Business

Relieving Pain, Creating Smiles by Melissa LaScaleia South Strand Dental Associates is a general dentistry practice that offers a full range of comprehensive dental services for patients of all ages like: deep cleanings, preventative oral care, crown and bridge and extraction services, and cosmetic dentistry. A local orthodontist makes twice monthly visits to their office for orthodontic procedures. Dr. Daniel Miller III, or Dr. Dan, as he’s known in the office, has always been rooted in South Carolina. He was born in Dillon, and spent his teenage years in Murrells Inlet after his family relocated here. He attended Waccamaw High School and then attended Wofford College, in Spartanburg South Carolina.  “In college I knew that I was interested in the areas of science, health and medicine, but I wasn’t sure what specific field I wanted to pursue,” Daniel says. “I grew up in a household of dentistry— my dad, Daniel Miller Jr. is a dentist, and his grandfather was a dentist; I finally decided to go that direction too.” Daniel went to the Medical University of South Carolina and graduated in 2004 from Dental School. Directly after graduation, he joined his father’s dental practice at the Beach.  The team of South Strand Dental Associates works to stay current with new methods, techniques, and technology to offer the best in dentistry services. Dr. Benjamin H. Collins (above) is an owner in the practice with the Millers. —Photo Meganpixels Parker “It’s been really good for us to work together,” Dr. Dan says, speaking of the business relationship with his father. “We’ve always gotten along well. He’s a great father, and has been helpful to me in my career in every possible way. I’ve always appreciated him as a mentor. Our personalities are just different enough, which I think makes us work better together. I’m a little more quiet, and he’s a little more talkative. I think that makes us a good team— even though we have the same name.” Dr. Miller Jr. has been practicing dentistry for forty-two years, initially in Dillon, SC. “As a dentist, I like helping people and being able to help people maintain beautiful teeth and smiles,” he says. “I also like to relieve pain and suffering, even though that’s not a popular thing to reference in dentistry.”  Today the dental practice is jointly owned by Dr. Dan, his father, and Dr. Benjamin Collins— Dr. Dan having become part owner this past year. “We have a really well-rounded team that covers all age groups,” Dr. Miller says.  Dr. Daniel W. Miller III, or Dr. Dan as he’s known in the office, is a partner in the dental practice with his father, Dr. Miller Jr. “We make a good team,” he says of working with his father. —Photo Meganpixels Parker “Our dental office has a family feel to it because of the atmosphere we create as a team, and the care we show our patients,” Dr. Dan says. “We take the time to get to know our patients so we can provide them with the best service possible. Many of our patients are retired— it’s interesting to get to know them and hear about their lives.” Dr. Dan also loves the rapid changes to his industry, which keeps things fresh, interesting, and always challenging. “I’m constantly working to stay current with new methods, techniques, and technology to offer the best in dentistry services,” he says. “The new ways make procedures more simple, less painful, and our patients’ lives easier as well as our jobs easier.” “It’s fun to work and live along the Grand Strand because most people I see want to be here and are happy to be here,” he adds. “I love playing golf and being outside. My wife, Brianne, is an elementary school guidance counselor. We have two girls: Charlotte, who is 11, and Abigail who is 8. We enjoy all the outdoor activities that we can do together as a family, like kayaking, hiking, and being on the Intracoastal Waterway. I love spending time with my family, that’s very important to me.”  South Strand Dental Associates Globe Phone Map-marked-alt Facebook

by Karen Riordan, President & CEO Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce (MBACC) serves two distinct purposes in our community. We exist to protect, promote and improve the business landscape of our area through education programs, networking opportunities and advocacy initiatives. We’re also the official destination marketing organization for the Grand Strand, drawing visitors to our beautiful beach communities and ensuring our tourism industry remains strong through aggressive national advertising and sales initiatives. And when times of uncertainty affect our area, MBACC is there as a resource for our business and hospitality partners. COVID-19 is an unprecedented event, different from past challenges we’ve faced because of the number of unknowns and the fluidity of the situation.  As a country we’ve watched our government react to slow the spread of the coronavirus. As a community we have watched our business partners look for ways to adjust operations to stay afloat as public health guidance has changed daily. In some instances, businesses have temporarily closed, furloughed or laid-off employees, or altered their hours drastically as we have all practiced social distancing and self-isolation. Through it all, MBACC has worked to help our community navigate these difficult times. Here are a few examples of the work we’re doing to help Myrtle Beach businesses prepare and recover from the impact of COVID-19: Advocacy One of the most important roles in our organization is to keep the Myrtle Beach area top-of-mind with our legislators. We’ve been in constant communication with our leaders at the local, state and federal levels since before COVID-19 began to impact our community. And as we’ve watched the closures and cancellations of events, attractions, and restaurants, we’ve stepped up our efforts to ensure the tourism industry is included in federal and state relief packages. Resources There has been no shortage of information relating to COVID-19. Tax changes, business regulations, small business loans, tips for healthy hygiene, and so much more has been hitting our inboxes daily just like it has yours. We have taken that information, edited it down to the most important information you need for your business, and posted it regularly on our website, social channels, and in a daily email update to businesses to help them find what they need in a timely manner. Marketing Throughout this pandemic our message has been to ask visitors to postpone trips, not cancel them, so when it is time to come back, we will be ready for them. We are assisting guests  with requests for refunds or credits for future travel and supporting our lodging partners however we can. We halted our ad campaign and shifted to “Sharing some sunshine” on our social channels to bring a smile to guest’s faces during this difficult time.  We are also supporting our restaurant community as they labor to stay open through take-out and curbside services. Our marketing team is preparing a recovery plan to bring our visitors back, safely and strategically, once COVID-19 has passed. We want to assure you that as your local chamber and convention and visitors bureau, we are here for the duration of this event with our team, working remotely every day to support our business community and our residents.   Your Chamber has stood as the unified voice of the Grand Strand’s business community since 1938. We have weathered many storms and faced significant challenges, including the events of 9/11 and devastating hurricanes and floods. We have no doubt that together our community will overcome this newest challenge. Visit MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com and VisitMyrtleBeach.com for more on the chamber’s response to COVID-19, the latest resources and information to help your business during these uncertain times, and information on recovery plans as it becomes available.

