Blue Monkey in Rehoboth Beach has something for everyone

A corporate attorney for two decades, Kirsten Siegfried said she opened Blue Monkey in Rehoboth Beach because she was tired of the day-to-day, unrelenting grind.

“I just decided being an attorney wasn’t for me anymore,” said Siegfried. “I wanted to be nice and smile a lot more. Also, I wanted to stop wearing heels.”

Located on Rehoboth Avenue between Gidgets’ Gadgets and Bella Luna, Blue Monkey has been open for about two weeks. Siegfried said she’s been looking for a space for over a year.

The goal is to offer a little bit of everything, for everybody, said Siegfried. The day-trippers, the locals, the pickleballers, she said.

“It’s about comfort and the things that make people comfortable,” said Siegfried.

Blue Monkey offers home decor and goods. There’s even some original art painted by Siegfried.

In addition to a more joyful way of life, Siegfried said it was always her mother’s dream to open a store like Blue Monkey. She said she can remember her mom talking about doing so 30 years ago.

“She would have loved this place and the fact that I decided to do this,” said Siegfried, adding one caveat, “So long as the music being played is good.”

As the business settles into its own, Siegfried said she’ll begin to focus on locally owned, women-owned, minority-owned and LGBTQ-owned vendors. It’s important to give back to the community, she said, and supporting those vendors is a way to do so.

Blue Monkey, 125 Rehoboth Ave., is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week. Weekend hours will likely expand, said Siegfried, who wanted to get the store up and running, which is why a website is still in the works and she’s still waiting for a phone number. For now, the best way to contact Blue Monkey is by email at owner@bluemonkeyrehoboth.com.