that was winding down. And an oceanfront spot right on the Bethany Beach boardwalk had just opened up.

Factor in that her partner — a Bethany legend who goes by the handle “Bodji” — knew the landlord, and that she padded by the spot on her stand-up paddleboard (SUP) every morning anyway, and Lili Oller didn’t have to think twice about opening up her new store, Water Lili, as everything else seemed to fall into place.

“This is the rebirth. This is the new beginning,” said Oller, who had previously owned Tiger Lili in Rehoboth. “I was like, ‘Alright, I’m just gonna dive into this, because I so believe in this.’ This is not work. This is my life.”

An avid SUP-er and ocean advocate, with a worldly travel résumé and off-the-wall passion for fashion, Oller opened up shop last week, aiming to introduce Bethany Beach to her signature — yet always changing — bohemian beach style.

An array of versatile clothing options, ranging from beachwear to casual and evening wear, as well as jewelry, eyewear, handbags, footwear, accessories and vintage T-shirts, flannels and even a few garments without universal classifications, are just a slice of the lifestyle that can be typically found at the newest hotspot on the boards. And, according to some of the locals turned already-loyal Water Lili customers, it’s exactly what the area has been waiting for.

“Some of the stores have a lot of old-lady stuff, and this store does not,” said Ocean View resident Cindy Timmerman with a laugh. “Without question, we needed something like this. I think the store is fabulous. I think there’s a lot of just really interesting, different stuff. It’s the kind of thing I like.”

While she’s originally from Panama and frequently still drops out for fashion-related travels to the West Coast and down to Rincon, Puerto Rico, to visit her daughter, Oller is a long-time local with roots firmly entrenched in the Bethany Beach area — which her store reflects from the merchandise all the way down to the motifs.

Behind her vision and Bodji’s craftsmanship, each display case, table, shelf and accent wall has been designed and forged out of local repurposed materials, such as old barn wood, Puerto Rican sea glass, threadbare denim and even a retired Bethany Beach lifeguard chair with the names of past guards still carved into the grain.

Also present around the shop are photos of trips gone by and outings with “The Mermaid Mamas” — Olley’s SUP group, which never misses a sunrise paddle during the summer months. Along with the actual Atlantic only 100-some-odd yards away, it’s just another way to remind Oller of her new chance to share her way of life with the area by way of the store she’s come to reverently refer to as “the baby.”

“That’s what I’m selling, is the lifestyle,” said Oller. “This is my life and Bodji’s life — we live for the water. We want everybody to experience and have a taste of our lifestyle, and that’s what I’m projecting here at ‘the baby.’

“We used to come to the beach every day to look at it, before we had the store. Now we get to look at the water every day. I can never take this for granted. I park miles away so that I can walk the boardwalk and look at the water — it’s awesome.”

While what’s on the shelves is typically inspired by what’s in the water, Water Lili is by no means the average T-shirt shop. In fact, not only does Oller look to bring in items off the beaten path, but once they’ve been in the store once, chances are they probably won’t be again.

“Expect the unexpected. I’m all about the fashion. Whatever’s on fire, I’m jumping on it,” Oller said. “I don’t want to sell what everybody has — it has to have something special.

“I go everywhere, and I buy with passion. I’ve always been known to have totally different — it’s very edgy. It’s very bohemian. There’s a lot of lace. There’s a lot of flowy, earthy stuff. If it’s not moving… I’m moving it.”

Right now, Oller is carrying several exclusive items — including some she’s even designed herself. Water Lili is currently the only brick-and-mortar store to purchase anything from the SUP Mermaid line from SUP Life, and soon to arrive will be a line of Puerto Rican-designed bikinis, special for the store, to go along her own “sari shorts” from India.

Then, of course, there’s all the hot-selling items, including the three-way top called “The Best Top You’ll Ever Have,” a select line of “bralettes” and other hip favorites, such as patchouli oils and Indo Boards. But, no matter what’s in stock, Oller is just glad to be back in business and doing what she loves.

“I love it. I love what I do,” she said. “I can’t punch a clock. That’s not me. I’m here in front of what I love. This is not work… this is home.”

Water Lili is located in the Blue Surf building, at 98 Garfield Parkway, #101, on the Bethany Beach boardwalk and is open every day at 10 a.m. The store phone number is (302) 539-1110, and Oller encourages people to check them out on Facebook and on Instagram, @waterlilibethanybeach.

Coastal Point • Kerin Magill: Chris Poeschl, left, and Tony Lanuza, right, of the Brooklyn Baking Barons, take a break in their Berlin, Md., bakery. The two will appear on the ABC television show ‘The Chew’ on Friday, April 15. They are planning to appear on the morning of their national TV debut on Ocean City’s 98.1 radio station.Not long ago, Tony Lanuza and Chris Poeschl of Ocean View were living the stereotypical “struggling artist” life in New York City. But on April 15, the two men — partners in life, as well as entrepreneurship — will appear beside world-renowned chef Mario Batali on the ABC TV show “The Chew.”

