“I Should Have Bought It When I Saw It,” reads the sign over a doorway in Scott Spencer’s Bethany Beach store, Of All Things. And that’s the mentality he advocates.
Scott Spencer in his Bethany Beach store, Of All Things.The four-year-old business offers everything from original lamps, linens and home décor to novel glassware and furniture.
Almost all the items in the shop are one-of-a-kind, which oftentimes supplements their merit. “I tell people we’re a store; not a museum,” Spencer explained. “They’ll come back a year later and tell me, ‘I was here a year ago and there was a clock…’ If you see something you like, don’t hesitate,” he advised.
“Eclectasy” is the term Spencer uses for the assorted array of inspiring items throughout his store. “There’s a whole lot of different stuff here, for everybody,” Spencer said.
Watercolors and acrylics line the wall, chandeliers sparkle from the ceiling and delicate, handcrafted masterpieces line the shelves. Don’t let the luxurious display intimidate, though. Prices throughout the store range from $4,000 down to just $1.
Among some of the favored items in the building are ‘The World’s Best Placemats,” which are guaranteed not to stain, mold or fade, and come in a wide variety of colors. “We sell some of them every day.” An assortment of collectibles and an extensive compilation of candles are presented inside, too. Spencer classified his store as “a little off the beaten path,” but said that he has a loyal following of regulars.
“I almost always know who’s coming in when, in the summertime, because they come every year,” he said.
But business isn’t limited to the summer by any means. “I get a lot of people who come in and buy home accessories, wedding gifts and anniversary gifts. We do shipping, and I deliver as well. Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, Richmond — any of the big local cities — I’ll deliver. Typically, big furniture that needs to be shipped.”
“I try to have artisans’ things,” said Spencer, “I’ve had local artists’ photography, but there is just too much competition for that. I’d be happy to send people to local galleries when they’re looking for local art.” The majority of the artistic pieces made by individuals have traveled from New York, California and all over the world. Small glass dolphins from St. Petersburg, Russia, and exceptional works from Czechoslovakia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Vietnam are spread throughout the interior of the store.
Originally from St. Louis, Mo., Spencer has spent years of his life as a buyer for retail department stores. He had also dedicated 25 years to advertising and marketing public relations before deciding to return to retail.
When not bogged down with sales and shipping at his store, Spencer spends much of his time flipping houses in the real estate biz in the winter. Retail was never his first choice, but that hasn’t stopped him from running his successful business. “It’s something I can do and I enjoy it. It allows me to be my own boss.”
When the chance arrived, he jumped at the opportunity to open a business along the Bethany shore. “I knew the owner, liked the store and loved the beach,” said Spencer, “My family’s been coming here since the ’60s. I know the area pretty well.”
Of All Things has recently gone high-tech and started their Internet site, at www.ofallthings.com. “It’s still new, and we haven’t really had any online sales yet,” said Spencer, “but that’s our goal for this year, leading into the summer.”
Spencer said he has some high hopes leading into the upcoming season. “Things change here all the time. We try to keep it new. Most of the new merchandise comes in around March. I go to market at the end of this month and do my ordering then.”
The store is located at 26 Pennsylvania Avenue in Bethany Beach, just a block north of the post office. For more information, call (302) 539-0891. Through the winter season, Of All Things has hours running from noon until 5 p.m. on Fridays and Sundays, and Saturday hours from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. More hours will be added on as the spring months approach.