Cover Stories

A Trip Down Memory Lane with the Renowned Local Photographer and Artist by Melissa LaScaleia “I was born in Greenville, SC in the latter years of the Depression,” says Jack Thompson. “When I was thirteen years old, I would hang out with my friends in the back doorway of the local pool hall, affectionately nicknamed The Cat Dive, where we could listen to the older fellows talk. “One day we heard them telling stories about Myrtle Beach— a place where you could dance with girls, and walk with them in the moonlight, and drink beer. Well, you can imagine how that excited a couple of thirteen-year-old boys. “So the three of us got on a little two-lane highway with the intention of hitchhiking to Myrtle Beach. But it seemed only local farmers were traveling those roads. “It took us two days to get there, and when we arrived, my friends went to the beach and I went straight to the Pavilion and asked the man running the photo booth for a job. He asked me when I wanted to start, and I said: ‘Right away as long as I can get a milkshake and a hamburger.’ “It was 1951. The year when three little runaway boys went off and found their place in history. “Carol’s father came down the next day and brought him home; he grew up to be the governor of South Carolina. Freddie got severely sunburned and went home on the bus to go into business with his father, and wound up a multimillionaire. My parents sent my elder brother, Joe, to come get me the next day. “When he arrived, he scolded me and told me we were leaving the next day. That night he came back with his arm around a beautiful girl and said: ‘I’m not going home. Can you get me a job here?’ So we stayed. © Jack Thompson © Jack Thompson © Jack Thompson Previous Next “It was God’s place; it was like no other place. It was a wonderful life, like what you could only dream about. When I graduated high school, I went to work for Pixy Pin-Ups, a traveling photography company that was part of JCPenney, taking portraits of babies and children. “I traveled around the country for three years, and afterwards returned to Myrtle Beach and opened my own photography studio, Jack Thompson Studios, in 1959. “I published the first news magazine in Myrtle Beach, Insight Into the Grand Strand, in 1969; then a magazine, The Grand Strand Golfer, in 1970; and a book, Memories of Myrtle Beach, in 2007. “I’m in the process of publishing a new book right now, a photography book of billboards from the ‘50s. My father always told me, ‘Son, don’t hide your light under a basket. Get out there and create all you can, because what won’t kill you will make you stronger.’ “Because of my photography and other literary accomplishments, Coastal Carolina University granted me an honorary degree: I’m now Dr. Jack Thompson, Master of Fine Art. I’m still operating the gallery, and people are still moving here and wanting to decorate with my images of the way Myrtle Beach was. “My favorite saying is: ‘Falling in love with Myrtle, she’ll sweep sand into your shoes that will seep into your blood and melt your heart, and you’ll never be able to leave Myrtle. And if you do, you’ll always come back.’ “My favorite place here used to be the Pavilion. And today, I’m still wandering up and down the Grand Strand, and all I can hear is my own heart looking for old Myrtle Beach, that is slipping away with the tide.” Jack Thompson Studios 611 Broadway Street Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 843-450-3555

