After growing up in landlocked Tennessee, this Schell Warranty Representative discovered a lifestyle of happiness at the beach. Meet Drew Duklewski and his wife Ivana, and see why their kids’ smiles are biggest when the waves are crashing.
Drew, you aren’t originally from Delaware. How did you end up in Lewes?
DREW: I grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, and moved here in 2015. My parents were originally from Baltimore, so they decided to retire in Rehoboth to be closer to family. After graduating from the University of Memphis, I followed suit.
IVANA: I was raised in Milford, and the beaches have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My first job in high school was scooping ice cream at Cold Stone in Rehoboth. I love it here and wouldn’t want my kids to grow up anywhere else.
What do you love most about living in Lewes?
IVANA: My favorite part about living in Lewes is its accessibility to the open ocean. The amazing array of food, festivities, and small-town camaraderie are all icing on the cake.
DREW: Coming from a landlocked state, the beach was most intriguing to me. Also, the proximity to Pennsylvania and Maryland was appealing as I considered potential jobs after college.
How did you learn about Schell?
DREW: After graduating and moving from Memphis, I settled in Sussex County. I took a bartending job at Big Fish Grill located next to Schell’s main office and noticed their billboards around town. Their homes were unlike the others, and I could see that Schell was different. While continuing my career in the restaurant industry in Lewes, I watched Schell’s growth and deep involvement in the community, and I wanted to be part of that. At the time, my parents were living in a townhome in Rehoboth and needed a bigger place that would accommodate visits with the grandkids. They found Coastal Club, met the Schell Brothers Community Sales Manager, and chose their lot the same day. After I saw how happy my parents were with their home and the building process, I knew I wanted to work for Schell. I’ve been in the Warranty Department for five years now and it was the best decision of my life.
“I watched Schell’s growth and deep involvement in the community, and I wanted to be part of that.” – DREW
Drew, tell us about your job. What do you like most about it?
DREW: My job in Schell’s Warranty Department consists of acquainting new owners with their homes and making sure they understand how everything works. Most importantly, I set expectations by giving people the knowledge they need to succeed in keeping their homes beautiful and functioning. I also manage our trade partners when follow-up work is needed in a home after settlement. This is all possible through our operating system called Heartbeat, which gives me the opportunity to be in constant communication with homeowners throughout the warranty period. As corny as it sounds, I truly enjoy helping our homeowners throughout their journey.
Favorite memory while working for Schell?
DREW: From volunteering at Schellville to helping with various projects, I’ve enjoyed being part of the team that supports our trades and the community every year. It’s really been rewarding to see the homeowners become part of their new communities.
With so many new home communities to choose from, how did you land on Marsh Island? What is your favorite aspect about living at Marsh Island?
IVANA: As soon as Marsh Island was announced as an upcoming community, Drew and I had an eye on it. It was a no-brainer for us due to the accessibility to Rehoboth Bay and the awesome dock that is basically in our backyard! Did I mention that it’s time for us to get a boat?! An added plus is that we live one street over from my parents and only five minutes from Drew’s mom and dad.
What floor plan did you choose and why?
DREW: We chose The Mayberry with a finished basement and bonus room. Since we have young children, we love having all the main living areas and bedrooms on the first floor—with a wide footprint that gives us the distance all families appreciate. And the finished bonus room upstairs is like a secluded studio apartment for guests.
IVANA: We were moving out of a two-story townhome with the primary bedroom on the first floor and the other two bedrooms upstairs. We love the single-floor living The Mayberry offers. As a young growing family, we wanted all the babies on the same floor.
A few other features that were super-important to me were a dedicated mudroom and a separate laundry room as well as a basement where the kids can run wild. The Mayberry delivered on all my hopes and dreams while still maintaining that cozy ranch feeling.
What is the favorite room in your home?
DREW: I would have to say that our finished basement is my favorite; it’s like another house down there. We have so much room, along with the ability to finish future spaces as needed. To me, the basement is a must.
IVANA: My favorite room is the mudroom. We decided to add built-in lockers for the kids, and I just love the look and functionality. It keeps the mess contained and feeds my internal need for organization. But the great room is a close second. I love walking into my house and feeling so refreshed with the light drenching our main living area. It feels bright, airy, and homey.
Was it difficult changing gears and going from being an employee to a client?
DREW: Honestly, it was cool seeing what our clients experience and now I can really relate to it from their perspective.
You’re busy parents of 3 beautiful kiddos. What do you like to do as a family?
DREW: We love anything that keeps us busy, whether it’s the beach, hanging out in the basement, or taking bike and scooter rides. We usually gravitate toward activities that keep us out of the house; that way we don’t have to clean up as many messes.
IVANA: Our happy place as a family is definitely on the sand and in the waves where our kiddos love the freedom of running in the crashing water. We spend a lot of time on the drive-on beaches and at after-school family dinners at the beach. In the winter, we like to count down the days until summer!
How about a typical date night? What are some of your favorite local spots?
DREW: An ideal date night for us would be a summer evening in Lewes eating at our favorite spot—Lewes Oyster House—before popping over to Kings for some local ice cream.
IVANA: We don’t have as much time for date nights these days, but some other favorites have been a night at La Fable, Dogfish Head, Starboard Raw—or Northbeach if we’re feeling really spicy! Now that we bring our kids along with us, we frequent Crooked Hammock or Dewey Beer Co in Harbeson because it has a laid-back vibe where they can play while Drew and I chat over drinks.
If you could describe Schell Brothers in one word, what would it be?
DREW: Human. Schell puts the homeowner experience at the forefront. We value happiness over profit, which is a testament to us truly caring about the greater community.
IVANA: I would say Generous. Our community is lucky to have such an amazing powerhouse homebuilder with a giving spirit. Schell Brothers can see past itself as a company to be something much bigger. Their generosity does not go unnoticed. We couldn’t be more thankful to be associated with a company that is truly committed to the mission of happiness—not to mention building us a beautiful, long-lasting home where our family will grow for many years to come. We’re proud to be part of the Schell Brothers family.
At Home with Schell Brothers magazine is published bi-annually to share inspiring stories, local flavors, innovative home designs, and more. From our family to yours, we hope you enjoy each page and look forward to upcoming issues.
Did you enjoy this article? Be sure to explore the rest of this issue for more captivating content. Read Summer 2024 Edition
