Sea Hag Champagne Lounge coming to Rehoboth Beach

Looking to bring a place where adults can enjoy a nice glass of bubbly in downtown Rehoboth Beach, Christene Minnick is opening Sea Hag Champagne Lounge on Baltimore Avenue.

It’s a daytime champagne lounge for people to enjoy each other’s company or simply have a good time while waiting for their reservations at another restaurant, said Minnick during a recent interview.

“Rehoboth has a great selection of wonderful restaurants. I think it will be a nice addition and enhance what this diverse street already offers,” she said. 

Located in a small beach cottage that was built in 1928, the building was most recently home to The Ruff Life. Minnick, 53, is opening the champagne lounge in honor of her husband Ron, who died in July 2024 at the age of 48 after battling colon cancer. The two had been in the fine dining and wine purveyor business for more than two decades before his death.

“We always wanted to open our own business. After Ron died, I quit everything and moved to the beach. It’s always been my place for my soul to heal,” said Minnick. “We loved to travel and loved all wine, but his favorite was always champagne. It goes well with all food.”

It’s not the business Minnick is honoring with her champagne lounge. The name is in memory of Chesley Patterson, a gay man who was murdered in 2022 after closing a restaurant he managed in Baltimore for the evening. Patterson was her best friend, said Minnick. Sea Hag is a playful twist on a term primarily associated with women who hang out with gay men, she said.

“It was a random act of violence. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Minnick. “When this building opened up, on this block of Rehoboth, it was meant to be. It just made sense.”

In addition to champagne, a sparkling wine exclusively from the Champagne region of France, the drinks list will feature other sparkling wines from around the world, champagne cocktails, red wines, white wines and local beers, said Minnick.

The Sea Hag Champagne Lounge will have a European rooftop lounge vibe, said Minnick, describing it as velvety vintage.

Minnick said she’s exploring the possibility of having outdoor seating to allow for adults with children. However, she said, inside will be for adults over 21 and over.

“The wallpaper is going to be a little racy,” said Minnick with a smile.

Minnick is pushing to have Sea Hag open sometime in the spring, but as with many new business owners, there have been delays beyond her control.

“I can host a party all day long. That comes naturally to me. It’s just getting through all the red tape,” said Minnick.

When the lounge does open, the food menu will feature beautifully plated tapas, she said.

Minnick is still figuring out the hours of operation for when she opens.