Lewes store celebrates two decades of fun and games

Twenty years ago Gavin and Lou Braithwaite knew that they were due for a change. For Gavin, working in the corporate environment meant constantly moving; he was longing for a small town to call his own. His wife, Lou, felt the same way, and so the two set out to find their dream town.

They searched myriad towns from Pennsylvania to North Carolina, but it was the quaint town of Lewes that caught their eye. Lucky for us, I guess we could say, because in 1992 the couple opened not one, but two businesses in Lewes. First was Stepping Stone, from which Lou sold American handcrafts.

Gavin says that when the store next door came up for rent that same year, they immediately contacted their landlord to see if they could rent it out. And that was how Puzzles came to Lewes. To hear Gavin tell it in his charming British accent wouldn’t speak of the fear one must feel in opening two businesses within a year of leaving corporate life, but when pressed, he acknowledges the risk was a bit scary.

The inspiration for a puzzle store originally struck the couple when they were on vacation in New Zealand. They wandered into a similar store and were fascinated by the variety of puzzles and the experience itself. Gavin thought that was something the states needed. When Puzzles opened it’s doors in 1992, it was filling a niche in our community for both the vacationer and the resident.

Now in a larger location on Front Street in Lewes, there is just enough space to accommodate all the puzzles that Gavin has ordered in to please his customers--with more than 2,000 puzzles in the store, there is literally something for everyone. Says Gavin, “If someone walks in we try to have something for them.”

From crossword puzzles to brainteasers, to 3D, 4D, and shaped puzzles, the sheer volume of puzzles is, well, puzzling! As you walk in, there are signs that direct you to your level of puzzle expertise; this way for easy; that way for harder puzzles. Beyond those two categories you will find a ton of wonderfully colorful and diverse puzzles to enjoy, from popular lighthouse designs (and he’s got lighthouses from Michigan to Florida and clear across to California), to cats, quilts, arts and trains.

I asked Gavin to point out the hardest puzzle in the store, just for curiosity’s sake, which is when he directed me to the “expert” section. There it sat: a double-sided puzzle of what else? Marbles, and at an astounding 1,000 pieces it was appropriately named “Impuzzleble.” But if the number of pieces is your challenge forte, then you will want to go with the mother of all puzzles, coming in at 32,000 pieces and available only by special order, a Keith Haring puzzle for $299. Says Gavin, “Probably the cheapest in the store if you are counting per piece!”

There are also specialty items that one might not expect. Braille and sign language puzzles both tell of the forethought that is put into running a puzzle shop. This also extends to the number of senior puzzles and large print crosswords that Gavin also keeps stocked. From the wacky to the artsy to the poignant, he seems to have an endearing intuition about his passion for puzzles.

It’s no wonder that Puzzles has become a Lewes mainstay. It’s also refreshing to note that even in the age of the i-this and the electronic-gadget craze that families still take time to sit down around a table and put together a puzzle. Gavin says many customers tell him about the enjoyment they get when visiting at the beach and chatting over a puzzle from his shop.

Stop in to Puzzles on Front Street in Lewes for all of your puzzle needs, including accessories, and help them enjoy their 20th anniversary Saturday, June 9.

For more information call their shop at 302-645-8013.