Visitors know they have arrived in Delaware Beaches when they spot the Sea Shell Shop’s vibrant turquoise building, along with its swaying palm trees and Shell We Golf miniature golf, located on North Coastal Highway on Route 1 in Rehoboth Beach. Over the years, this now third-generation family business has garnered a reputation as a family-friendly destination, where their motto is “Where Little Hands Are Always Welcome.” Patty and her husband, Tom, started their own series of stores in Delaware, the same as her parents’ business in Ocean City, Maryland and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and they ran a number of shops in the area until Tom’s passing in 2011. She continues managing the Sea Shell Shops with her son, John Derrick, the third generation.
According to Patty, during the summer the Sea Shell Shop welcomes as many as 1,000 guests a day. “I love to watch our visitors have a good time,” says Patty. “We’re glad to have the visitors as they make our family town Lively and Happy as they enjoy our beautiful beach and resort which brings them JOY.”
The spacious 10,000 square foot Sea Shell Shop offers a special retail experience, featuring a wide selection of merchandise ranging from Patty’s local art to numerous nautical-themed items like lamps and a huge amount of home decor. They also have a large toy and stuffed animal section for the kids. While Patty does not consider herself an artist, her artwork is among the shop’s bestsellers. She watercolors four to six new original pieces yearly, focused on local scenes and landmarks. Her artwork is integrated into a variety of items including tote bags, purses, ceramic coasters, magnets, plaques, placemats, T-towels, prints, mugs and so much more.
Some of the shop’s other top selling items include hermit crabs and fresh homemade fudge. Customers can look forward to their fudge made daily featuring as many as 30 fudge flavors. Creamy Dark Chocolate Caramel Sea Salt Fudge is a favorite year-round. The number one fudge flavor for kids is Birthday Cake and Pumpkin Pie the seasonal favorite.
The story of the Sea Shell Shop is deeply rooted in family history, beginning with Patty’s parents, Vince and Ginny, in their hometown of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Patty’s parents eventually opened a store, due to a fast growing demand for her mother’s shell jewelry. Her parents opened their first shop in the mid-1950s, in Ft. Lauderdale, the first of their family’s string of retail stores to come. Her parents later added a Sea Shell Shop to Ocean City, Maryland in 1962, where they experienced great success. They lived in Ft. Lauderdale in the winter and Ocean City in the summer. After her Father passed, her Mother decided to close the Ocean City stores a few years later. Patty and her husband, Tom, carried on the same family business and moved it to Rehoboth Beach where they lived year-round and raised their three children. At one time they had five shops in the area but as Patty said “that was just way too much.” John now runs the Rehoboth Beach store with Patty still available to help. Patty’s other son, Jim Derrick, and his wife are also a local business owners of a nearby trampoline attraction in Lewes, called Shell We Bounce. So you could say they keep it all in the family with SHELL WE.
While the family’s gift shops have undergone a number of reincarnations over the years, family and community have remained at the heart of the operation.
Giving back to the community has always been very important to Patty. Throughout the years, she has served her community by volunteering and participating on many community and City boards and chaired many events and committees. Patty deeply appreciates how much the local residents look after each other and truly care about their neighbors. “We live in a perfect atmosphere of heaven on earth and that’s why so many people come to visit our charming beach town.”
Wanna Go?
seashellshop.com
302-227-4323
19366 Coastal Hwy. Rt. 1
Rehoboth Beach, DE