Saturday, March 14, 2020 in North Myrtle Beach by Melissa LaScaleia The Grand Strand’s iconic and hugely popular St. Patrick’s Day Festival and Parade, put on by the City of North Myrtle Beach, will be held this year on Saturday, March 14 in North Myrtle Beach. The parade is organized by the Grand Strand Optimist Club as a fundraiser for their youth outreach projects.  Over one hundred floats and businesses participate in the parade, all decorated with a St. Patrick’s Day theme.  “It’s a great opportunity for area businesses to advertise,” says Tina McCrackin, director of events and programs for the City of North Myrtle Beach Parks and Recreation. As the director, Tina is instrumental in helping to organize the parade and festival logistics, both prior to and during the event.  “Additionally, different organizations, like the Chamber of Commerce or city council will have floats,” she says. “And there are pageant queens too. It’s a fun, lighthearted event, that about 10,000 people turn out to see.”  The parade is covered by WPDE television network, a local subsidiary of ABC, and aired live on their station. Most of the well-known TV personalities from the network will be there that day, acting as hosts for the event. “There are three announcement stages,” says Tina. “As the floats pass by, the television network will read who they are and what they offer. And after the parade, TV personalities will be at the festival for a meet and greet.”  Participants and bystanders from the no hands no-holds-barred shepherds pie eating contest stand at the ready. — Photo North Myrtle Beach Parks & Recreation The parade runs from 9am-11am. It starts at the intersection of Ye Olde Kings and Main Street, travels down Main Street, and turns onto Hillside Drive, Second Ave South, and Ocean Blvd respectively. It ends at the intersection of 2nd Avenue North and Ocean Blvd. After the parade, the festival begins. It is located on Main Street, from Cedar Ave to Ocean Blvd. Approximately 50,000 people from all over the Grand Strand, North Carolina, and inland turn out for it. “It’s like a sea of green, as all the spectators come into the festival area,” Tina says.  The festival is free to attend and is held from 11am-4pm. There is offsite parking available with free shuttles that run back and forth all day. Approximately two hundred vendors participate in the festival; there is representation from a myriad of genres— everything from arts and crafts stalls to professional businesses, and local non-profits. There are a combination of retail and resale establishments, as well as artists and artisans offering their own wooden bowls, wreaths, jewelry, pottery, homemade beef jerky, knits, pet gifts, art work, and clothing. Businesses have booths to promote their services, from which they hand out literature and are available to answer questions. There are three stages of entertainment featuring bands and local entertainment all day long. Tan and Sober Gentlemen, a very fun and energetic Irish music act from the Charlotte area, are the headline act.  “They have a little following in our area, we’ve had them play several times,” Tina says.  One pipe and drum band will also be performing, and the local elementary school will dance and perform an ensemble act.  And then there’s the much anticipated, highly touted leprechaun contest. The 2019 winner of the Leprechaun contest and current reigning champion. The honor is bestowed upon the victor for a year, and the title will be up for grabs once more at the start of this year’s festival. — Photo North Myrtle Beach Parks & Recreation People wait all year to witness and compete in the event that ushers in North Myrtle Beach’s most coveted honor— the chance to be designated the official North Myrtle Beach leprechaun for the entire year. WPDE television acts as the judges with input from the audience.    “We have a little bit of everything with this event,” Tina says with a laugh. “All age groups participate in it. From head to toe people dress up like a leprechaun. Some even take on a leprechaun persona.”  The contestants are judged on originality, creativity, enthusiasm, appearance, and energy, and potentially their accent, as they are allowed to introduce themselves. The winner gets an official St. Patricks’ Day t-shirt, a $100 gift card to Walmart, and the satisfaction of knowing they are the leprechaun for the year.  “Usually last year’s winner comes back and tries to win it again,” Tina says. “The contest has really become exciting in the last few years. The clapping and whistles are what sway WPDE to select the winner.”  Then there is the shepherd’s pie-eating contest, which is just as fun and zany as it sounds.  “The shepherd’s pie eating contest is really fun,” Tina says. “It’s about who can clean their plate without using their hands. We get a large dish from Flynn’s Irish Tavern, portion it out, and whoever finishes first, without their hands, wins. It took less than a minute for last year’s winner to finish. He had been trying to win for four years. Everyone is screaming and jumping up and down. We have a good time with it.”  In addition to the entertainment, there are many different food vendors: traditional Irish food like bangers and mash, seafood, Italian food, pizza, chicken fingers, and all the fun festival foods like fried banana pudding, cheesecake, pickles, and funnel cakes. All the businesses along main street will be open as well, so you can stop in to dine at any of the establishments.  Photo North Myrtle Beach Parks & Recreation. There are plenty of the favorite Irish drinks to go around, but this is also a family friendly event, and a safe environment for everyone.  There’s a children’s area with activities that include everything from carnival games like balloon darts to inflatables. There’s something for children of all ages. “We’ve had a lot of success with this festival over the last few years,” Tina says. “It … Read more

We Love Our Customers by Melissa LaScaleia Seaside Furniture Gallery & Accents originated in Calabash in 2001. Julie Almeida and Pete Morgan are siblings and founders— both were raised in the area.  In 2006, with the opening of their North Myrtle Beach store, Seaside Furniture Gallery consolidated from two stores to one. In 2010 they became Seaside Furniture Gallery & Accents, and a few years later added an additional 8,000 square feet of showroom, bringing their showroom total to just over 18,000 square feet. “Seaside has a lot to offer everyone, from the beachy, coastal style to elegant, traditional and even retro looks,” says Kent Shaeffer, general manager for the store. “But we prefer the coastal look because it creates such a happy feeling when people come into our store. We carry bright coastal colors and a huge variety of bedroom, dining room, and living room furniture, recliners, and a large assortment of coastal accessories.”  “I’m proud to say that we have the best prices for the highest quality products,” says Julie. “Everything here can be delivered on the same or next day. Additionally, customers can custom order anything to their specifications.” “Everything has a coastal slant,” says Kent. “We carry some traditional looks as well, but coastal is our thumbprint.” — Photo Meganpixels Parker “Our customers love the personal service and attention to detail that they receive,” she adds. “They’ll always hear a hello when they come in, and a thank-you for their business.” “We welcome our clients to come with whatever their color inspiration is, whether it’s cabinet, or floors, or walls, so when we’re helping you select fabric or furniture, we have all those pieces of the puzzle,” Kent says. People enjoy coming in and seeing what’s current, as Seaside has new merchandise arriving almost daily, and sells furniture and accessories right off of their showroom floor. “Relationships are important to us,” Julie says. “We love it when our repeat customers bring in family and friends, some with gifts of homemade sweets, or fruits and vegetables from their garden.”  There are thousands of fabrics and leathers to choose from when selecting your sofa, sleeper sofa, or reclining sofa groups. And for those who have a nook for a small dining room or even a large dining room, Seaside has many options for furnishing your space. Several of their manufacturers offer hundreds of colors. “We welcome our clients to come with whatever their color inspiration is, whether it’s cabinet, floors, or walls, so when we’re helping you select fabric or furniture, we have all those pieces of the puzzle,” Kent says. — Photo Meganpixels Parker Seaside can help you decorate your office areas, guest bedrooms, and master bedrooms— and they’ll provide you with mattresses too. They have a wide selection of brands to choose from with companies like Capris, Palliser, Flexsteel, Best Chair, Riverside, Canadel, John Thomas, Madison Avenue, Tempur-Pedic, Sealy, and Jamison mattresses. Seaside offers every price point to meet the needs of their customers— from just-starting-out budgets to higher end designers. “There’s no better place to work at than here at Seaside,” says Kent who has been with the company for the past seven years. Kent handles all of the marketing and customer service. He is the face of Seaside in their television commercials as well as on the radio. Pete Morgan is their sales manager. He helps with floor management, sales staff and overall client experiences. “We allow people to walk around and get a feel for our products; we want our customers to know that we’re there to offer suggestions on matching or design without pressure or obligation,” he says. “We prefer our customers to be able to relax and enjoy the experience of picking out furniture and decor for their home.”    Seaside’s staff comes from all over the East coast. — Photo Meganpixels Parker “I’m proud to say that our Seaside family has the best group of employees I ever could have imagined,” says Julie. “They are considerate of each other, as well as our clients, and they go above and beyond to make sure that our customers’ experience with Seaside is the best, from the sales floor to the delivery.” Seaside Furniture Gallery & Accents is also proud to be sponsors of so many events happening in the North Myrtle Beach area, as well as along the Grand Strand. They participate in the North Myrtle Beach Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day parades. They share in the enjoyment of creating innovative floats for the parades, and have won first and second place in both the parades. Their team also enjoys passing out candy and being a part of the crowd. Seaside donates to several local area charity organizations. Several years ago, they teamed up with WPDE and Capris Furniture to donate multiple living room sets to area flood victims after storms.  Seaside Furniture Gallery & Accents has been awarded the ‘Best of the Grand Strand’ award for four years. In 2019 they won for ‘Best Furniture Store,’ ‘Best Interior Design Store,’ and ‘Best Mattress Store.’ They have also won the North Strand Readers Award for the last two years. “Seaside has been an incredible experience for me as well as my staff,” Julie says. “They work so hard and are very diligent. We could not have done this without our loyal customers, and we are grateful for you.” Seaside Furniture Gallery and Accents Facebook Globe Phone Map-marked-alt

