Outlet malls and retail stores are seeing more and more customers as the holiday season reaches its peak, though some are escaping the crowds to find that exceptional gift for someone special. Bethany Beach’s boardwalk treasure, Sea Crest, has been bringing a multitude of shoppers to the area for more than three decades, and current owner Brian McKinney couldn’t be happier. 
Coastal Point • RYAN SAXTON
Always looking for the unusual, Sea Crest owner Brian McKinney says it seems like it’s the uniqueness that keeps customers walking through his Bethany Beach business’ door.
The Sea Crest store originally started as the Sea Crest Lodge, a seasonal resort hotel, built in Bethany in 1954, withstanding multiple storms — including the infamous Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 that rocked the Delaware coastline.
It was sold in 1976 to Frita Kimmel, who transformed the property into a boutique specializing in specialty gifts and furniture. McKinney bought the property in 1991, upon Kimmel’s retirement, and has been upholding it as one of Bethany’s most prominent gift stops for customers young and old.
“I really wanted to maintain the integrity that Frita started,” said McKinney, who lives in Wilmington and makes his way to the shore on a weekly basis to manage his store. “We didn’t want it to just be a beach kind of store, but something that people can come to every day and enjoy.”
After purchasing the store from Kimmel, McKinney sold part of his third-story storage to the Bethany Surf Shop, which sits adjacent to his own place. Having lost the area upstairs until roughly five years ago — originally where furniture was displayed — McKinney decided that he needed to branch into new merchandise, and, with advice from his wife, began carrying apparel.
“It was all new to me, and I didn’t really know a lot about it,” he admitted. “I still wouldn’t really say I know a whole lot, but I’ve got a great staff who does.”
Liz Hammond, the store’s manager, has worked at Sea Crest under Kimmel for longer than she can calculate. “It seems like it’s been forever,” she said, “but it’s a great place to work, and people seem to enjoy it.”
With the staff dedicated to traveling the country to trade shows, new and original ideas and products are constantly finding their way onto the Sea Crest shelves.
“I’m always looking for the unusual,” McKinney said, “but at the same time, people want to be able to get the common and popular things. You have to find that medium that pleases everyone.”
Sometimes, it seems like it’s the uniqueness that keeps customers walking through the door. From motion wall clocks that play festive music on the hour, one-of-a-kind jewelry from all over the globe, to original artwork, children’s toys and hundreds of other clever gift ideas, Sea Crest carries something that everyone can enjoy.
“I carry a lot of what others don’t have,” he said. Sea Crest shoppers can find a variety of holiday collectibles, like “Bethany Santa,” hand-crafted St. Nicks and authentic pint-size carolers to spruce up any seasonal tabletop or mantle. Wreaths, ornaments and other Christmastime accessories adorn Sea Crest’s walls and shelves.
With the approaching holiday, a number of shoppers are stopping in to escape the cold, as well as cross another friend or family member off their Christmas list. And some of the shop’s top sellers are this year’s most sought-after necessities: Tummy-Tuck jeans and One Sole shoes have been at the top of many women’s wish list this season, both of which can be found at Sea Crest.
The slenderizing pants and versatile shoes have been hot for the area’s residents and visitors in the last year, the latter offering the chance to carry a single set of soles and multiple shoe coordinating shoe tops to cut down on the burden of shoe packing for the fashion-conscious visiting the beach or taking a trip elsewhere.
After the holidays drift by, McKinney noted, business tends to dip, but SeaCrest remains open 364 days of the year. “We’re here for the customers,” he said, “and a lot of them keep coming back.” The slower time of the year offers its own opportunities for the business, too.
“We go for a lot of big changes in January and February,” he added. “It gets very quiet, but we’re able to do a lot of our repairs and remodeling then. There’s a lot more time where we can get caught up stuff around the store.”
Next year, McKinney plans to refurbish the store, touching up with an extension into more men’s apparel and stylish artwork. “We’re not sure exactly where we’ll go with it, but there’ll be some changes.”
McKinney noted that he hopes to uphold the shop’s ongoing reputation, no matter what.
“We have terrific long-time customers who are like friends,” he said. “We’re on a first-name basis. They get along great with our staff.”
Sea Crest will hold its annual open house on Sunday, Dec. 30, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. with one-time sales and refreshments for shoppers. Regular winter hours for the store run from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., seven days a week, except Christmas Day, when SeaCrest is closed.
For more information, call (302) 539-7621 or visit the Web site at www.seacrestgifts.com.