Barriers installed on Rehoboth Avenue as Delaware enters phase one of reopening

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. – Monday is the day business owners across Delaware have been waiting for, as Delaware officially entered Phase One of their reopening.

“Happy, very happy, beach happy!” Carol Ann Dryer, the owner of Odysea, said.

But while businesses doors are now open, and some owners, like Dryer, are celebrating, there are still some barriers – literally. Big red barriers were installed along Rehoboth Avenue last week in an effort to expand outdoor seating and sidewalk space. But as of Monday afternoon, not many restaurants were utilizing the extra space.

“From the walking around that I have done, it it doesn’t look like there are that many restaurants putting tables out, it could be that they’re going to do them later because some of them are only open for dinner,” Dryer said.

Other business owners in the resort town say they hope restaurants do use the space and that visitors adjust to having less parking downtown.

“I think that if they can’t find parking in town, they can park outside town, or come in with friends, or some other way,” Mel Damascena, the owner of The Coffee Mill, said.

One thing many business owners agree on, barriers or not, is they’re happy to finally welcome summer at Rehoboth Beach.

“I think it’s going to be resolved and we’re going to get used to it, it’s an adjustment, change sometimes is hard and some people don’t like it, but they will get used to it,” Damascena said.

Right now the barriers are slated to be in place until July 31, but some business owners hope the city commissioners consider taking them down sooner than that.

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