Come Join the Cart Life by Melissa LaScaleia King of Carts in Surfside Beach is a popular local business that sells, rents and services golf cars. They specialize in buying off-lease vehicles and remanufacturing and customizing them for their retail store. Pat Dye is the general manager, and oversees all day-to-day operations along with his right hand Todd Barlow. King of Carts has a sales and service team, staff to manage the rentals, and a customer service team to help coordinate custom car builds and accessory sales. King of Carts was founded in 2009 and has been under its current ownership since 2015. It’s located in the historic Legends in Concert building. Step inside what was concert seating area to find a showroom full of custom golf cars, built to exacting specs and with a full warranty. Pat Dye, general manager (right), along with Todd Barlow (left), create a fun and lively atmosphere while getting things done, to ensure that their customers’ stop at King of Carts will always be an asset to their vacation. — Photo Meganpixels Parker “A brand new car similar to ours can cost between $10,000 to $14,000, but our remanufactured, customized ones are around $6,000,” Pat says. “We can completely rebuild a car and it can look brand new. We install lift kits, custom tires and wheels, brush guards, LED lights, blinkers, arm rests, golf bag attachments, custom steering wheels, and more. “We have a lot of people who come in, look around and say, ‘Do you have anything used in here?’ But the answer is, they all are.” “We have a jovial, light atmosphere here,” he continues. “During the summer months, Myrtle Beach is busier, and people can get stressed out. A lot of the time, we’re the first stop that people will make when they arrive for their vacation. After many hours in the car, they’re ready to decompress. They’ll come here to get their car before they even check into their vacation property, so we try to make it a positive, fun experience. — Photo Meganpixels Parker “It’s also a great work environment and everyone is well trained. Our employees love working here. Everybody has a job to do, but we all have fun while we do it. We also have a tremendous number of customers that come back year after year, and those customers are like family.”  King of Carts has over 200 cars that they rent during the summer months. The company stays open late, from 8am-7pm daily, to accommodate the needs of their customers. And they offer short term hourly rentals as well as long-term rentals that can last the entire summer. The company can also deliver your rental car, so it’s waiting for you as soon as you get to town. If you prefer, you can pre-order your car and it will be waiting for you to pick up at their location on Hwy Business 17. The company’s redesign and remanufacturing process is so well executed that customers often don’t realize that their cars are used, not new. — Photo Meganpixels Parker They exclusively carry the Club Car brand, because it’s the only major brand that won’t rust in the salty ocean environment of Myrtle Beach. “Being at the beach, you have a lot of issues with salt air and salt water,” Pat explains. “Our units have an all aluminum alloy frame which limits corrosion and wear and tear.” For service work, they do everything from manual maintenance and repairs to complete rebuilds. They can freshen up an 8-year-old vehicle, and offer custom paint jobs. Their laid-back, happy vibe, quality of their offerings, and excellent customer service has paid off; the company has more than doubled in growth in the past few years. And they’re competitively priced— they haven’t raised their rates in three years. King of Carts Facebook Globe Phone Map-marked-alt

Where Moore is More by Melissa LaScaleia The story of Moore and Associates dates back to the late ’70s when Melvin Truett started working in the insurance industry with Nationwide, in Florence, South Carolina.  In 1985, he relocated to Myrtle Beach, with the intention of opening his own small insurance agency. In 1991, he purchased Moore and Associates in Surfside Beach. His son Sammy has jointly run the business with him since that time.    Moore and Associates had been operating as an insurance agency in Surfside Beach since 1979, and the name was known throughout the area. After the purchase and transfer, Sammy and Melvin chose to keep it the same so the community would still recognize them. Today, Moore and Associates is a full service insurance agency offering property, casual and commercial coverage, as well as life and health policies. Their customers can choose from a wide array of insurance carriers— and they’re constantly expanding that list. “The best part of what I do is dealing with the public and being there for my clients when they need me,” Sammy says of his company. “People need agents that they can trust to help them with their claims. We submit all claims for our clients through the individual insurance company, and we’re there for them every step of the way if they need anything additional during the process.”  The biggest challenge that Sammy sees for people is that they don’t understand their policy, what they are protected from, and are covered for. This is what he and his team are ready to help their clients address. “As a company, we’re big on consumer education,” says Amanda Vibbert, a licensed insurance broker with Moore and Associates since 2006. “Not just about the nuances of your policy, but things like: why rates are the way they are, endorsements, and owner responsibilities. Regardless of whether people choose to go with our agency or not, they should understand the basics of insurance so they can make informed choices, and shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions.”  It’s important for people to know if they have enough coverage. And an important topic and one that is rife with confusion is flood policies and flood zones. “Everybody in our area is in a flood zone, but not everyone is located in a high-risk flood zone,” Amanda says. “Many people think they don’t need flood insurance because their home is not located in a high-risk flood zone, but over 50% of floods happening now are coming from areas that aren’t designated as such. If you look at data across the nation over the past four years, the low-risk zones are flooding more than the high-risk zones. “We see this reflected in Conway, Georgetown, and Socastee. You can’t predict it; it’s just Mother Nature. Additionally, the topography of the land is changing. We’re seeing an uptick in construction, and flooding is a lot more prevalent these days as a result. As greater numbers of homes are being built closer to the water, it becomes harder for the storm water run-off to flow efficiently. “Also, you can’t control for rain; with this past storm at the end of summer, the water simply flowed north to south.”  “Flood insurance is actually quite affordable, but people aren’t protecting themselves because they’re not getting the correct information,” she adds. “They don’t even know that they need it.”  Another area of confusion for people is their personal financial responsibility with their policies. After Hurricane Matthew in 2016, a lot of consumers didn’t realize that insurance companies had changed their deductibles into what is known as a split-wind deductible, leaving consumers with a higher dollar-amount responsibility. Amanda (left) and the team of Moore and Associates believe in the importance of educating their clients about policy nuances, rates, and consumer responsibilities so their clients are empowered and prepared in the event of a disaster. — Photo Rachel Ogg “We’ve made a big effort to make sure that consumers are aware of the changes to their policy so that there’s no sticker shock in the aftermath,” Amanda says. “Each policy has subtle nuances. People really need to understand their endorsements and how their deductibles work.”  For house insurance, Amanda and her team recommend a full-replacement-cost policy. This ensures that there is no depreciation of the value of your home or goods, and you are only responsible for paying your deductible in the event of a disaster. Conversely, an actual cash value policy will add the depreciation of your home in addition to a deductible before the insurance company will pay out— a scenario which can leave many consumers devastated both emotionally as well as financially. Moore and Associates tries to bypass situations like these by adhering to their tenets of client education. Additionally, they try to encourage people to take a full inventory of their home and their possessions to have on file when they sign up for insurance, to make making an insurance claim, easier. “A lot of times, after a storm is over, people are devastated, and they can’t remember what they have,” Sammy says. My Home Scrapbook is a free mobile app designed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners that offers a digital way to inventory your home. With it, you can even scan barcodes of your possessions to send to your email as an Excel document. Moore and Associates has all avenues open and available to help their clients in the event of a disaster. They provide their customers with online channels for support as well, in case they themselves are without power, or don’t have a building standing. As a way to further their mission of educating the community, Moore and Associates offers an informational video series about all things insurance related that people can watch on their website. On it they address some of their most frequently received questions. If you’re looking for advice on a certain topic and they haven’t done a video about it, contact them, … Read more

Your Place for Special Ordinary Things by Melissa LaScaleia Sora Bora Boutique in the Market Common carries upscale casual clothing, accessories, and jewelry for women of all ages. “The pieces are classic and elegant but with a little twist of fun and a bit of sweetness to them that correlates to the Myrtle Beach lifestyle,” says owner Eunice Han. She also carries a thoughtfully acquired selection of natural body products. Eunice sources all of the items in her store from trade shows in her native NYC that she attends bi-annually. She handpicks everything herself, offering a selection that is appealing because the items are high quality, yet simple, classic, comfortable, and easy to wear. “The products have a New York flavor but are perfectly suited for the laid-back Myrtle Beach lifestyle,” she says. Eunice was born in Korea, and moved to Philadelphia when she was seventeen-years-old. She later relocated to New York City where she lived for twenty years. She and her husband met there, and called it home until they recently took a vacation to Myrtle Beach. They fell in love with this place, and within the year, the two had traded in their life in the big city for Myrtle Beach. Eunice shows just as much taste and artistry in the decor of her store as she does in the clothing and accessories she fills it with, having created the design and personally executing all of the labor herself. “I wanted to bring aspects of what some of the quainter streets and parks of New York City look like into my space,” she says. — Photo Meganpixels Parker Owner Eunic Han blends the timeless grace and simple elegance of New York fashion with the easy-going, fun, and happy vibe of Myrtle Beach into the upscale, casual women’s clothing and accessories she carries in her boutique. — Photo Meganpixels Parker — Photo Meganpixels Parker — Photo Meganpixels Parker — Photo Meganpixels Parker — Photo Meganpixels Parker — Photo Meganpixels Parker — Photo Meganpixels Parker Previous Next The result? Visitors feel a sense of intimacy and warmth when they visit— as if each garment had been hand-selected for them.  Although this is her first brick and mortar business, Eunice is no stranger to entrepreneurial ventures. For years she ran a successful online store on Etsy, where she designed and crafted women’s handbags and backpacks. “I’ve always been fashion-oriented and creative,” she says. Now she devotes all of her time and creative passion to making Sora Bora a success. And she’s well on her way. Her store has something to offer customers of all ages, from teens to retirees, as she seamlessly intertwines components that appeal to a wide range of ages, both in terms of her products as well as the layout of her store. Her mission? “I want to help people make every day special and every event memorable through the clothing they wear,” she says. “I’m building my business very personally. I am happy that with Sora Bora, I can make a positive and lasting contribution to the variety of what is offered here in the Market Common. “With Sora Bora, I love that I can be creative and share my own unique style with the community. I enjoy being in the store and meeting different people— little by little, forging relationships and instilling a sense of beauty and extraordinary into people’s everyday lives.” Sora Sora Boutique Facebook Globe Phone Map-marked-alt