© Jack Thompson A Treasure Trove of Stories, Myths, and Blessings by Melissa LaScaleia Myrtle Beach has gone through many transitions throughout the ages, acquiring a rich and storied past as it evolved into its current iteration as a hub of tourism and laid-back beach living. At the end of the Civil War, without slave labor to run the plantations that made the economy go ‘round, the inhabitants of Long Bay (as the Myrtle Beach area was then called), largely disappeared, and much of the land reverted to wilderness. By the late 19th century, a businessman from the North, Simeon Chapin, acquired large tracts of land in the area that encompassed Robert Francis Withers Allston’s Plantation. Today, the area of the plantation that overlooks the tidal creek, or swash, is known as Wither’s Swash, and is a protected historic landmark open to the public. Simeon and his Southern business partner Franklin Burroughs, formed the Myrtle Beach Farms Company, which farmed pine trees for resin and tar for maritime shipbuilding. In 1893, a large hurricane knocked down a majority of the pine forest, and they didn’t want the trees to rot and go to waste. The two built a railroad from Conway to the coast to transport the trees more efficiently, reducing the two-day journey to one hour. When they were building the railroad, they discovered a huge supply of peat moss, which they harvested for months— using it to build fields to grow food commercially as well as feed the people who worked there. In 1901, an unusual animal siting occurred at the beach; a giant whale washed up on the shoreline, and the man who discovered it was fascinated. Everyone was excited by the event. Burroughs and Chapin gave the townspeople of Conway a free ride on the train to the beach so everyone could see— the first time the coast was selected en masse as a tourist destination. Perhaps inspired by this, Franklin opened the Seaside Inn, the beach’s first hotel, in 1901, which had no electricity or plumbing. Lodging cost $2 and included all three meals. A Pavilion was subsequently built, attached to the Inn via a boardwalk. The Pavilion was an evening community gathering spot; and couples of all ages would dance at the beach to music from a Victrola. Horry County locals rode the train to the seashore more regularly, marveling at the beach and ocean. The trips grew in popularity, and the first Pavilion was replaced by a second larger one, with live bands in lieu of the Victrola. The beach was originally called New Town, but in a renaming contest, Mrs. Burroughs suggested Myrtle Beach, in honor of the wax myrtle shrub that grew in abundance throughout the area, and people loved it. © Jack Thompson During this time, Simeon opened a country store that sold china, women’s dresses, and men’s suits. In time, it expanded to include a beauty salon, restaurant, and post office, and became a gathering place where women could spend an afternoon. In 1920, the Woodside brothers, textile magnates from Greenville, decided along with Holmes B. Springs, to invest in Myrtle Beach. They purchased 66,000 acres, and pooled their resources to build the Ocean Forest Hotel. It looked like a castle, with an indoor pool, elevators, tennis courts, a championship golf course, a clubhouse, and riding stables. Some say that the erection of the hotel put Myrtle Beach on the map as a tourist destination. Kings Highway was paved, and the area grew. Plans were underway to build an even more luxurious resort, when the stock market crash of 1929 hit, followed by the Great Depression. In 1930, the wealthy philanthropic couple, Archer Huntington and Anna Hyatt Huntington, purchased several plantations in Murrells Inlet which they intended to use as a personal retreat, but later opted to make a non-profit organization to share the beauty of the location with everyone. Brookgreen Gardens became an outdoor art sanctuary that consisted of a park, sculpture museum, zoo, and wildlife preserve. The couple employed the local population to bring their dream to fruition, injecting money into the economy– at the same time instituting electricity, roads, a school, and a free health clinic. In 1937, the Myrtle Beach Municipal Airport was built and named after the mayor, W. L. Harrelson, in honor of his support of the project. During WWII, the United States Army Air Corps took over the airport and converted it into a military base. Local volunteers would sit at the top of the stairs at the Seaside Inn, watching for German submarines that might surface and attempt a stealth attack in the dead of night. German prisoners of war used to be housed at the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. The Pavilion burned down in 1945, and was rebuilt on the corner of 9th Ave. and Ocean Blvd., becoming the epicenter of life at the beach. It had a bathhouse; an amusement park with a carousel and rides; restaurants; arcades; bingo; nightclubs; miniature golf courses; and stores. During the ’50s and ’60s, the Pavilion was the place to be. The area spawned beach music and dances like the shag. Myrtle Beach earned its reputation as a mecca for great music during this time. The annual Sun Fun Festival began in 1951 kicking off the summer tourist season with a parade; marching band; games; a “jail” where party poopers who weren’t in shorts or bathing suits were relegated; and a popular beauty pageant that attracted notable actors and actresses. The Sea Captain’s House restaurant was the first oceanfront restaurant ever built and still exists today. Hurricane Hazel devastated the area in 1954 and became a storm to remember. In Cherry Grove there were no houses left, and to onlookers further south, it looked like a bulldozer had pushed buildings 200 feet away from where they originally stood. But the event ushered in an era of new growth and expansion for Myrtle Beach, a growth that’s been steadily increasing with each … Read more

YMCA is a nationally recognized nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that has been promoting its values of youth development.

