Fish Tales Home Decor makes a splash in downtown Bethany

Almost two decades ago, Diane Ternahan and her husband, Bob, opened the doors of Fish Tales in Bethany Beach, with the downtown apparel and gift store boasting trendy clothes and ocean-side fashion, along with gift ideas and toys. But limited space and growing potential restricted the shop from further expansion. Now, Fish Tales Home Decor is taking care of all of that, with a location on the adjacent side of Garfield Parkway, providing shoppers items for the home, and then some.

Coastal Point • Ryan Saxton
Fish Tales Home Decor in downtown Bethany Beach is situated upstairs, beside Arnie’s Playland arcade, and offers a wide selection of bedding, artwork, rugs, pillows, lamps, restored furniture, flatware and much more to decorate any room in the house

From remodeled, hand-painted furniture and one-of-a-kind artwork to rugs, throw pillows, lamps, flatware and picture frames, Fish Tales Home Decor is giving customers options for sprucing up every room in the house.

“We carry everything you’d want,” said the store’s manager, Justin Noble, “whether it’s something to bring back to your home or for a beach spot — your home away from home. Things in here definitely have a bit of a coastal influence, but it has a comfortable feel to it, too.”

Inside the store, shoppers are greeted with bright vibrant colors, beach-themed trimmings and country-style coziness across a range of furniture and home accessories.

“There’s a wide array of everything you’d want in your house,” explained Noble, “whether you are looking for a new piece of furniture or need a last-minute hostess gift. We’re beach-chic, but we have a rustic side, too.”

While purchases throughout Fish Tales Home Décor work well with the shades of white and the pristine ambiance often found in beach homes, Noble was sure to add something extra to the featured lineup.

“We definitely wanted to bring something that grabs your eye and pops with a lot of color,” he said. “There are things here that you are not going to get anywhere else. I want this place to be that store somebody walks in and says, ‘Oh, I have to have that!’”

Fish Tales Home Decor took over a portion of Arnie’s Playland, an arcade owned by Ternahan that sits above a number of downtown Bethany Beach’s restaurants and retail stores along Garfield Parkway. And as shoppers are learning of the new location to find home décor and refurbished furniture, word is spreading quickly.

“It’s hard to gauge how this summer will be,” noted Noble, “because we’re not really a first-year business, but we are at the same time. It’s like comparing apples and oranges, but people are definitely talking about us. Probably one out of every three people who stop in tells me that this is exactly what the town needed. Every day, people come by and tell us they never knew we even moved into this spot, but they’re telling their friends and family. One woman came in on a Thursday, and by Sunday, 10 of her friends had stopped in because of her recommendation to them.”

The store’s proximity to surrounding resort residences has made truly local shopping a convenience, too.

“If someone right around the corner needs a lamp,” Noble said, “they can stop in and get what they want and walk it home. It’s a great place to come by if you’re out for a walk along the boardwalk. And, a lot of the time, you’ll find something you didn’t even realize you wanted.”

Recently, baby and toddler items have been a hot commodity at Fish Tales Home Decor, while others have taken home some of the ornate wall hangings, wreaths, bedding, candles and even lotions. And although the shop already boasts a large selection, Noble has no problem going out of his way to ensure customer satisfaction.

“I often do special orders for people,” he said. “I’m constantly finding new items, and the selections are constantly changing. I like to keep things fresh.”

Fish Tales Home Decor is located at 108 Garfield Parkway in Bethany Beach, above Breakers, beside Arnie’s Playland. They are open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m., through the summer. For more information, call them at (302) 539-8900 or check them out on Facebook.