Back By Popular Demand: Dine Downtown Deal & Free Shipping Promotion!

We all know that 2020 was incredibly challenging for our small businesses, and this year is proving to be no different. In order to help them weather this ongoing storm, the Dine Downtown Deal and the Free Shipping Promotion have both been renewed!

Our small businesses, and their employees, are relying on your patronage to remain open during this increasingly difficult time. They have continued to adapt to the everchanging guidelines in order to keep serving their community. Most businesses are now offering online ordering, free delivery, and curbside pickup.

We urge you to #ShopSmall and #SupportLocal in Downtown Wilmington DE.

Dine Downtown Deal

Support Downtown Wilmington DE eateries and you’ll get rewarded! Dine-in or take out 5x between 1/1/21 and 3/31/21, text your receipts to 302-502-6003, and you’ll receive a gift card in the amount of 20% of the total meals purchased (before tip) to the business of your choice in the Wilmington Downtown Business Improvement District (BID)! You may still participate in DDD 2.0 even if you received a gift card from phase 1 one the program. For more details, click the link below.

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Free Shipping Promotion

Shop small with the click of a button! Please support Downtown Wilmington DE retailers during this time of crisis. Some of your favorite businesses are even offering FREE shipping for all online purchases. Simply shop online at the following local businesses between 1/1/21 and 3/31/21, and they’ll ship your purchases anywhere within the United States for free:

• Al’s Sporting Goods

• A.R. Morris Jewelers

• LaFate Gallery

• Morgan’s of Delaware

• Spaceboy Clothing

Every small purchase makes a big difference - now more than ever!

Best of Delaware 2020: Downtown Wilmington Winners!

It’s that time of year again! Delaware Today has announced its annual Best of Delaware winners. Readers and editors throughout the state have nominated and voted for their favorite Delaware Businesses, and over 18 establishments in our very own Downtown Wilmington community have won!

So please join us in congratulating these well-deserving businesses! It’s no secret that 2020 has been a tough year for the small business owners here in Downtown Wilmington, but with support from their loyal customers, they can and will survive this storm. The magazine said it best: “As the world opens back up and we ease into new habits, your support for the work of our Best of Delaware winners and their peers will be more important than ever.”

Celebrate these winners during the 2020 Best of Delaware Week, July 23–Aug. 1, and support their hard work by visiting their in-store location, ordering take out, or purchasing a gift card!

Reader’s Choice

• Breakfast Place - Drip Cafe

• Craft Cocktails - Torbert Street Social

• Downtown Wilmington Restaurant - Chelsea Tavern

  • 1/2 off ALL wood-fired hand-crafted pizzas and 20% off all draft beers when you mention Best of DE!

• Food Truck - Mojo Loco

• French Cuisine - La Fia

• Japanese Cuisine - Mikimotos Asian Grill & Sushi Bar

• Sushi - Mikimotos Asian Grill & Sushi Bar

• Vegan/Vegetarian-Friendly - Green Box Kitchen

• Live Music Venue - The Queen

• Men’s Business Attire - Wright & Simon

• Men’s Formal Attire - Collars ‘n Cuffs

  • 10% discount on all Tuxedo Rentals and a 20% discount on all in store merchandise when you mention Best of DE!

• Tattoo Artist/Shop - Poppycock Tattoo

  • 10% off the new Poppycock Tattoo webstore using code BESTOFDE!

Editor’s Picks

• After-Work Happy Hour - Tonic Seafood & Steak

  • Order a Happy Hour Cocktail Flight & Appetizer Sampler for $20 during Best of Delaware Week!

• Bang-For-Your-Buck Happy Hour - Stitch House Brewery

• Best-Kept ‘Secret’ - Torbert Street Social

• Calamari - Bardea Food & Drink

• CBD Cocktail - Bardea Food & Drink

• Cozy Coffee House - Brew HaHa!

  • Enter promo code BestofDE for 10% off of your order!

• Fast, Casual Takeout - El Diablo Burritos

• Fried Chicken - The Chicken Spot

  • Receive a free piece of their famous homemade corn bread with every purchase during Best of Delaware Week!

• Hippest Hangout - Makers Alley

• Pizza Toppings - Chelsea Tavern

Riverfront Winners

• American Restaurant - Big Fish Grill

• Brewpub - Iron Hill Brewery

• Crab Cakes - Banks Seafood Kitchen & Raw Bar

• Seafood Restaurant - Banks Seafood Kitchen & Raw Bar

• Thai - Ubon Thai Kitchen & Bar

• Water-View Dining - Iron Hill Brewery

• Wilmington Riverfront Restaurant - Iron Hill Brewery

• Community Theater - Delaware Theatre Company

• Pet Groomer - Riverfront Pets

• Pet Store - Riverfront Pets

• Toy Store - Delaware Children’s Museum Store

• Beer Garden - Constitution Yards Beer Garden

• Soup - Banks Seafood Kitchen & Raw Bar

Shop Small and Support Downtown Businesses Online!

Updated: May 12, 2020

Small businesses are important to the economic and social fabric of our society, and we all play a part in their survival. Now more than ever they need our support. That is why we are asking you to #ShopSmall with your favorite Downtown retailer or small business online or support them by purchasing a gift card today!

Your support is greatly appreciated.

 A.R. Morris: Open 24/7 online or to schedule an in-store appointment email admin@armorrisjewelers.com

Al’s Sporting Goods: Custom sublimated masks available for order online.