An Anti-Bullying Leadership Program by Melissa LaScaleia The mission of Healthy Concepts Inc., 501(C)(3) is to work with the community to help children combat bullying and improve self-esteem in a safe and nurturing environment.  The program is the brainchild of Lisa Melendez, who has been building it since 2015. “Bullying is an epidemic right now,” Lisa says. “My husband and I own a karate studio in Myrtle Beach and we work with kids all the time. We can see it. We ran an after-school program in Brooklyn, and when we came to Myrtle Beach and realized the epidemic of bullying extended even to here, we knew that this was something we needed to continue.”  Statistically, 156,000 youth across our country do not go to school every day for fear of bullying and harassment. There are over 40,000 latch-key kids across our country, children who come home to empty houses and have no one to talk to about their day. “Consequently, many are dealing with mental illness or depression, and are either victims of bullying or are the bullies themselves,” Lisa says. “We began this program to make sure we got to our youth and let them know that they matter.”  As a way to learn how to support these children, Lisa and her team of volunteers who share in her passion and mission began training with NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI is a national support group for people who have family members who are diagnosed with mental illness. “In this way, it’s a full circle,” she says. “We work with the kids and bring in the families to be able to offer this support. If the families are not involved, then there’s a gap. We act as the bridge between the kids and the school and kids and the parents. We are the other adults that these kids can come to for support.”  The specialty focus on anti-bullying developed organically. “We structured the time we spent with children into what we call WRAP sessions, where we teach soft skills for coping with life’s challenges,” Lisa explains. “The W stands for wellness; R for respect; A for acceptance; and P for protection. As part of the P, we taught self-defense, anti-abduction workshops, and anti-bullying. “And when we brought up the anti-bullying, it took off and took a life of its own. We thought it was going to be a small section of the program, but all the kids started talking about it, opening up about the things that were happening on the bus, and the things they saw— adults bullying one another; what they saw on the news; cyber bullying. So we started to do more research and realized there was a huge need here.”  “Last year, Anti-Bullying made a huge impact,” Lisa adds. “We had a 10-year-old boy in our program who wanted to kill himself because of bullying. Because of our support, and the support of his peers in the group, he’s no longer in a dangerous space mentally, and is receiving professional counseling.”  Anti-Bullying and Healthy Concepts have been gaining media exposure— they’ve been on WPDE, WMBF news and Channel 13. But because of a lack of funding, they lost their space to host the program for this year. “We are trying to secure funding so we can continue and expand,” Lisa says. “We have a goal of raising $50,000 to secure a location and provide scholarships for children to attend the program. We would love to have this program running again by the next school year, August 2020. All of your donations go directly to these children and this space; everyone who works with us is a volunteer.”  Donate at Lisa’s Go Fund Me page: Leadership Anti-Bullying Program, and contact her if you have a space you’re willing to donate, or can offer assistance in launching the fundraising aspects of her 501(c)(3). Currently, she and her husband host a family enrichment night every other month. This is a free program that the whole family can attend to learn about bullying, what it is, how to report it, how to cope with it, and how to offer support in the face of it. Healthy Concepts Facebook Globe Phone

Eggs Up Grill: Where They Love You, Yes You  by Melissa LaScaleia Don Rau, the owner of the Eggs Up Grill on the outskirts of the Market Common, has been working in the restaurant business his entire life. His father and grandfather before him did the same.  Growing up, Don helped in his family’s restaurant in Ohio, and eventually took over the family business as an adult. It was a full service restaurant, banquet, and lounge, with frequent live entertainment. They served breakfast beginning at 6am, and were open late into the night.  “Eggs Up Grill reminds me of what my parents started when they first began in this business,” Don says, “because they served only breakfast and lunch. My dad cooked and my mom was a waitress. And then they grew and expanded. And now here I am with Eggs Up Grill.”  Eggs Up Grill is a franchise that was established out of Pawley’s Island in 1986 by Chris Skodras. Don’s restaurant now is comprised of more than just he and his wife, but it’s the same kind of family-oriented concept his parents started out with.  Don was enticed by the atmosphere and family-oriented feel of the company which lent him a sense of security and led him to believe that the venture would be successful for him and his family going forward.  Which it has been.  In addition to the quintessential eggs one would expect to find, the menu also includes sandwiches, soups, and Southern inspired dishes. — Photo Meganpixels Parker Don is now celebrating the recent opening of his second Eggs Up Grill location in Prince Creek, in Murrells Inlet— an up-and-coming housing and retail area similar to the Market Common.  Eggs Up Grill serves one menu throughout its hours of operation from 6am-2pm. Both locations have a new and expanded menu and include traditional breakfast favorites like omelets and eggs Benedict, as well as burgers and club sandwiches and homemade soup.  There are vegetarian options, as well as gluten-free batter for pancakes and waffles that are cooked in a gluten environment (the menu calls the items gluten-free friendly). The updates include more desserts, as well as additional flavors that borrow from Southern cuisine.  One of their highlights is the shrimp and grits omelette, and the Bananas Foster has a bit of a cult following. The expanded lunch menu incorporates more sandwiches, with fan favorites like the pimento cheeseburger.  “We try to be health conscious and offer options for a lot of different people and for anybody’s liking,” Don says.  — Photo Meganpixels Parker In keeping with that mission, he’s transitioning both locations to a ‘Make it Your Own Menu.’ With this innovation, diners can create their own plates from a la carte selections, so they can taper their meals to their needs and desires— a process that allows the greatest freedom, and that’s price efficient too.  “I’m tickled to death to satisfy people and give the best hospitality because I believe that’s the heart and soul of how to sustain a good business— keeping the customer satisfied,” Don says.  The new Murrells Inlet location is the exclusive home to a drink line which may be incorporated at Market Common and other locations in the future. Here, Don is offering specialty coffees, espresso, cold brew, and lattes that he’s test marketing for the entire brand.  The new location will also have outdoor patio dining just like in Market Common, and it’s pet friendly too. It sports a soothing, soft atmosphere with its teal-based color palette that works harmoniously with the beach, and has a friendly, cute, and homey feel.  Don is grateful for his employees who have helped to make his business a success, among them Brooklyn Price, who, as front of the house manager ensures hospitality standards are being met, and that all guests feel at home at Eggs Up Grill.  The new location in Murrells Inlet. — Photo Meganpixels Parker “Over the past two-and-a-half years I’ve established myself at the Market Common so that I can expand and extend the wonderful lifestyle that I’ve built for myself and my employees to more people in the community,” Don says.  Eggs Up Grill gives Don an opportunity to focus on what he loves, (which is breakfast), and it gives him the afternoons to be able to spend with his family (which he also loves). The latter is a benefit that all of Don’s employees receive, and one that he feels blessed to be able to offer.  “My general manager at the new location, Tom Lorenzana— his father was in the Air Force,” Don says.  “As a child, Tom grew up at the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. I’ve known him ever since I’ve been here, thirteen-and-a-half years. It’s a good feeling for me to give him the opportunity to work the hours I have. And he’s ecstatic about it.”  In addition to creating employment opportunities with family friendly hours, Don is happy to be able to engage in outreach work in the community.  He works with the Lion’s Club; helps with non-profits like Backpacks for Kids; and sponsors a local hockey team.  Every Veteran’s Day, Eggs Up Grill hosts a Veteran’s Appreciation day.  “It’s a good feeling,” Don says. “And I’m looking forward to creating the same type of involvement in the Prince Creek area.” Eggs Up Grill Map-marked-alt Globe Phone Facebook

