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Longtime vendor honored at Bethel antiques show

65th annual event brings merchants to Lewes church
Barbara Rew, left, and her sister Kathi Carpenter work their booth at the 65th Bethel United Methodist Church Antiques and Home Decor Show July 11. Bethel honored Rew for her 45 years as a vendor. She is the longest-attending vendor in the show’s history. BILL SHULL PHOTOS
Bill Shull
July 24, 2025

Barbara Rew has been selling antiques at the Bethel United Methodist Church Antiques and Home Decor Show for 45 years.

The church honored Rew at this year’s show for being its longest-serving vendor.

“The church does a magnificent job promoting the show, and taking care of the dealers and getting customers. It’s the best show on the Eastern Shore,” Rew said.

Rew, who also has a booth at the Lewes Mercantile Mall on Second Street, said she sells furniture, textiles, jewelry and more.

The first day of Bethel’s 65th annual show, July 11, Rew sold a 19th century tiger maple chest of drawers.

A total of 22 vendors filled Fellowship Hall this year, including five first-timers. Ed Donaldson was one of those new to the show. His specialty is old door locks and hardware.

Donaldson has helped people renovate historic homes, with a focus on railroad stations, government buildings and courthouses. He restored original locks at Monticello and at the log cabin where Abraham Lincoln was born.

“We’ve always sold completely restored hardware that you could take home, put on your door and use it for another 100 years. That’s the fun thing about it,” Donaldson said.

There is a lot more to the Bethel show. There are bargains to be found at the Priceless Curiosity Shop and Yard Sale at the parsonage across the street. The homemade baked goods and the Bethel deli are popular places to grab a bite to eat in the back of Fellowship Hall.

Proceeds from the show benefit Bethel’s mission and ministries.

 

Saul Wendroff of New York looks at a table with an old map of New York City at Barbara Rew Antiques.
A total of 22 vendors fill Fellowship Hall at the 65th Bethel United Methodist Church Antiques and Home Decor Show, some for the first time.
Ed Donaldson is an expert on old door locks and hardware. He came to the Bethel show for the first time. Donaldson is holding an iron grafting tool from 1700.
Ed Donaldson holds an antique hook that was used for hanging powder horns.
Chris Alabrudzinski of Primehook Pickers, left, with Michelle Arrington of Bridgeville. She bought the model of the Great Republic clipper ship from Alabrudzinski as a decoration for her home.
Hand-carved American flags at the Sir Riley Wood Creations booth.
The homemade baked goods table is always popular at the Bethel show.
Marcia Sabo Williams of Windy Meadows Designs was another first-time dealer at the Bethel show.
A large, glass net float in a very large vase was for sale by a vendor in the lobby of the parish hall.
Pauline Powell, owner of Across the Pond Creations, was a new dealer at the show. Powell, who is originally from England, said she uses a technique called sublimation to print on all of her designs.
The Bethel show always features a table at the Priceless Curiosity Shop and Yard Sale at the church parsonage across the street.
Leslie Cain, left, and Chuck Coffman are excited to buy a 1947 football handbook for $1.50 at the Delaware Avenue Antiques Emporium. Cain and Coffman, who are from Massachusetts, said they collect everything football.

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Bill Shull has been covering Lewes for the Cape Gazette since 2023. He comes to the world of print journalism after 40 years in TV news. Bill has worked in his hometown of Philadelphia, as well as Atlanta and Washington, D.C. He came to Lewes in 2014 to help launch WRDE-TV. Bill served as WRDE’s news director for more than eight years, working in Lewes and Milton. He is a 1986 graduate of Penn State University. Bill is an avid aviation and wildlife photographer, and a big Penn State football, Eagles, Phillies and PGA Tour golf fan. Bill, his wife Jill and their rescue cat, Lucky, live in Rehoboth Beach.

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