Walshland renovations underway in Dewey
Known as Walshland in honor of the sprawling family that once occupied it, the former home, and TV repair and sales shop on the corner of Coastal Highway and Saulsbury Street is being transformed into residential units and a retail space for The Starboard merchandise.
Mary Grubb Dugan purchased the oceanblock Dewey Beach property in 1935. Her grandson James Walsh later opened Walsh Electronics on the site and lived there with wife Alice and their eight children.
Alice, known through town as ‘Mom’ to all children, led town efforts leading to Dewey’s incorporation in 1981.
“It is Walshland forever,” said Steve “Monty” Montgomery, The Starboard owner and one of several investors who purchased the property for $1.6 million in a March 2020 auction. “Our corporate name is Walshland LLC.”
On Jan. 9, Montgomery opened the doors to the under-construction project to Alice and James Walsh’s daughter, Bernadette Walsh Hearn, giving her an early glimpse into changes being made to her family home.
Montgomery said Alice once told him that when The Starboard was being built across the street circa 1960, a crew of workers would show up every morning with a cooler of beer. The day’s work ended when the cooler was empty, and resumed the next morning when the crew returned, fully stocked.
“It was practically thrown together with driftwood,” Hearn laughed.
An oak curio cabinet still sits in the family dining room, and some of Alice’s old cookbooks remain in the kitchen. Hearn laughed when she spotted the aluminum can smasher still hanging on the kitchen wall, but the mattress the kids used to ride down the stairs is long gone.
Montgomery shared a story from years ago, when outdoor speakers were accidentally left on at The Starboard.
Alice came over at 3 a.m. to tell them to quiet down, Montgomery laughed. In case such an event occurred in the future, Montgomery said he bought her a robe with an orange patrol belt on it, for safety.
Sister Denise came up with the name Walshland, Hearn said. With the Walsh kids growing up and scattering, Denise wanted to turn the property into a family compound, with private spaces for the siblings and a shared kitchen.
When she learned Montgomery’s vision for the backyard, Hearn seemed satisfied; this had been the family idea as well. The garage will remain for storage, Montgomery said, and a pool, tiki bar and BBQ area will be constructed in the rest of the yard.
Currently three residential rental units, the property is being divided into one four-bedroom and one five-bedroom unit, Montgomery said. A first-floor retail space will sell all Starboard-branded restaurant merchandise.
The gift shop at The Starboard will still sell small items, he said.
Dewey Beach Town Manager Bill Zolper said Walshland’s fresh appearance is a good look for Dewey.
“Hats off,” he said. “It’s a huge improvement for the town and a great way to remember the Walsh legacy.”