Making Both Customers and Their Homes Comfortable by Melissa LaScaleia Chris Quade, owner and operator of Beach Air in Myrtle Beach, grew up in Indiana. At nineteen, he joined the Navy and traveled the world, meeting his wife in Philadelphia while he was stationed there. Afterwards, he attended technical college to study heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration.  “I graduated in 1998, then my wife and I moved to Myrtle Beach,” Chris says. “I was from a small town and didn’t want to live in a big city, and my wife was from a big city and didn’t want to live in a small town. Myrtle Beach felt like a good compromise, and we’ve been here for twenty-one years now. It’s kind of like a big city with a small town feel where everybody knows everybody.”  Chris began his career working for a heating and air conditioning company doing installation and duct work. After eighteen years learning the ins and outs of the business, he was looking for a new challenge and decided to branch out on his own.  “Myrtle Beach is full of opportunities for entrepreneurs,” he says. “Probably if you can think of it and want to do it, you can do it here.”  What Chris thought of was Beach Air— a company which keeps its offerings simple and value high by conducting residential as well as commercial repairs, installation, and servicing for heating and cooling units. When he first got started, Chris traded in his pickup truck for a van, and began working out of his garage alone. By 2018, he had thirteen employees, and today, he has nineteen vehicles on the road, and twenty-five employees.     “We’ve definitely had a huge amount of growth in a short period of time,” he says.  Chris attributes his success to assiduously upholding his company’s core values. His methods are unique— an expression of small town humility with big city professionalism— a blending of his roots and loves.     “We treat customers like employees, employees like customers, and both like family,” he says. “That means we’re direct and honest in our words and actions, and care about helping.  “You’d be amazed how many times companies will try to sell stuff to customers, just to sell stuff. Conversely, we spend time getting to know our customers to find out what their needs are. It’s that kind of honesty that keeps people with us. When you call Beach Air, you’re calling a friend.”  The Beach Air Team, with professional and talented employees, is committed to delivering a “Wow” experience for all of their customers. Chris carefully selects his employees, choosing talented technicians who naturally fit with his company culture, and training them further.  It’s essential that they have a positive attitude— which he sees as a combination of having the willingness to try doing new things, having confidence in your abilities, and infusing your mind with high quality thoughts. “I like to develop the people around me,” he says. “I focus on skills as well as those standards of professionalism and customer satisfaction on which I built my company.”  Additionally, there is a straightforward, ‘get it done,’ mentality that drives a continuous forward motion at his company. The employees are self-directed, self-motivated, and have a penchant for growth— delivering more than is required in their work.  “We seek to always deliver a wow experience to our customers,” Chris says. “We’re personable and fun because we’re knowledgeable about what we’re doing and we enjoy it. And those qualities inspire our clients to trust us; because we put them at ease when they need our help.”  “My greatest satisfaction,” he continues, “is being able to help those who really need it. A lot of people are elderly, or have small babies and it’s 50 degrees in the house. Being able to help people in those types of situations means a lot to me.”  Another quality that’s important to Chris is taking the time to educate his customers.  “Some customers are more inquisitive,” he says. “So when a service technician is at their home, we keep them involved in the process as much as they want to be involved. It’s their home, and we don’t want to just hand them a line item bill without showing them what’s happening. We think that’s hugely important for customer relationships.”  Chris likes to educate people on the importance of having their heating/cooling unit serviced twice a year so that it’s functioning optimally and will be reliable in extreme temperatures.  “Heat pumps are not really designed to be in that cold of temperatures,” he explains. “They will work when it’s 15 degrees outside, but they have to be operating at their peak performance. And similarly, when it’s 95 degrees outside, it’s pushed to the max and is going to struggle.”  Beach Air’s flagship location with their fleet of vehicles at the ready. — Photo Beach Air Chris loves reading through the online Google reviews people leave for his company.  “Seeing all the great things people say about us drives me to do my best,” he says. “I want to be looked at as a community-based company. We’re a part of the community too, and we want to help the community. I don’t want to be seen as a huge company just trying to take the next dollar.”  “I’m always looking to the future and planning for it,” he adds. “I certainly want to grow our customer base and we’re going to grow our employees, but from a place of where we can still hold our same core values. I want to be known as the preferred heating and air conditioning company on the Grand Strand, not necessarily the biggest.  “I want people to see our logo or van driving down the beach, and to be recognized as the company that’s best in customer service. I don’t want a one-time customer, I want lifetime customers. And I work to achieve that by treating each customer as if they’re the most important, and ensuring their complete satisfaction before moving on to the next.”    Chris likes to donate his time by attending career day at Forestbrook Middle School, where … Read more

Making and Keeping Your Intentions for 2020 by Melissa LaScaleia Welcoming a New Year comes with many traditions, but none as prevalent as setting a New Year’s resolution.    But how common is it that what we begin with so much energy slowly dissipates after a few short weeks or months, and we fall back into old patterns? Studies show it’s more common than not. Our brains are hardwired to repeat our current patterns— even if we want to change them. So to help you stay inspired and on track with your wellness goals this year, the Insider spoke with our area’s health and wellness expert, Emma Ware, to get some tips and tricks on how we can turn our visions for being our best selves into results-oriented actions.  Emma has been working in the health and fitness industry for over twenty-five years, and as such, is well positioned to offer some great advice. Her extensive credentials include a degree in health and fitness and a doctorate in holistic nutrition. She is a certified nutritionist as well as a clinical, certified homeopath.  In Los Angeles, Emma worked in partnership with medical doctors, surgeons, oncologists, and gastroenterologists to help people implement new exercise and lifestyle choices to stay in better health— often, resolving their medical conditions.  She also wrote a cookbook, Fast Wholesome Cooking, to teach people with digestive issues how to eat differently. The recipes, techniques, and approaches help people to manage their symptoms— like pain, bloating, and lethargy— with often the conditions dying away on their own as a result of adopting a cleaner diet.  Emma has helped hundreds of people in Myrtle Beach lose weight and reach their goals. She’s taught people how to shop, cook, get organized, change their lifestyle, have a better outlook on health, think differently, and accept the changes they need to make to get the outcomes that they want to achieve. So we ask Emma— How do you set and stick to your resolutions?  “After I set an intention, I follow several steps to bring it to fruition,” she says. “Even though I’ve been working on myself for forty years, a protocol helps me to stay on track. When you follow a protocol, you’re holding yourself accountable and are more likely to succeed. “First, I always practice having a good attitude when it comes to food and health. And just as important is having an understanding of what I should eat and what I shouldn’t. I know that I can’t eat everything I want to if I want the results that I want. So the first step is a good healthy dose of reality mixed with positivity.”  The second thing that Emma does is practice discipline. And what helps her maintain it is setting herself up for success with organization in all areas of her life.  “I always make sure I have foods that I can eat in my home as well as at my work. That way, if I suddenly become hungry, or need to work later hours, I know I have healthy options that support me, rather than having to resort to grabbing whatever I can find last minute. In this way, I stay in the driver’s seat about what I’m putting into my body and when. So planning and organization are key.”  “When you implement these qualities— like discipline, organization, and self-accountability— it empowers you because it gives you the feeling that you’re in control of your life and choices,” Emma adds. “As people, we’re always seeking paths of greater self-empowerment and confidence.”     Emma Ware (left) is a health, fitness, and wellness expert with a consulting business in the Market Common. She uses many teaching tools to help her clients implement new, healthy habits around food and self-nourishment. — Photo Meganpixels Parker With support systems in place, Emma moves on to creating a program for herself to follow based on her lifestyle choices.  “You’ll want to consider how many hours you plan to work, how many you plan to devote to leisure and other causes, and how many you’re willing to devote to cooking,” she says.  “I make a list of what I’m going to cook for the week in advance. I usually make about five or six items, and split them between my work and office. Whatever I don’t have time to cook, I buy. But whatever I buy has to be clean and the closest thing you can get to home cooking.  “What’s important for me is knowing that I’m not going to deprive myself, and that I’m going to eat foods that store calories longer in my system so I’ll be sustained longer. Making food choices like that will also help me curb my appetite so I’m not overeating.”  Part of why this program works so well for Emma is because around holidays, birthdays, and vacations she gives herself permission to enjoy herself as she chooses— approaching her eating habits with a work hard play hard mentality.    “Reconciling to change is easy if you have a different way of looking at things,” she says. “The first thing you have to do is accept that you need to make changes. The second is to implement a program that you can understand, accept, and have patience with as you follow it.  “People also need to recognize that changes take time and don’t happen overnight. If you’ve had a bad habit for twenty years of your life, you need to be patient with changing it. If you fall off a program, then start all over again. You can’t be hard on yourself.”  And to implement those changes, Emma advocates the importance of cheating.  “While you’re eating the best that you can, if you suddenly have a craving for donuts or coffee, then eat one donut instead of three, and drink half a cup of coffee instead of a full one. Then you feel amazing because you cut back by half and still satisfied a craving. You need to let go of the idea of perfection and adopt a mentality of balance instead. Perfection isn’t realistic, but balance is natural.”  Cheating goes … Read more

