Fins wins approval for major expansion in Rehoboth Beach

Fins on Rehoboth Avenue has won unanimous approval from the Rehoboth Beach commissioners to remodel the restaurant and expand seating.

The renovations to the 243 Rehoboth Ave. restaurant include a new kitchen, an elevator, enlarged bathrooms and conversion of an upstairs apartment to an office and storage space. Fins was granted a variance for the renovations by the board of adjustment in August.

At the city commissioners’ Sept. 16 meeting, Fins owner Jeff Hamer said the building has become outdated and the rear parking area floods.

“It really needed to be addressed. There were some hardships with the building,” he said.

Hamer said the 25-year-old building was designed by someone who had never been in the restaurant business, with bathrooms in the rear on the first floor and the walk-in fridge on the second level. He said the building is not handicapped accessible, particularly the bathrooms, which will be enlarged.

Hamer said the increase in seats, from 114 to 187, will help pay for the improvements. He pointed to his lengthy record of doing business in Rehoboth with no noise complaints in his years running Fins and other restaurants.

 Mayor Sam Cooper asked how construction vehicles will access the rear of the property, where the expanded kitchen will be located. Hamer said construction vehicles would use a driveway that leads to the back to bring in and store equipment. Honey’s Farm Fresh and former Finbar owner Mark Grabowski supported the project, as did Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Carol Everhart.

No start date has been set, but Hamer said work could start this winter; it could also be pushed back to next year.