Atlantic Cellular expands Midway location

Atlantic Cellular owner Alan Lehman has doubled the size of its store but a steady stream of customers continue to keep his staff busy. He mingled with patrons June 7 at his business on southbound Route 1 at Midway while discussing the recent expansion.

"We're always busy because people know we have a large staff and we'll take our time helping them with their wireless phones," he said. "The name of the game is service. This is a service industry, and if anyone tells you differently, they're wrong."

This includes free smart phone classes each Wednesday.

The authorized Verizon Wireless dealer doubled his space by removing a wall on the east side and taking over a long-vacant neighboring area.

"We expanded at the end of March. It took a couple of weeks, but the majority of it was done on the final day. There was a sheet of drywall hanging from the ceiling between the two spaces while we were laying the new carpet down," Lehman said.

The store is located in Coastal Plaza shopping center, which includes Bill's Sport Shop. That business' Bill Baker owns the plaza along with Lehman.

"I moved Atlantic Cellular to this location in August 2008," Lehman said, pointing to its previous spot directly across the parking lot to the north.

Lehman said his store was originally located in Camelot Shopping Center on southbound Route 1 north of Rehoboth Beach. "We'll be celebrating our 23rd year in business in September," Lehman said.

The store has changed names and affiliations through the years. "First we were Bell Atlantic; then we were Bell Atlantic Mobile; then we were Nextel," Lehman said.

What was once a niche market expanded with time.

"Back then we sold car phones. No one had ever heard of a cellular phone," he said. "People were using cellphones in other parts of the country, but I couldn't sell them here because it was pointless. There wasn't any reception because there wasn't a single cellphone tower in Sussex County. The closest tower was in Cape May, N.J."

Times have changed, Lehman said.

"There are 68 towers in Sussex County now. I've always been campaigning for more towers," he said. "I campaigned with Verizon to get the tower in downtown Lewes approved."

Lehman also has a second Atlantic Cellular store. "We're in Oak Orchard in the Trading Place Plaza," he said. "We opened that location nine or 10 years ago."

Customers who need to brush up on their phone skills should visit the Route 1 location for one of its regular instructional seminars, Lehman said. "We have classes every Wednesday for people who want to learn about smart phones," he said. "We can also show you the basics, like how to send text messages."

The free classes run 5 to 7 p.m. For more information, call 302-644-2644.

Atlantic Cellular, 18376 Coastal Highway, Lewes, DE 19958.