Delivering Visual Communications with Superior Customer Service by Melissa LaScaleia FASTSIGNS in Myrtle Beach creates visual communications and graphics for companies— everything from business cards to large illuminated exterior signage. They also offer marketing, project management, consulting, brand integrity, graphic design, installation, exhibits, displays, vehicle wraps, wall murals, and more.  “We create signage for businesses as well as communities,” says Mike Snyder, co-owner of the local Myrtle Beach franchise. “Any type of signage that you can think of, we do.”  Mike entered the FASTSIGNS scene from a commercial printing background.  “My father owned and operated a commercial print business in northern Indiana where I grew up,” he says. “I helped to manage his business early on and gained management, marketing, and operations experience. Eventually, I segued into working at one of the top FASTSIGNS centers in Indianapolis. That experience gave my wife, JJ, and I insight into what it would be like to purchase our own center, and we were excited by the prospect of branching out on our own.” “I’m from St. Simon’s Island, Georgia,” JJ says, “a beach girl with Southern roots. But I moved to Chicago when I was young. Mike and I met in Indiana. We had a shared dream and goal to move to the coastal South. So when the Myrtle Beach center came up for sale in 2013, with his skills and my background in sales, we felt buying into the franchise was a really good fit for us.”  The two had to revamp the business when they took it over. The previous owner was ill; it didn’t have any on-site management; and it was under performing.  “It needed a lot of love and attention,” JJ says. “But Mike and I both are entrepreneurs with very strong customer service backgrounds. We knew we could take on this challenge and be not only profitable, but turn this location into what it could be.  “We recognize that there are many sign companies in Myrtle Beach, but we feel that what we bring to the market is our passion for customer service. We do what we say we’re going to do when we say we’re going to do it. And that’s how we were able to turn the center around. We dug in our heels and did business the way we felt we should.”  When the two first began, they had taken over a company with customer satisfaction surveys that ranked in the low 60 percentile. In six months, they moved those rankings into the upper 90 percentile range, and they never wavered from there. In the past few years, their satisfaction ratings have been at 98%.  “We publish all of our reviews,” JJ says. “We don’t hide any because we think it really speaks volumes in showing who we are. It’s impossible to please people all of the time, and we want to keep it real with our customers.”  The uncensored reviews on their website attest to the helpfulness of the staff, their competence in execution of service, and their above and beyond mentality in pleasing their customers— all with that local, home-town feel. Additionally, FASTSIGNS was awarded Best Sign company multiple times by the 2019 Reader’s Choice Award.  The two also attribute their success to the support that they receive from FASTSIGNS corporate.  “We are planners, designers, and innovators, and like to tackle large projects,” JJ says. — Photo Meganpixels Parker Vehicle wrapping is one of FASTSIGNS’s many services. — Photo Meganpixels Parker Kylie Emfinger is FASTSIGNS in-house, professional graphic designer. — Photo Meganpixels Parker — Photo Meganpixels Parker Mike and JJ. — Photo Meganpixels Parker The FASTSIGNS team from left to right: Chelsea Parkhurst, co-owners Mike and JJ Snyder, Kylie Emfinger, and Jimmie Parkhurst. — Photo Meganpixels Parker The FASTSIGNS showroom located at 685 Grissom Parkway, Myrtle Beach, SC. — Photo Meganpixels Parker FASTSIGNS prides themselves on their superior customer service. — Photo Meganpixels Parker Previous Next “FASTSIGNS has been winning awards as a nationwide sign company throughout the years,” Mike says. “They are ranked #1 in multiple franchise related magazines, and are always at the top in the sign industry. The corporate office staff are constantly testing and reviewing equipment, and they send us the reports on what is top-performing.  “The specs they provide are invaluable— and save us time and money— giving us information long before a small shop would know.  “Additionally, they help us troubleshoot with technology. There is so much support on the back side that the average small business doesn’t receive. Instead of us having to feel our way through this business, we’re going in with guidance, which gives us an edge.”  “Being part of a nationwide franchise gives us an opportunity to keep growing and learning,” JJ says. “We attend our national convention annually to stay up-to-date on technology, products, and equipment. We were asked by corporate to be part of a board group. We meet twice a year and set goals and hold each other accountable. “And because we have the backing of a major corporation, when we purchase equipment and material from suppliers, we receive special pricing and pass that savings onto our customers.  “We are planners, designers, and innovators, and like to tackle large projects. Our customers have discovered we have a highly skilled team of marketing and graphics experts more than ready to handle your projects. We have the experience, vision and insight needed to create, manage and implement the solutions that are right for you.” Over the past year, JJ has been focused on connecting their company with who she and her husband are to their brand, and becoming more involved in the community.  “We really want to give back to our community— to make our community better in big and small ways,” JJ says.  JJ reached out to officials of Georgetown County for permission to repaint the Welcome to Pawleys Island sign which was cracked, faded, and peeling. When she discovered that no one was responsible for its upkeep, she brought it to their shop and made it like new again.  And now, she’s made a regular habit of it. About once a month, she and her husband find a sign … Read more

Ringing in The New Year With a New Location by Melissa LaScaleia Frank Espinal opened ShipOnSite in 2007, and grew his original three profit centers to eight since that time. The neighborhood pack and ship store has relationships with all the shipping carriers (like UPS, FedEx, DHL, the post office and more), and compares prices and shipping times between them, processing your shipment depending on your needs. They specialize in shipping freight, as well as crating delicate and high-value items.  ShipOnSite can also sell items for you on eBay and perform office related services. With their PrintOnSite and GraphicsOnSite services, they can develop graphics for any type of media and execute large-format printing.  To ring in the New Year, Frank is excited about moving his Myrtle Beach store to a larger location, in response to his company’s growth.  This past year, ShipOnSite launched three additional services. One of those is MailOnSite— ShipOnSite’s version of a virtual mail service, which operates like your own personal mail manager.     “With this service, you receive mail at our store, we take a digital image of each piece, and upload it to your online account,” Frank says. “We open and scan the mail you want to see, shred what you don’t, and the image is uploaded to your account where you can direct us how to act for you further. We can also forward mail that you request to a different address.”  The service is so comprehensive, that they can even deposit checks for you.  CourierOnSite, another innovation, is a courier service for and between businesses in Horry County. Frank has plans to expand that service into Georgetown County over the course of the next year. And several months ago, he launched a new shipping app. “The app will tie everything together,” he says. “It’s a pretty robust program, with many features adaptable to everyone’s daily needs. On it, you’ll have a direct connection to our store, you can get shipping quotes, order courier service, track packages, subscribe to a virtual mail box service and much more.”  This month, ShipOnSite Myrtle Beach is moving to a new location in Surfside Beach.  “It is 1000 square feet larger than our original store,” he says. “We’re using the extra space to manage the increase in our in-house printing as well as the expected increase in shipping volume from e-commerce.”  Today, in the United States alone, e-commerce generates 50 million packages per day. In the next five years, that number is expected to double.  “That’s a number that we need to be able to accommodate,” Frank says. “From the sheer volume of e-commerce, we’re positioning ourselves to be able to be a package hub for our customers.”  ShipOnSite has long been a member of the largest retail shipping trade organization in the country, which developed a business model called Package Hub Business Center in 2019.  “We enrolled in that business model which connects us to the logistics network of large-scale retailers such as Amazon, Walmart and Target,” Frank says. “Which means that ShipOnSite will be better equipped to more thoroughly serve the customers of those establishments, and be a part of e-commerce in a bigger way.”  If a customer is traveling and needs to receive a package, they will be given the option by the e-commerce retailer to have their package shipped to the closest Package Hub Business Center for pickup. ShipOnSite’s participation in this program means that Frank can offer the tourist population of Myrtle Beach an additional service to make their stay that much more welcoming and convenient. “We’re continuing to grow as a store,” Frank says. “Both in terms of the services we provide, as well as the volume of requests we handle. And I’m excited to see where it takes us.  Come visit us at our new location in Surfside Beach.” ShipOnSite M-F 8am-6pm; Sa-Su 9am-3pm Envelope Globe Phone Facebook

