Day: September 30, 2019

Get Your Art Buzz On by Melissa LaScaleia Bailey Turner discovered Wine and Design when she was a sophomore at Coastal Carolina University. A graphic design major with a minor in studio art, she was looking for a job doing something she loved, and began working at one of Wine and Design’s franchise locations in Myrtle Beach. After graduation she moved to Chicago, and stayed in the same industry with a similar company.  When she returned South, the Wine and Design of her college years had moved to North Myrtle Beach. Seeing a huge market open in the heart of Myrtle Beach, she and her husband, Chris Wilkinson, decided to open their own location in the Market Common while they were still dating.  “We got business married before really getting married,” she laughs.  Wine and Design teaches step-by-step instructions for painting your own painting. Groups of friends or solos get to leave with a painting that they made that same night. The studio offers a selection of snacks and non-alcoholic beverages available for purchase, but is also BYOB, and encourages people to bring what they want to eat or drink.  “People often bring cheese platters or fruit trays, they sometimes even cater,” Bailey says. “It’s really like a big party where you happen to learn how to paint. People who come in here expect to have a good time. It’s just a fun environment to be in.”    Husband and wife team Chris Wilkinson (left), and Bailey Turner (right). “We got business married before really getting married,” Bailey says. — Photo Meganpixels Parker Classes are held daily, and pre-registration is encouraged to give Bailey and her team of artists time to pre-trace the canvases. If somebody wants a totally blank canvas, they’ll provide that too.  They also offer a daily Pop-In & Paint class, for those with unpredictable schedules or spontaneous tendencies. During designated hours, anyone is welcome to come in and paint at their own leisure from a pre-traced or blank canvas, without any teaching guidance.  All of the artwork at Wine and Design is original— either created by an owner of a franchise or an employee of one. It’s all copyrighted— therefore, not something you’ll find reproduced anywhere outside the venue. There are new paintings to choose from all the time, and the artwork is kept in an online gallery database which all of the franchises have access to. Selected paintings are rarely offered twice— only brought back by client demand.  The paintings are picked several months in advance based on what Bailey thinks will be popular seasonally. You can view the selections on their website and pre-register for the painting you choose.  They have a range of other mediums you can select besides canvas: wine glasses, wine bottles, and pallet boards; and specialty classes like Paint Your Pet, as well as an Acrylic Pour class in which you liquidize paint and pour it on the canvas to make abstract designs. “The emphasis is on texture and color and less on form,” Bailey says in speaking of the latter class.  They are also offering classes and workshops under a new do-it-yourself division.  “I truly love my job,” says Bailey. “This is probably the dream job for any artist.” — Photo Meganpixels Parker “Under this category are classes like knitting chunky blankets, and creating stencils from a wood pallet to customize lettering or a design,” Bailey says. “These are more hands on physical activities.”  Wine and Design has two rooms— a larger for public gatherings, and another room in the back for private functions like birthday parties, bachelorette parties, kids parties, and baby showers. Anything that can be turned into a party can be a party here.  They also offer several kids camps over the summer as well as alternating Mommy & Me and kids painting classes on Saturday mornings. Check their calendar for all their latest offerings.  “We’re excited to be in our fourth year and still continuing to bring in new and fun elements to the industry,” says Chris.  With a degree in business and finance from Coastal Carolina, Chris handles the business side which also includes most of the marketing. Bailey works with the calendar, manages the artists, and handles inventory; they both handle customer interactions.  “I truly love my job,” she says. “It’s amazing being able to paint everyday. This is probably the dream job for any artist.  “Everyone who works here either has an art degree or is getting their art degree, so they’re all very qualified to teach. I try to teach a large number of classes because I enjoy it.”  The couple bring an element of fun to their business that’s infectious for their clientele, and continue to brainstorm new offerings to delight.” — Photo Meganpixels Parker In addition to the teaching, Bailey’s favorite thing about being co-owner of Wine and Design is seeing customers find and discover their creativity.  “98% of the people who come to us have never painted before, or haven’t since elementary school,” she says. “A lot of times they get discouraged and say, ‘I’ve never learned art,’ but they have so much talent. They’re usually a little hard on themselves, but at the end, they’re so proud of their work.”     Bailey and Chris have what’s called a Paint It Forward division, a charity division of their company, in which they donate a percentage of the class proceeds to a charitable cause. Often customers will approach them with a cause, and the two will host a class to support them.   “We especially love being in this community of Market Common,” Bailey says. “We couldn’t have chosen a better area when we decided where to go. We have a lot of support from people who live nearby. I want to bring them creativity. Art is important, especially for people with a 9-5 job, because creating helps you de-stress. And where else do you really get to do art in the community?  “We have a lot of customers who come to us multiple times per week and per month, and this is their therapy session. I think that’s a neat … Read more