Their baked goods company, “The Brooklyn Baking Barons,” produces a Honey Whiskey Cake that has made its way onto People magazine’s holiday gift guide and into homes of celebrities including Batali, who apparently now buys the cakes for celebrations with his family.

The golden palm-sized mini-cakes may be their ticket to stardom, but they actually had the humblest of beginnings. It was Poeschl’s birthday, and, according to Lanuza, finances were too tight to buy him a gift, so he offered to bake him something. Poeschl asked for “a Caribbean rum cake, but not a rum cake,” he said.

The resulting cake has been the pair’s ticket to success. That success is due in no small part to a previous visit to “The Chew” — not as guests, but as audience members, with free tickets. Wanting to take full advantage of the opportunity, the two decided to bake up some honey cakes for the hosts, as well as the crew.

At that point, they were baking the cakes in the kitchen of a New York restaurant and “selling hundreds of desserts per week,” Poeschl said.

The honey cake was such a big hit on the set that co-host and Iron Chef Michael Symon tweeted its praises. “When [Symon] says, ‘That’s my best sweet bite of the year,’ you’re like, Ohhhhhh!” Poeschl said, raising his arms in the air for emphasis.

Soon after, the cakes were on a holiday favorites list compiled for People by food blogger, cookbook author and Food Network show star Ree Drummond, also known as “the Pioneer Woman.” At that point, both men knew their tiny New York kitchen was not going to allow them to keep up with demand for their cakes.

Through a fortuitous series of events, including a family wedding, Lanuza and Poeschl became aware of the availability of bakery space in Berlin, Md. Lanuza had grown up coming to the Ocean View area every summer, working at local eateries such as DiFebo’s and Maureen’s Ice Cream as a teen, so he was familiar with the area.

They moved into their 5,000-square-foot space, which is 10 times the space they had in New York, just as the holiday rush hit — a good thing, because, at the height of the holidays, they were filling several hundred orders a day — 3,000 orders in two weeks, according to Lanuza. “I’m very proud to say that we made it through,” Poeschl said.

The two have used the relative calm of the post-holiday months to come up with a few more tasty treats to market, including a limoncello poppy seed cake and a cinnamon-roll Caribbean rum cake.

They have also perfected their signature packing — which includes vacuum-sealing the cakes to keep them fresh and retain their mouthwatering moistness — to the point where they now ship cakes overseas.

Although April 15 will be their national television debut in the United States, they have already appeared on a New York morning talk show and a Japanese TV show. That, they both agreed, was surreal — especially when the only words they understood once the show was finalized in Japanese were “Honey Whiskey Cakes.” It was one of those experiences, Lanuza said, where you ask yourself later, “Did that really happen?”

While their focus has been getting their mail-order business running smoothly, now that they have a home base near the Maryland and Delaware coast, the Brooklyn Baking Barons are very interested in expanding their presence in local restaurants. A holiday trial in DiFebo’s in Bethany Beach was successful, and the pair hopes to expand on that.

“There is such a thriving food scene down here” — one which they fully intend to be a part of Poeschl said.

“Everybody asks us all the time, ‘You moved from Brooklyn to Ocean View?’” Lanuza said.

The two are finding the area to be a good fit for them, and a definite boost for their ability to function as a company. In the city, Poeschl said, “Small tasks take so much longer. Being here really allows us to focus and not be distracted by the crippling anxiety of New York City.”

Even though Poeschl, 27, and Lanuza, 28, have spent much of their adult lives in New York, both grew up in small towns — Poeschl outside Dayton, Ohio, and Lanuza in central Pennsylvania.

Neither has formal training in culinary arts, but Poeschl said that, when he was much younger, he thought he wanted to be a chef when he grew up.

“My earliest memories are of standing on a chair in the kitchen, peeling potatoes with my mom,” he said.

“I went to school for theater and French, and now I make cakes for a living,” he said. “But I have zero regrets. I love it, every single day.”

After their appearance on “The Chew” airs (ABC-TV, locally at 1 p.m. April 15), more good things could happen for Lanuza and Poeschl — a producer told them after the show was taped in February to “expect a phone call” — and they said they can’t wait to find out what that all means.

They already have an incredible story, which Lanuza succinctly sums up: “In a year and a half, we went from two guys who were unemployed to being on a national TV show.”

“We’re building our own little empire out of sugar and butter,” he said.