Eat, Drink, Be Happy by Melissa LaScaleia Thomas Stevens is the owner and operator of the Myrtle Beach franchise location, Bar Louie. There are one hundred and forty Bar Louies nationwide; the brand originated in Chicago in 1991.  Thomas is originally from Texas, and spent most of his life working in the restaurant industry in Atlanta, Georgia. He eventually returned to his roots and moved back to Texas. His wife’s family is from Charleston, and after some years, the two decided to relocate to this area to be closer to her relatives, and settled on Myrtle Beach as home.  “I was looking around for concepts and new ideas of what I could do when I discovered Bar Louie,” Thomas says. “I moved forward with the venture and bought the franchise for this area.”  When Thomas discovered Broadway at the Beach, he knew it would be the perfect locale for his new venture. Bar Louie opened its doors in August 2019, next door to Dave and Busters.  The trendy restaurant/bar embodies a contemporary style, serving easy but innovative American fare like gourmet craft burgers; sandwiches; an assortment of flatbreads like roasted veggies and buffalo chicken; and always-fan-favorites like flash-fried calamari; shrimp tempura; and Bavarian pretzels.  There’s also a variety of entree options. Appetizers designed for sharing cater to groups of friends gathering for bites and brews to enjoy over conversation or a game. “Most of our menu items are made from scratch, including our sauces,” Thomas says. “And we serve fantastic desserts.  “I would describe us as an upscale casual American bistro eatery meets bar, gastro-pub. Basically, an upscale bar with really good food. And the prices are fair, especially for Broadway at the Beach.”  Bar Louie is the spot to watch football on the weekends— they have about twenty-six HD TVs. Larger games are broadcasted over the sound system.  “It’s a great place to come to have lunch or dinner, meet up with friends, and share appetizers and enjoy our happy hour menus,” Thomas says. “This is a place where all ages can fit in and have a good time and feel comfortable: teenagers, couples, friends, work colleagues, and families. We have a kids menu and are very family friendly.”  Bar Louie has a lot of options for serving customers.  Previous Next “We are fully capable of accommodating large parties because of the way our space is designed,” Thomas says.  They have a separate upstairs that will hold up to 100 people. In total, they can hold 330 people inside. Additionally, there are two ample-sized outdoor patios which are open year-round and overlook Broadway at the Beach, affording great people watching any time of day or night.  Bar Louie hosts a series of fun events and specials throughout the week. There is live music on Friday nights beginning around 7pm. They hold an open mic night on Thursdays starting at 6:30pm. Burger Nation occurs on Tuesdays— with half-priced burgers from 4-8pm. They also offer a combo special: a burger and two draft beers for $11. They have brunch on Saturdays and Sundays with $10 bottomless mimosas from 10am-3pm.  Happy Hour runs all work-week long. Monday through Friday from 4pm-7pm they have $3.50 14oz beers; $4.50 glasses of wine; and $5.50 signature Martinis.  “We have great football specials all day Saturday, Sunday and Monday, including $15 buckets of some of the most well known beers; $4 fireball shots; and $3 house mixed drinks,” Thomas adds.  But the best part isn’t even a special— they serve their full menu until they close, every night until 2am. This is a rarity that will make locals and tourists alike rejoice, as there are a dearth of establishments along the Grand Strand that are open for hungry latecomers. “I’m really optimistic about this space and this enterprise,” Thomas says. “Bar Louie is just a nice place to come visit. The food is good, and we draw locals as well as tourists. I really like the parent company, the support and mentorship they provide, and the people who are involved. “Owning this, the environment is fun, and I really enjoy meeting so many new people. There are people here in Myrtle Beach from all over the country and world. And I have really great employees. Without their dedication and hard work, I couldn’t do what I do.”  “I’ve always loved the restaurant business,” he adds. “It’s a hard business, and the hours are long, but if you have a good attitude about it, then it’s just a joy, not a burden. Every day is different— there’s never a boring moment. Bar Louie  1318 Celebrity Circle, Broadway at the Beach, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 854-854-8544 www.barlouie.com  Facebook @ Bar Louie Myrtle Beach Open M-F 11am-2am; Sa-Su 10am-2am. Serving full menu until close.

A Local Pack and Ship Business and an Animal-Loving Artist Team Up This Holiday Season by Melissa LaScaleia Since 2008, ShipOnSite, Myrtle Beach’s full-service neighborhood shipping center, has been the anchor sponsor for the Best Friend of the Week Program for Easy Radio 105.9/100.7 and Talk 94.5.  ShipOnSite is owned and operated by entrepreneur Frank Espinal. Since it was established in North Carolina in 2003, ShipOnSite has grown to eleven stores— each of which offers pack and ship services with all the regular carriers, as well as specializing in crating large and delicate items.  “I’ve always felt that businesses should give back to the communities that they serve,” Frank says. “And that’s the foremost reason why I found and continue to sponsor the Best Friend Program.”  Through the program, a shelter animal will be featured live on the air once a week, and perhaps win the heart of a listener who will provide him or her, a permanent, loving home. Also as part of this program, ShipOnSite collects pet food and supplies to distribute to the local area shelters. Since they began this initiative in 2008, ShipOnSite has collected 63,500 lb of goods for animals. As a ‘thank you’ for supporting this cause, when people come into the store to make a donation, they also receive a discount on their shipping service.  “At the end of the day, this program is a way for ShipOnSite to give back, and fill a gap that is needed in our community,” Frank says. “Mohammed Ghandi said: ‘The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated.’ That quote really resonates with me.  Better together. Artist Dean Russo (left), with Frank Espinal (right), teamed up to launch the Russo’s For Rescues campaign in Myrtle Beach. — Photo Rachel Ogg “I spent twenty years in the military— I’ve been deployed to all parts of the world— and I can tell you, the one thing you notice really quickly is that the animals are neglected— just running rabid and starving in the streets. You see it everywhere. That’s why I chose to support the animals. Because they cannot speak for themselves.”  Recently, Frank was looking for another means of raising funds to help animal shelters.  “As non-profits, they rely on donations to support the animals’ needs,” Frank says. “When they run out of funding or space, that’s when they are compelled to take drastic measures, including euthanizing animals.”  When one of Frank’s customers, an art framer with connections in the art world, told him that a gallery in Charleston was working on a partnership with a world-renowned artist to establish a fundraising campaign to support animal shelters in South Carolina, Frank decided to meet with the parties involved to see if he could offer assistance.  The gallery is the S. Cato International Investment Gallery, and the artist is animal lover and advocate, Dean Russo. As an artist, Dean’s large-scale, colorful portrait paintings have been described as ‘Andy Warhol crossed with pop artist Keith Haring’s fondness for animals, with a little bit of Louisiana ‘Blue Dog’ artist George Rodrigue thrown in.’ The fundraising campaign Dean began is called Russo’s for Rescues. Through it, art and animal-lovers can purchase framed reproductions of Dean’s original portraits of animals, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the local animal shelter of your choice. The gallery and Dean were wanting to launch the fundraising campaign out of Charleston, with the Charleston Humane Society as the main beneficiary of the proceeds. But they were running into road blocks— as their lack of connections with the Humane Society was preventing them moving forward with their intentions. A patron admires Dean’s art work at the Meet and Greet held at the Alabama Theatre in Myrtle Beach on October 25. — Photo Rachel Ogg This was where Frank was able to help. Because of his established, long-time connections with all of the area shelters in Myrtle Beach, he was able to help them spawn the initiative much more quickly by transferring the launch campaign to Myrtle Beach.  “Once ShipOnSite got involved, we opened the shelters of the Grand Strand market to the fundraising campaign,” he says. “Because we were operating under the Best Friend of the Week Program and already had the framework established, not only could we begin, but we also expanded who would benefit, enabling the new initiative to provide funds to more than just one shelter.”  Now there are a multitude of shelters that will benefit from Russo’s for Rescues. Just a few of them are: All 4 Paws; Coastal Animal Rescue; Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach; W.A.R.M.; St. Francis Animal Shelter; The Animal Care Center of Horry County; Grand Strand Humane Society; Pet Helpers; and the Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Charleston. (Visit www.russosforrescues.com to see the full list.) “Additionally, through working so closely with all the area shelters as a sponsor of the Best Friend Program, I could give Russo’s for Rescues all the information that they needed about the shelters,” Frank says.  The group began to implement the idea in August. Dean’s agent, the Regency Fine Art Gallery in Atlanta, set up the website— www.russosforrescues.com—where people can purchase Dean’s artwork in a variety of sizes.  Russo’s for Rescues was launched in Myrtle Beach with a Meet and Greet at the Alabama Theatre on Friday, October 25. Dean Russo came for several hours to meet fans and animal-supporters and sign his artwork.  This holiday season, you can gift a print, such as the one shown above, to yourself or a friend, and feel good knowing that you’ve also helped support shelter animals. — Photo Rachel Ogg The following day, there was a Meet and Greet in Charleston, at the S. Cato International Investment Gallery on King Street. Between the two events, they raised a total of $3,000.  Today, art lovers and animal lovers can come together to raise badly needed funds for shelters, while Dean’s artwork stands as a visual reminder of the need to promote adoption, and advocate for the … Read more

