Dollars & Sense

The Selbyville Planning & Zoning Commission voted this week to recommend that the Town Council approve a request for a farmers’ market to be held at the corner of Route 17 and Williams Street in Selbyville.

Berlin, Md., resident Jeannie Mariner had approached the council Jan. 9 for permission to host a weekly farmers’ market at the lot her family owns in Selbyville.

Mandatory mediation for foreclosures is now a reality in Delaware – at least for the next two years.

Delaware’s minimum wage rate could increase by $1 in the next two years, but it’s not likely to happen without a fight.

Decorating around the holidays has become a tradition, synonymous with the Christmas season, from lights and garland and stockings on the mantle to the iconic evergreen that seems to flood a room with holiday cheer. But for many, including Craig Thomas, it was the decor below the tree that resonated the spirit of Christmas.

After nearly 50 years on the business stage in Selbyville, C&E Furniture will bow out by the end of this year.

There are new waves being made at Aquacare Physical Therapy. With an extensive, all-inclusive facility, qualified and trained specialists, and an emphasis not only upon rehabilitation and therapy but education, more and more clients are finding ways to better their lives and their well-being.

Growing up in the area together, Lloyd Bare and Mark Baull have become close friends, and for more than a decade, they have been coworkers, as well. But working in the automotive industry as long as these two have, it was just a matter of time until they took things into their own hands. Late last month, the two started up Crossroads Auto Repair in Selbyville, with an aim of offering fair prices and quality work.

\Entrepreneur Peter Koslowski has worn many hats – as a seafaring engineer in the Merchant Marine, as owner of several nautical-themed shops and now as owner of Peter Stone Jewelry, which has its U.S. wholesale marketing office in Selbyville.

For the better part of two decades, Carolina Street in Fenwick Island has been outfitting homes and gardens with an eclectic mix of one-of-a-kind pieces, including artwork, furniture, jewelry, home decor, woodworks, pottery and much more.

Just in time for fall and the second half of hurricane season, there is a new shutter and blind business in the area — Delaware Shutter Inc. The shop is run by Garret Layton, son of Mary Ann of Mary Ann’s Interiors in Ocean View, and his partner, Debbie Fuchs.

Karen Apostolico has always had an appreciation for yesterday’s treasures. After retiring to Millsboro from Wilmington four years ago, she has finally brought her passion to fruition, having opened Caroline’s Cottage in early June. The old house-turned-shop, located downtown, on Main Street, combines an artistic mix of vintage and contemporary pieces, including clothes, furniture, art, jewelry, ceramics and much more.

For Shaun Welsh, cutting hair has always been a way of life. Back in Severna Park, Md., he had been running his barber shop for decades. But earlier this month, fortune came his way in the form of business and pleasure, as Welsh, with a little help from his friends, landed more than a new business in north Ocean City, Md.

Since the start of the summer, Pizzelli’s has been providing the Selbyville area with savory Italian dishes and desserts alike. While one step inside the restaurant brings Central European atmosphere to Sussex County, it’s the friendly service and culinary authenticity that husband and wife duo Maria Kotsifis and Gus Halkias said will keep customers coming back for more.

It may only have been a month since Holly’s Treasure Chest opened up in Fenwick Island, but customers are already finding what they are looking for there, and then some. Located along Coastal Highway, adjacent to the former Libby’s restaurant, the shop boasts antiques and collectibles, sports memorabilia and plenty of beach goods, from swimsuits and sandals to chairs, umbrellas and bodyboards.

One local family is helping both vacationers and locals beat the heat, while bringing a little bit of Baltimore to the beach and offering help to a good cause.

The house call – a once-common medical practice now nearly obsolete – is making a comeback in the Washington, D.C.-metro area. This summer, it’s returning to the Delaware shore, as well.