by Jennifer Hamilton, director of sales, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Coastal Real Estate  Have you thought about selling your house? If the answer is yes, then there is no better time to put it on the market than now.  Spring has always been a popular time to sell, but the continued demand for homes in our area, coupled with limited inventory, has driven home prices up even higher. Many sellers receive multiple offers, oftentimes driving the sales prices above asking price.  Long gone are the days of asking 5% under asking price, negotiating with sellers to pay closing costs, with many even foregoing inspections and appraisals. With such strong activity, by the time a property sale closes, the market has already adjusted to a higher price than even recent sales suggest. Though such markets can create stress and frustration for many prospective homebuyers who frequently have to submit offers on multiple properties before they are able to secure a purchase, home sellers in our market are seeing a sizable return on their investment.  So, If you have been putting your move on the back-burner, waiting for the perfect time to sell, you should know your golden window of opportunity is here and now. If you are able to get your house ready for the market quickly, here is what you can expect to see. You Should See More Buyer Activity Buyer demand is expected to remain higher than in previous years. As of March 2022, home prices had risen 16.8% since March 2021, with pending sales in our market up 6.9% and closed sales up 17.9% since this same time last year. This is a direct result of increased competition among buyers, ultimately leading to a bidding war over houses. Compound that with mortgage rates increasing to 4.67%, the highest since November 2018, and chances are good that this analysis is right. As interest rates rise, experts say buyers often hurry to make their purchase before rates climb higher. As Nadia Evangelou, senior economist and director of forecasting at the National Association of Realtors (NAR) says: “Buyers are rushing to lock in lower rates as the outlook is for even higher mortgage rates in the following months.”  Your House Is Expected to Sell Quickly It’s no secret that the Grand Strand is a great place to call home. For more than ten years now, homes in our market have been selling faster every year. The popularity of our area along with a global pandemic that caused many to reevaluate their goals and life preferences bred a perfect real estate storm.  Homes in our market are selling on average in less than 101 days, from listing to closing; a decrease of 22.9% compared to last March 2021. Many more buyers are looking for luxury, smart technology, and lifestyle when shopping for a home. This is evident in the 79.4% increase in closed sales for homes priced at $400,000 or higher, seeing the largest closed sales hike than any other price point. No matter what price point your home is at, I promise you there is a buyer or ten looking for it.  Your House Will Be in the Spotlight Since the beginning of the year, the number of homes available for sale has been at or near record lows. As of March 2022, our entire market had a mere 1.3 month’s supply of homes for sale. A market that is competitive for buyers and sellers occurs when there is at least a 5-6 month supply of homes on the market. In our current situation, if every home that is currently on the market sold, we would run out of inventory in less than 40 days.  Inventory of Homes & Condos for Sale by Price Range as of March 2022:  Under $200,000…………………………………….0.9 month’s supply of homes down 79.1% Under $300,000…………………………………….1.0 month’s supply of homes down 77.3% Under $400,000…………………………………….1.9 month’s supply of homes down 67.2% Under $500,000…………………………………….2.1 month’s supply of homes down 61.8% Over $500,000…………………………………….1.3 month’s supply of homes down 63.9% If you list when inventory is low, your house will be the center of attention for many eager buyers searching to find their home. Buyers are ready to buy, now ask yourself, are you ready to sell? 

A Brief History of a Real Estate Boom by Melissa LaScaleia The Market Common is a 114-acre lifestyle district located blocks from the ocean in the heart of the Grand Strand, set on the site of the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. From 1954 until it closed permanently in 1993, the base, and those who lived and worked there, were an integral part of Myrtle Beach’s economy and livelihood. Seagate Village was an existing development during the time that the Air Force Base was in operation, but it stood relatively alone. With the base’s closure, the question arose— how would this area rebirth itself to become a part of the community? That’s where the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base Redevelopment Authority comes in. It was established to spearhead the undertaking, and retired Air Force Colonel, Buddy Styers, as executive director, was charged with the task of repurposing and redeveloping the land. As the former commander of two Air Force bases, and with a master’s degree in public administration, Buddy was familiar with how to find talented individuals skilled in their trade, and to successfully work with a variety of governing bodies to make a plan come to fruition. But it was his ability to understand what held meaning to the people in the community, and to hold that at the forefront of his vision, that ultimately made the Market Common one of the most desirable places to live, work, and play along the Grand Strand. A vision come to fruition. Homes in the Market Common today, overlooking the Big Lake. — Photo Meganpixels Parker Buddy and the Redevelopment Authority envisioned the area taking shape as an urban village, and ultimately selected Dan McCaffery, of McCaffery Interests, to develop the property. Retail and restaurant spaces were built for nationally-known and smaller, local establishments, as well as a multitude of live-work units to accommodate entrepreneurs. Today, the area boasts parks and ball fields, a sports complex, a large recreational lake, and numerous other attractions. Everything is easily accessible by foot, and nestled in a thoughtfully designed, picturesque setting. The area pays homage to its past, with historical commemorative markers located throughout, as well as a local history museum and outdoor military park, Warbird Park. Because of the thoughtfulness of its design and the variety of activities and options available, the Market Common has always attracted a diverse array of people and a wide range of age groups who gravitate to an upscale, modern lifestyle. One that exemplifies laid-back, Southern beach living, but in an urban environment. And the recent national trend that sees people opting for a lifestyle that is based more on simplicity, health, and joie de vivre, means that real estate in the Market Common has been on a steady growth trajectory, and developers have had to continuously build new homes to meet demand. Beazer, DR Horton, Lennar, and Pulte are some of the national companies that have and continue to build homes in the Market Common since its inception. Since 2008, the following subdivisions became communities in the Market Common: Balmoral; Battery; Belle Harbor; Cresswind; Emmens Preserve; Estate at Withers Preserve; Highlands at Withers; Lakeside Battery; Meridian; Monarch Estates; Park Place; Reserve; Sanctuary at Withers; Sweetgrass Square; The Cottages; Wentworth Row; and West Lake. The townhomes include communities like: High Market, Market Common Townhomes, Sail House, Emmens Preserve Townhomes and Windsor Gate. The Market Common Townhomes (the work-live units), were the first townhome development since the redevelopment of the Air Force Base. Since 2008, over 4000 single-family homes, and over 1000 townhomes were transferred through CCAR, Coastal Carolina Board of Realtors. To give a more specific example, a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1822 square-foot home in Emmens Preserve sold for $114 sq/ft, $207,990 when it was built in 2009. Within the last twelve months, it sold for $170 sq/ft, $310,000. That’s a 33% increase in home value. A 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath 1200 square-foot condo/townhome in the Sail House community sold for $141.58 sq/ft, $169,900 when it was built in 2016. Within the last twelve months, a similar 1200 sq/ft home sold for $193.33 sq/ft, $232,000. That’s a 27% increase in home value. If you’ve been considering selling your home in the Market Common for an upgrade or a change of pace, now is a great time to do it. The sellers market remains strong.