We Take the Pain Out of Painting by Melissa LaScaleia The owner of PaintRx in Myrtle Beach forged his company’s roots while attending Purdue University in Indiana.  Joel was looking for an internship for post-graduation, when he came across a flyer that offered to teach business skills to those who wanted to buy into a franchise.  “Running my own business had always been my dream,” Joel says. “So I applied for it. The company was called College Pro Painters. Painting isn’t the coolest, sexiest business out there, but I decided to pursue it while I was still in college and see how it worked out.     “I was doing a lot as a college student, and my parents really didn’t want me to sign up for it. I had to invest a lot of money to buy the franchise, and keep employees busy full time, and I was locked in for one year.” He went ahead anyway, and his junior and senior years in college, Joel broke the company’s industry records for being the best in several categories: Best in the Industry, Top Gun Rookie Sales, Quality Manager of the Year, and Brand Experience Award.  The first year, he had twelve painters working for him— and the second, he had twenty.  The painters of PaintRx are overseen by foremen who have between 20-35 years of experience. — Photo Meganpixels Parker “I was working hard,” he says. “The second year, I was again awarded Quality Manager.”  Then College Pro Painters recruited him to work for them in a wide-scale capacity. After graduation, he oversaw all the franchises in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio, and was recruiting college students to start their own franchises. He was a general manager for three years, and trained his team of twenty franchisees on every aspect of the business— from labor techniques, to managing employees, to marketing and sales.    “I went from running a small local business to growing and scaling the business throughout the region,” he says. “College Pro Painters trained me on what I know today.”  From there he went to work for a national franchise, and oversaw all the operations of the business with them.  In June 2018, Joel’s fiancé was assigned to Myrtle Beach for her residency as an emergency room doctor. The two relocated here, and Joel opened his own business once more— named PaintRx, in her honor.  With PaintRx, Joel draws upon all of the skill, passion, organization, leadership, and customer service that he employed in his college years and beyond, that made him and the companies he was involved with such a success.  PaintRx does not contract out any of their jobs, nor do they float between them, so you can expect exceptional work, delivered consistently, and finished in a timely manner. — Photo Meganpixels Parker PaintRx does all types of interior and exterior painting for residential and commercial establishments, including kitchen cabinets, garage floor epoxies, boat docks, and decks. They don’t use any subcontractors, so people know they can expect the same quality work Joel’s always delivered, done over the course of consecutive days without any bouncing around from job to job.  “As a company, we show up, and we show up on time,” Joel says. “We deliver on our promises, and I stay in tight communication with customers. We are professional.”  PaintRx does any necessary prep work like dry wall repairs, caulking, or priming.  “We haul most of our equipment away at the end of the day,” he says, “and if we do need to leave it, we leave it tidy. If it’s an interior job, we move all the furniture and use drop cloths to protect everything.  “We use all top-of-the-line paints from Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, and PPG. We don’t use any builder-grade paint, unless it’s specifically requested. We buy so much paint that we get great discounts, and we pass that savings on to our clients. We offer free estimates, and provide a detailed proposal in which everything is itemized so our clients can see the breakdown of costs, and choose the services they want.”  PaintRx will do any necessary prep work before undertaking a paint job such as dry wall repair or priming. They haul most equipment away at the end of the day, and use drop cloths and move your furniture to keep everything protected, ensuring that they take the pain out of painting for you. — Photo Meganpixels Parker “Our painters cut the straightest lines in town,” Joel adds. “Our foremen have been in this industry anywhere from 20-35 years, and the rest of our crew members have years of experience as well.”  They’re not only skilled, but also very friendly, polite and professional as their Facebook and Google reviews attest. “I’ve been doing this now for about eight years,” Joel says. “I’m here to stay.  “My goal is to raise the bar in this industry by providing an exceptional experience. And I’ve learned to take care of your customers. If you do that, the rest is going to work out.” PaintRx Licensed and bonded. 843-999-0226 www.paintrx.co Facebook @ PaintRx

Where Comfort and Elegance Go Hand in Hand and Garment to Garment by Melissa LaScaleia Eunice Han opened Sora Bora Boutique in the Market Common this past July. The name pays homage to her East Asian roots— Sora means ‘light blue’ in her native Korean tongue; Bora is ‘purple.’ The two also happen to rank among Eunice’s favorite colors.  “And,” she says, “together they sounded unique and memorable to me as a name for my boutique.”  Sora Bora carries upscale casual clothing for women of all ages.  “The pieces are timeless and elegant but with a little twist of fun and a bit of sweetness to them that correlates to the Myrtle Beach lifestyle,” Eunice says.  Sora Bora also carries some accessories like hand bags (with a great selection of high-end vegan ones), and jewelry, as well as natural body products like essential oils and soaps.  All of the items in her store are very high-quality, sourced from a trade show in her native NYC that Eunice attends bi-annually. She handpicks everything herself, offering a selection that is appealing because it is simple, classic, comfortable, and easy to wear.  Eunice hand-selects all of the products and accessories she carries from a trade show that she attends bi-annually in her former home of NYC. — Photo Meganpixels Parker “The products have a New York flavor but are perfectly suited for local people here,” she says.  Eunice’s shop is small and just as beautifully and tastefully laid out as the clothing and accessories she fills it with.  She created the design, and personally completed all of the labor herself to bring her vision to fruition.  “I wanted to bring aspects of what some of the quainter streets and parks of New York City look like into this space,” she says in speaking of the decor which is accented by gentle touches like birch tree branches and natural wood elements.  “It’s cozy in here. You feel so comfortable when you walk in.”     Eunice was born in Korea, and moved to Philadelphia when she was seventeen-years-old. She later relocated to New York City where she lived for twenty years. She and her husband met and lived there, until they recently took a vacation to Myrtle Beach. They fell in love with this place, and within the year, the two had traded in their life in the big city for Myrtle Beach.  — Photo Meganpixels Parker Although this is her first brick and mortar business, Eunice is no stranger to entrepreneurial ventures. For years she ran a successful online store on Etsy, where she designed and crafted women’s handbags and backpacks.  “I’ve always been fashion-oriented and creative,” she says.  Now she devotes all of her time and creative passion to making Sora Bora a success. And she’s well on her way.  Customers of all ages, from teens to retirees, love what she does and offers.  Check them out this holiday season for elegant dress wear and small, unique gifts for that special friend or family member. “I want to help people make every day special and every event memorable through the clothing they wear,” she says. “I’m taking my time, building my business very personally. I am happy that with Sora Bora, I can make a positive and lasting contribution to the variety of what is offered here in the Market Common.”  Sora Bora Boutique 926 Iris Street, Unit A, Myrtle Beach SC 29577 Tu-Sa 11am-6pm 843-945-6164  Facebook @ Sora Bora Boutique.