A new hotspot is waking up the neighborhood on the Bethany Beach Boardwalk. Beach Break Bakrie & Cafe, located at the marketplace at Pennsylvania Avenue and Garfield Parkway, around the corner from Bethany Blues, is bringing a healthy, fresh alternative to the table, whether customers are stopping in for a morning muffin and a cup of joe, a salad or sandwich for lunch or the rustic pizza for dinner. Even a bite on the run, such as their savory sweet potato fries, offer a tasty twist to a midday or evening stroll down the boardwalk.

The summertime sun and heat can be a burden for the skin, but at AfterGlo Beauty Spa in Millville, clients are finding ways to look and feel relaxed and younger. From custom-designed facials and peels, aimed at purifying the skin’s appearance, to detoxifying massages and nail treatments, the small boutique spa offers an extensive list of therapeutic treatments from an experienced staff.

This summer Fenwick Island is getting a new family-friendly dessert venue by way of HaHa’s — Healthy Alternative, Happy Attitude.

Seizing a niche in the restaurant scene along the Delaware beaches can be a daunting task. In such a competitive market, catering to seasonal and year-round patrons doesn’t come easy, but restaurateur Steve Hagan has managed it so successfully with Off the Hook in Bethany Beach that it has merited an expansion into Fenwick Island with his newest project, Just Hooked. At both restaurants, Hagan is finding that success can come easy with the right product and cordial hospitality.

With the new bridge well under way and recent fishing success along the Delaware and Maryland coasts, the Indian River Inlet has been getting some welcome attention. Starting this coming week, the facility gets some more attention, as they cater to boaters, fishing enthusiasts and visitors alike with the opening of the Indian River Marina Café and General Store, located beside the Indian River Inlet Marina.

For Michael Loftus of Loftus Wealth Strategies, the start of the economic slump in 2008 wasn’t a reason to pack up and go home, it was an opportunity to try new things and take some risks.

The D’Ortone family always wanted quality Italian food at the beach, without the beach prices.

Last year, husband-and-wife team Jeff and Janilyn Elias made a statement in Fenwick Island, introducing Indulgence, a pet and gift store in the Village of Fenwick. Seeing a need to reach out to more shoppers and keep them in the area, they have since added on to their venture, opening The Bookend Café – a book store and coffee shop – also in the Village.

A lot has changed in 30 years at the beach. Real estate has peaked, leveled and dropped; and beaches have been replenished. Storms have come and gone, buildings have been torn down and re-built and the population has exploded.

Last year, Delmarva Board Sport Adventures made a splash in the area, bringing the excitement and exhilaration that accompany board sports. Now, with a solid location established, and a bevy of activities and events on the calendar – from stand-up paddle (SUP) board and windsurfing rentals, lessons and sales, to beach clean-ups, demo days and SUP board yoga – Delmarva Board Sport Adventures is showing why board sports are one of the region’s hottest trends.

After devoting years in the restaurant business, Fatih Ocak decided it was time to take the reins himself. Last week, he opened the Frankford Family Diner on Route 113, and it has already gained a following, providing patrons with a wide range of comfort foods and hearty dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. From soups and salads, sandwiches and burgers to Italian and seafood dishes, the Frankford Family Diner offers something for everyone.

For over a quarter of a century, Frank and Audrey Serio with RE/MAX by the Sea, have been an integral part of the region’s real estate business. Now, with a new location and an economy on the upswing, they hope to reach even more clients throughout the area.

Since the early 1990’s, La Tonalteca has ranked as one of the top authentic Mexican restaurants throughout the state and region. And already their newest location, in Millsboro, is seeing to it that more and more customers are getting a spicy taste from south of the border.

Let’s face it. Most of us are ready for summer to get here – sunny skies, warmer temperatures and a savory, refreshing ice cream cone. Bonnie and Keith Gordon certainly are, and they’ve wasted no time in bringing a little bit of the summer spirit to the Delaware shore. Their York, Pa.-area ice cream and snowball shop – Bonkey’s – has created such a stir that they decided to share their success, opening their third location in Millville, along Route 26, this past week.