Kitchens for Deaf Education with Conway Builders by Melissa LaScaleia Since its beginnings in 1997, Conway Builders of Myrtle Beach has taken pride in offering quality workmanship. The family owned and operated company specializes in kitchen and bath remodeling and all other interior house finishings.  Michael Sokolik, Jr. is vice president of the company and partner with his stepfather Victor Conway. Victor has been in this industry since the age of eight, when he would accompany his father and uncle on jobs. As an adult, he forged Conway Builders of Myrtle Beach with values based on stellar customer service and first-rate artistry.  Conway Builders are building contractors who go above and beyond in terms of the customer service and level of work that they offer.  Victor sums up their approach with a phrase he coined— ‘There’s the right way, the wrong way, and the Conway.’ With the Conway method, customers are taken care of, the right way, the first time.    “My stepfather would say, if you can see it, the customer can see it,” Michael says. “So we look with attention to detail to catch things and take care of any loose ends the first time. That way, we’re in the clear, and not giving them anything to go looking for.”    Another of their mottos is quality above quantity.  “We want each customer to receive the same excellent service as the person before them,” says Michael. “So if people want the job done yesterday, they have to wait their turn while we give our full attention to the project we’re currently working on. We won’t short-change or abandon a current customer just to secure a new one.”  “Our main goal is to make our customers happy,” Victor adds. “And that takes a lot of hard work and hands-on mentality to achieve. We’re a family business, so when you hire us, you’ll always have a member of the Conway family on the job.”     Michael Sokolik, Jr., co-owner of Conway builders. — Photo Meganpixels Parker In keeping with their commitment to full transparency, with Conway Builders, you never have to worry about being upcharged. They give their clients a list of products needed for the project and the locations where those items can be found, so that homeowners can select the style, price, and quality of the materials personally.  “We try to steer our clients towards using higher quality materials, because those will stand up over time,” Michael says. “If you use lesser quality products now, you’re going to pay to do a repair again sooner than you would otherwise. But anybody who can’t afford higher quality materials still receives the same level of workmanship from us.  “It makes sense to have the clients pick out the materials since they are the ones who have to live with the products. That way, there’s no question as to what they’re getting. They’ve seen it, touched it and they know all about it. And, if they choose to use another contractor, we’ve given them an organized form that makes it easier to have a complete breakdown of what they’re buying and for what purpose.”  Conway Builders takes the time to give a complete verbal overview of the labor process, so that customers can hear and understand what it takes to do the work, the skill and knowledge needed to execute the project in a timely manner, and a complete price with all the taxes included. They give accurate and detailed assessments that are clear, transparent, and up-front both about the cost and the time needed to complete the job.  “I’m always willing to sit and spend time with customers to understand what they want and answer any questions,” Michael says. “Because what I hear from a lot of people who end up choosing us, is that a lot of companies are just there to take measurements and write up an estimate, not answer questions.”  The team at Conway Builders takes continuing education courses within their profession, so they constantly stay up-to-date on the latest trends, available products and installation techniques, and code.  The company’s incredible attention to practically meeting and addressing customers’ needs earns them grateful and loyal clients as much as their industry and design knowledge.  “A lot of people go with our ideas because we know what we’re talking about,” Michael says. “People look at their bathroom or kitchen and say, ‘I want this or that.’  I’m able to create a design for them that is going to get them all the different characteristics of their varying ideas and make it into one final transformation that’s tangible, workable, and solid.” Michael’s daughter, Gracelyn (center) is both deaf and hard of hearing. She is the inspiration behind Conway Builder’s Kitchens for Deaf Education donation campaign. — Photo Meganpixels Parker This past August, Michael began a fundraising promotion to give back to the community called  Kitchens for Deaf Education.  Through this initiative, when customers order any size or brand kitchen cabinet set and installation through Conway Builders, the company will donate a portion of the proceeds to Horry County Schools to support deaf education.  The money will primarily be used to update the resources library— securing the acquisition of things like books, technology, and other learning tools specific to deaf and hard of hearing children. It will also be used to provide continuing education for interpreters within the Horry County school system.  “Another thing we’re doing with the money,” Michael says, “is hosting an awareness picnic for the deaf and hard of hearing students all over Horry County, and their friends from the hearing community.”    Michael’s youngest child, Gracelyn, was the inspiration for the promotion. She is deaf and hard of hearing, and is a part of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program at the local school where she just entered kindergarten.     A lot of deaf and hard of hearing people are able to wear hearing aids or get cochlear implants to help them hear, but the surgery is very expensive and requires much maintenance throughout … Read more

