When Rick Arnold gave his wife, Cheryl, a Vespa as an early retirement present in 2021, he set the wheels of destiny in motion. Cheryl, a Delaware State Police trooper, was so thrilled with her gift that she also bought one for Rick, who would soon be retiring from the Georgetown Police Department. The couple planned to trade their badges for bikes and cruise Bethany in their free time.
Getting the Vespas back home, however, was a drag. “We had to drive to Philly with a trailer, bring [them] back [and get them] registered at the DMV ourselves,” Cheryl says. “It was a big deal. An average person can’t do that.”
Back at the beach, the stylish mopeds turned heads. “Everyone was stopping, asking, ‘Where’d you get that?’” Cheryl recalls. “We [noticed] we rarely saw [another] Vespa, so I researched the franchise and found out there hadn’t been a dealership in Delaware in about 15 years.”
Cheryl had sold women’s accessories as a side business while she was a trooper and envisioned opening a fashion boutique in her future. So she saw a unique opportunity. “We wanted to bring a good-quality, long-lasting scooter product to the area,” she says. “[Vespas have] a full metal body frame and have been around since the 1940s.…They are the Lamborghinis of scooters.”
Another bonus to buying in the First State: “It’s tax-free, and we do the registration for you,” Cheryl says, noting the courtesy is extended to out-of-state property owners. “This makes it more convenient for people with beach houses to buy local and keep their unit here.”
The Arnolds opened adjacent shops in Bethany—Scooters by the Beach and Trendy Shore Boutique. Cheryl has observed that the polarity between them often attracts couples, with one half finding interest in scooters, and the other in her beachy, chic apparel.
On the boutique side, Cheryl carries colorful beachwear year-round (many clients travel to warmer climates, even in winter, she notes), plus coastal home décor and a large selection of bags, including her popular wrist purse that “keeps your hands free.” But she’s proudest of her belt line. “I hand-drew the buckle into a wave, and the material is stretchy,” she says, noting that the adjustability allows for waistline fluctuations. “You can stretch it out from 29 inches to 52 inches.” The belts come in 13 different colors, and each buckle comes in either gold or silver.
“We’ve never been business owners, and we were able to do it on our own. We funded ourselves. We worked hard, we saved, and we were able to [realize] our dreams. We wake up and pinch ourselves and say, ‘All right, we’re still open! We’re still open!’”
Rick, who trained to become a Vespa technician, stays busy selling and servicing scooters next door. Customers will find an array of vibrant colors to choose from, as well as helmets, T-shirts and more. (Sorry, no test drives.)
Cheryl has plans to expand her belt designs. Overall, the Arnolds feel like they are living the American dream.
“It’s kind of a unique story. We’ve never been business owners, and we were able to do it on our own. We funded ourselves,” Cheryl says. “We worked hard, we saved, and we were able to [realize] our dreams. We wake up and pinch ourselves and say, ‘All right, we’re still open! We’re still open!’”
