DELMARVA - As sure as time passes, things are constantly changing in our community. Businesses opening, closing and moving were common in 2023.
- Surf Bagel opened its fourth location in Long Neck and is expected to open a fifth restaurant in Fenwick Island by summer 2024.
- Hammerheads Dockside closed in February. The restaurant had been at Delaware Seashore State Park for a decade and was "involuntarily closed," according to a statement. A new contract for the park's restaurant was awarded to the Big Fish Restaurant Group.
- The Margaritaville resort project began moving forward in Ocean City, though it has faced multiple setbacks including the deaths of developers and delays for typical development hearings.
- Macky's Bayside Bar and Grill in Ocean City was leased to SoDel Concepts.
- After much back-and-forth at town meetings and social media commentary from Milton residents, the preliminary site plan for a new McDonald's was approved in April.
- In addition to the coming McDonald's, Milton has seen much growth over the past year, including a new healthcare center, winery and more.
- Though the farm has been promised to remain the same in nature, Lavender Fields in Milton has changed hands with the goal of expanding to provide more spaces for both community and private events.
- The Pond Bar and Grill closed up shop for good in early September, leaving Rehoboth Beach.
- Also in September, Carlton's clothing store on Rehoboth Avenue announced it was closing after 63 years of business.
- The Town of Millsboro has been making efforts to bring more business into town. Popular Lewes restaurant and juice bar Nectar opened a location downtown and Kaisy's Delights left Rehoboth Beach to open in Millsboro. The owner of the old Ball Theatre is working to reopen the performance venue. New health campuses are also on their way with a Beebe emergency room as well as TidalHealth campus for outpatient services.
- The Rookery North golf course in Milford was bought and held an open house in December as the new Southern Delaware Golf Club. It is expected to have a Big Oyster Brewery restaurant on the premises, as well, and could open as early as April 2024.
- A new drive-thru Starbucks will be coming to Route 1 in Lewes in August 2024.
Along with changing businesses came a change for businesses: a slower summer. CoastTV spoke with local business owners in Rehoboth Beach throughout the summer who said sales dipped below average. One restaurant owner said June was "kind of sad." That trend trickled over into other areas like hotel bookings, which were down almost 9,000 in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period last year, according to the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce. Some have said business could have been impacted by inflation and severe weather events.