Known For Excellence, Trusted For Value by Melissa LaScaleia When a relative introduced Jim Bowdre to the funeral business at a young age, he found he enjoyed the profession, and decided to pursue his interest by attended embalming school.  In addition to receiving a degree in mortuary science, he also graduated from Virginia Tech on a full-ride academic scholarship, and earned his master’s degree in education from UVA.  Jim worked for Hillenbrand Industries, the world’s largest casket and hospital bed company for twenty-seven years as a territory manger, covering NC, SC and GA. He also taught continuing education in North and South Carolina for funeral directors.  In 2004, Jim took an early retirement, and moved with his wife, Carole, to Myrtle Beach. Then he met an altruistic gentleman, Greg Everett, who wanted to make funeral costs more affordable to people.  “The biggest thing that drives people away from a funeral home is the cost,” Jim says. “Greg is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. He was trying to come up with a business plan to offer premier service at an affordable price.”     With Jim’s help, Greg started the Myrtle Beach Funeral Home and Crematory in 2008. With his love of the funeral business, Jim worked for him after retirement, and ultimately purchased it from him in 2011, so Greg could manage his other businesses.  Today, Jim and Carole run the funeral home together with the help of Eddie Lennon and Bob Borning.  Eddie is originally from Long Island, NY, and moved to Myrtle Beach five years ago. He is the cremation specialist at the funeral home, and is currently apprenticing to be a funeral director.  Eddie became interested in the funeral business when he began meeting people in the industry through his work in a nursing home and then afterwards at the Myrtle Beach hospital. After meeting Jim through mutual connections, he decided to join the Myrtle Beach Funeral Home team.    “The environment here has a very homey feel to it,” Eddie says. “We look out for one another, we help one another. And we help the families get through this time— sometimes it’s with laughter, sometimes it’s just by being compassionate. We treat each other and the people who come in here as if they are our own family.”  Bob Borning is a licensed funeral director and embalmer. He grew up in upstate New York, and lived on Cape Cod for thirty years where he managed a funeral home— the same one which buried most of the Kennedy family.  He also worked for an emergency response company, and spent three weeks assisting in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina hit, and almost four months in Haiti after the earthquake.  “We were charged with repatriating people from all over the world who were victims of the disaster,” he says.  Bob eventually moved to Myrtle Beach for the weather, the lifestyle, and a change, and worked for some years with another funeral home before relocating to Missouri. Then Jim called him and offered him a job.  “I had known Jim for over twenty years, and he gave me a call because he was looking for somebody to help him with his business,” Bob says. “I was literally packing my bags to come back here as we were on the phone discussing it.  “Jim and Carol are absolutely wonderful people to work with and for. They’ve made it possible to offer people in Horry and Georgetown counties and beyond, an affordable choice for cremation and burial.  “I meet families often, and I handle a lot of the embalming for Jim. I have a lot of experience doing it. We take pride in what we do here.”  Myrtle Beach Funeral Home and Crematory provides full funerals and cremations at a fraction of the cost of most funeral homes nation-wide.  “In keeping with the motives that inspired the start of this business, we offer premier services at affordable prices while still maintaining the highest level of ethical business practices,” Carole says.  “We offer everything any other funeral home does, but because we are a smaller facility— 7,000 square feet rather than 17,000 square feet, we have lower overhead, and so we are able to offer lower prices.”    Traditional funerals have shifted, and today, are more of a celebration and remembrance of a life. Above, keepsakes that can personalized for a family to remember their loved one. — Photo Meganpixels Parker The facility includes a large dining area, several arrangement offices, a non-denominational chapel which holds 115, a smaller chapel, a family room, and an onsite crematory with a family room attached. They also offer catering services.  “The market has shifted and traditional funerals have shifted,” Carole says. “The ceremony is changing now to be more a celebration of life. You need less space, and the popularity of cremations has grown tremendously. ”  Myrtle Beach Funeral Home and Crematory offers all traditional services for cremations and burials. They accommodate all wishes and all religious preferences.  Carole writes a lot of articles about the funeral industry and how families can navigate end-of-life issues together. One of the topics she tries to educate people about is that of the importance of pre-arrangement, the action of specifying wishes and planning your funeral while you are healthy. “Prearrangement is one of the greatest gifts that someone can give their family,” she says. “At the time of death, emotions and anxiety are escalated, often family members cannot think clearly, and cannot make decisions. With a prearrangement, it allows family members to follow the wishes of the deceased and relieves a lot of stress.”  Carole has a degree in business and psychology from Francis Marion University. She began her college career as a business major, but enjoyed psychology so much she ended up with a double major.  She has twenty years of hospice experience, counseling families who have lost loved ones and helping them navigate the end of the life process. She is a firm believer in the healing power of the grieving process.    “I enjoy helping the families who come to us,” Carole says. “Sometimes I sit and … Read more