Collars n Cuffs: Wedding specials and tuxedo sales.

Crazy Discount: Offering curbside pickup Monday-Saturday from 9am-6pm.

Discount Plus: Offering curbside pickup Monday–Saturday from 9am – 6pm.

DLS Discovery: Open and continuing to service small businesses in and around the Wilmington area with their print needs. Use this 20% off event reprint coupon for all your marketing needs!

DTLR: Shop for the latest gear at DTLR.com

The Grand Opera House & The Playhouse on Rodney Square: Purchase a gift certificate for future performances for you or as a gift!  Help keep the arts & theater alive in Downtown https://bit.ly/2WAUMje

LaFate Gallery: Curbside pickup is available on Tuesday-Saturday from 11am-4pm. Purchase original folk art & limited edition prints online at www.lafategallery.com. Starting June 5th take 50% off of limited edition prints and 25% off original paintings.

Miller’s Check Cashing: Offering curbside pickup Monday–Friday from 9:30am – 3pm.

Morgan’s of Delaware: Shop online and save 20% off all orders placed through May 30th!

Rainbow: Take an extra 10% off on anything! No code needed

Spaceboy Clothing: Custom “made-to-order” masks now available!

Sneaker City: Open for curbside pickup Monday-Saturday from 12pm-4pm.

Wright & Simon: While closed to the public, we are still conducting business on the phone at (302) 658-7345 and via email len@wrightandsimon.com. We have custom shirt fabric options if you feel like shopping from home. If I have your measurements on file, you can call me to place an order, and I can have it shipped to you. You can also purchase a gift certificate.

Support Local Businesses Now More Than Ever

Image Credit: Common Deer

We rely on our local businesses to create thriving neighborhoods for our residents and visitors every day. During this time of uncertainty, we need to do all we can to support these businesses, and their staff, by:

• ordering takeout

• purchasing gift cards

• following them on social media

• spreading the word about their offers

• posting a positive review

Please consider helping our small business owners and #ShopSmall during this crisis and always!

7 New Businesses Opened in Downtown Wilmington DE Over the Summer!

The past few years on Market street have seen a surge of economic development with the opening of new restaurants, apartment communities, and more. The growth of businesses in Downtown Wilmington, DE has yet to slow down with 7 new establishments opening over this past summer (and 3 more just around the corner). Read up on the newest group of businesses that have chosen to call Wilmington home!

Open For Business

Girard & Faire | 216 W 9th St

Girard & Faire kicked off the summer of development in Downtown Wilmington with not one, but two new establishments. First up, Girard Craft & Cork opened in April bringing an upscale liquor store to Girard Street (hence the name) with a keen focus on domestic and imported wines. Sneak through the back of the shop, and you enter Faire Market & Cafe - a gourmet grocery store and made to order counter serving delicious breakfast and lunch options.

King Creative & Studio Nurture | 727 N Market St

Earlier this summer, co-owners of King Creative, Christopher Bruce and Dan Pierce, launched their newly formed Video Production House with a fully functioning Recording Studio at the corner of 8th and Market streets. This is the first of its kind in Wilmington with both a full-scale video production house and an audio recording studio. Above King Creative is also the brand new Studio Nurture offering yoga and meditation classes.

3 Kings Customs | 7 W 4th St

Offering fully customized products, from t-shirts and apparel to dog tags and coffee mugs, 3 Kings Customs can now be your one stop shop for promotional items just around the corner from Market!

Torbert Street Social | 305 Torbert St

Torbert Street Social, the newest venture by Big Fish Restaurant Group, brings a speakeasy-style bar and restaurant feel to Downtown Wilmington in a refurbished 19th century horse stable. Offering a nostalgic sense of class and history, Torbert Street Social brings together a fusion of elusiveness and complexity, serving only the finest spirits ans cocktails. offers a sophisticated cocktail lounge and patio. If you’re looking to disappear for a delicious bite to eat and a uniquely crafted cocktail, come in and see for yourself.

WHYY-TV | 605 N Market St

WHYY-TV has moved its newsroom from the Seventh and Orange streets location in Wilmington to Market Street! Serving the Philadelphia area, WHYY-TV covers local news and features many programs, including interviews with area politicians, shows from PBS and more, all seeking to inform and educate the community. This move puts the studio at the heart of the art and business scene in the city.

Coming Soon

Makers Alley | 804 N Orange St

Although not quite open just yet, Makers Alley is a brand new bar and restaurant coming soon to Downtown Wilmington - complete with a classic Airstream travel trailer turned food truck. Self-proclaimed as a joint for bites, sips, and outdoor vibes, discovered off the beaten path. We can’t wait to see how they have transformed the 19th-century carpenter’s shop into a 21st-century hangout space!

The Chicken Spot | 204 W 10th St

The Chicken Spot is a brand new eatery taking over the location formerly occupied by Benjamin’s On 10th. The menu will feature different varieties of - you guessed it - chicken. The owner, Venu Gaddamidi, also manages Veritas Wine & Craft Beer and Ciro Food & Drink down on the Riverfront. We are excited to see what his newest venture will bring to Downtown Wilmington!

El Diablo | 837 N Market St

The opening of this hometown favorite on Market Street has been highly anticipated even since their exterior signage went up last winter. Rumor has it that construction is nearing completion, and El Diablo will soon be opening their doors to satisfy lunch-goers with fast-casual Mexican options.