Buoyed by a stronger-than-forecasted first quarter, the Sussex County Association of Realtors (SCAOR) announced this week a revised outlook for 2016 that would continue what they described as a years-long period of modest and steady growth in southern Delaware’s real estate markets.

A total of 864 homes were sold in Sussex County between Jan.1 and March 31, a number they said has industry professionals hopeful and confident of another strong year at the local level.

“To be closing an average of nearly 10 properties a day during the winter months is indeed impressive and has us all anticipating another positive year here in Sussex County,” said Frank Serio, 2016 president of SCAOR. “Of course, the most active months of the year are still ahead of us, and we’re excited to see how the market will fare during the spring and summer periods. We’re certainly expecting very good things during this year’s high season.”

Countywide, the average sales price for a three-bedroom residential home continues to hover around the $250,000 mark, as it has for some time. Homes with four bedrooms or more are selling for an average of just under $500,000 in Sussex County, with the majority of those sales occurring in the coastal areas.

First-quarter data also indicates that homes are selling faster in Sussex County thus far in 2016, with one in every four homes remaining on the market for 30 days or less and 38 percent of homes going under contract in less than two months.

“All in all, we remain optimistic that 2016 as a whole is going to be very good for real estate here in southern Delaware,” said Serio. “Interest in the area has remained strong, and we expect it to be even stronger now that spring has arrived and more people are going to be visiting our area, whether to vacation or to visit with loved-ones.

“Sussex County is the fastest growing county in Delaware in terms of home sales, and we expect that trend will continue for the rest of this year and for many years to come.”

In addition to strong single-family home sales, Serio said all other segments are also trending in a positive way, including lots and land, townhomes and condominiums, farms and commercial properties.

The data released by SCAOR is compiled from the Association’s Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which tracks all data regarding real estate transactions in Sussex County.

To read more about issues related to Sussex County’s real estate industry, visit SCAOR’s website at www.scaor.com.

Delmarva Power electric and gas customers this month and into May will see a $122.64 and $49.95 credit, respectively, on their monthly bill, the first of the benefits they will receive as part of the merger completed last month between Exelon and Pepco Holdings Inc., the parent company of Delmarva Power.

The credits will be automatically applied to each household’s bill as part of a broader package of benefits that representatives of the company said will make energy more affordable for Delmarva Power customers in Delaware as a direct result of the merger. The credits are applied to the bill balance and will be reflected on each customer’s bill.

“This is only the beginning of the many benefits resulting from our merger with Exelon,” said Gary Stockbridge, Delmarva Power region president. “Beyond the bill credit, there are financial, environmental and reliability benefits, as well as additional assistance programs for those most in need and guaranteed ongoing philanthropic contributions for the next 10 years in the communities we serve.”

For more information about the Exelon Rate Credit, visit delmarva.com/billcredit or call 1-800-375-7117.

Other merger benefits for Delmarva Power customers in Delaware include:

• $2 million in workforce development over two years;

• $2 million energy efficiency program for low-income customers;

• Higher standards for the reliability of electric service for customers;

• Continued commitment to workforce diversity;

• Debt forgiveness for accounts over three years past due for low-income families.

Exelon and Pepco Holdings completed their merger transaction on March 23, following the approval of the merger by the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia. The merger has brought together Exelon’s three electric and gas utilities (BGE, ComEd and PECO) and Pepco Holdings’ three electric and gas utilities (Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco).

Bruce Mears Designer Builder was selected as the “People’s Choice” winner in Integrity’s 2015 Red Diamond Achiever (RDA) Program, which awards architects, builders and remodelers for cutting-edge design and sustainability through the use of Integrity Windows & Doors.

“Red Diamond Achiever Award winners represent the absolute best in the building profession,” said Becky Felling, director of marketing for Integrity Windows & Doors. “These exceptionally high-quality projects show the value that Integrity brings to trade professionals and homeowners alike: windows and doors that use the pioneering Ultrex material, and have an incredible amount of options to get just the right look for any project. It’s exciting to honor these innovators as 2015 Red Diamond Achiever winners.”

The People’s Choice Award is given to the project with the largest number of popular votes, as voted on by the public.

“I’m honored to have been chosen to be a part of the 2015 RDA Award winners,” said Mears. “I look forward to entering my projects into the Red Diamond Achiever contests for years to come.”

Mears won the 2015 RDA People’s Choice Award with his bayside Newhouse Project, located on the bay side of Bethany Beach in Delaware, with panoramic views of the water. Unique to this project was installing Integrity’s first four-panel sliding door, which suited the seaside climate and opened up the home with views of the coast.

To learn more about Bruce Mears Designer/Builder homes, visit brucemears.com. To learn more about the RDA and see the winning projects, visit integritywindows.com/RDA.