Devil Daves brings the heat to Rehoboth Avenue

Born from a family tradition and a desire to bring easy, good-tasting Bloody Marys to the masses, Devil Daves Bloody Mary Seasoning is set to open on Rehoboth Avenue. 

Founder and owner Ryan Pakenas said Bloody Marys are a drink he and his family have always enjoyed making. He said Devil Daves is named after his uncle Dave, whose Bloody Mary seasoning inspired his mix.

“He’s a Vietnam veteran and a badass,” said Pakenas. “I added the word devil because it’s a little more catchy than Uncle Dave’s Bloody Mary Seasoning.”

Originally from the lakes area of the Adirondack Mountains in New York, Pakenas said he got the idea for his new seasoning while bartending in Ocean City. A couple of years of development and some product testing later, Pakenas’ Rehoboth location will be his flagship store. He said his online sales are going well, but he’s excited about his storefront because it’s a good location that will have a lot of foot traffic.

The store is located in what was the longtime home of the The Bake Shoppe on Rehoboth Avenue, next to the Rehoboth Beach Public Library.

Pakenas said he was using jars and containers when he first started making his mix, but that changed after doing some market research.

“I was thinking there had to be a better way to get my product to people. Then I had this eureka moment,” he said. “I spent over a week looking, and I realized there weren’t any single-serving sticks of seasoning. Now, I’m looking to become the Crystal Light of the Bloody Mary market.”

Pakenas said the real test of his seasoning came during the family’s Christmas gathering in 2017. He said after years of using his uncle’s seasoning, they used his new blend.

“At Christmas 2018, we were still using mine. My uncle doesn’t care,” he said, laughing.

Pakenas recently introduced a new seasoning flavor – Diablo. He said the original is about a 7 out of 10 on the hotness scale, while Diablo steps it up.

“It’s hot, but drinkable,” said Pakenas.

In addition to the Bloody Mary seasoning, Pakenas said he offers rimming salts – spicy dill pickle and burnt bacon barbecue. He said his store will also offer other Bloody Mary and pickle-flavored goodies.

Pakenas said he was hoping to open the store the first week in May, but under the current circumstances, the exact opening date and hours have yet to be determined. He said the production line is up and running, which means he is taking online orders. When Devil Daves does open, he said, he anticipates being open seven days a week.

“As long as the light is on, we’re open,” he said.

For more information on Devil Daves Bloody Mary Seasoning, 222 Rehoboth Ave., go to devildaves.com, call 302-727-5119 or email ryan@devildaves.com.