by Jennifer Hamilton Exceptionally strong buyer demand continues to cause a low-inventory market, driving prices up nearly worldwide. As the world around us has changed, so too has the luxury market along the Grand Strand. The ubiquity of work-from home arrangements is inspiring people to reevaluate where they want to live and enabling them to move there. And many from the Northeast and West Coast are selling their modest homes and reinvesting in luxury homes in this area. People are increasingly drawn to the relaxed beach lifestyle, mild climate, and lower cost of living compared to other areas of the country. Many too are now spending the majority of the year in their additional home here. In 2021, the average sales price for single-family resale homes in the top 10% of our market was $1,004,549, and the average days on the market across the board was 138. The highest-price home sold for $4,100,000. The top 10% in our market for new construction homes was $591,523, selling in 187 days. In December, there was a mere 3.3 month-supply of luxury homes for sale, leading to a still-strong seller’s market. Looking ahead, experts anticipate many of the housing market trends of 2021 will continue in 2022, albeit at a more moderate level. Strong buyer demand and inventory shortages are likely to persist over the next year. However higher mortgage rates, which began the year at historic lows, still remain attractive, and homeowners who choose to sell in the coming months can expect to see plenty of buyer activity due to pandemic demand.

The Boom That Keeps on Sounding by Melissa LaScaleia It’s not a secret that the real estate market in the Myrtle Beach area has been on a steady growth trajectory for years, nor that it has seen explosive growth since the onset of the pandemic. And it’s still a trend; at this juncture, the economy is improving, unemployment is falling, and the U.S. real estate market remains strong. Buyer demand is high, bolstered in part by still-attractive mortgage rates and a low supply of inventory. The most recent data from the National Association of REALTORS® reports that inventory decreased 36% for single-family homes and 74.4% for condos from last year. The Median Sales Price was up 20.8% to $320,000 for single-family homes and 25% to $199,950 for condos. Days on Market decreased 17.2% for single-family homes and 30.5% for condos. Supply decreased 42.9% for single-family homes and 81.1% for condos. The median single-family existing home sales price rose 16% in the third quarter of this year to $363,700, with all four regions of the country experiencing double-digit price growth. In new construction, builder confidence increased in November, surpassing analyst expectations and rising to 83 on the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), the highest level since spring, despite persistent labor and supply chain challenges and a shortage of available lots. The Insider reached out to Steve Powell, who has lived and worked in Myrtle Beach as a civil and structural engineer since 1984, to glean his reflections on new home construction and growth in the area. Steve graduated from West Point with a degree in engineering. Afterwards, he served in the U.S. Army, with assignments that reached worldwide. His work designing communities and homes led him to create Venture Engineering in 1990. Steve’s extensive professional involvement in the growth and evolution of this area over the past three decades gives him a unique perspective on where we’ve come from as a community, and where we’re headed. “It’s curious to see how growth has expanded to include so much of the county,” Steve says. “And it’s interesting to see how most of the buyers in this area are out of state retirees mostly from the Northeast. By some accounts, it’s been said that 85% are aged 55 and up from the Northeast. That has caused a greater demand for services, and has provided jobs and industry for the other 15%. “Back in the ‘80s, when I first started, nobody would have dreamed of doing a subdivision west of the Intracoastal Waterway, because no one was there. Zoning was not enacted until 1987, and even then it was implemented for the eastern end of the county, from the Waterway to the ocean. So you had no legal limitations in terms of what you could build either commercially or personally.” In the 1980s, the national interest in golf and available, unrestricted land west of the waterway spurred a burst in golf course development, and birthed a number of courses including Long Bay, Black Bear, Shaftesbury, and the Witch Golf Links. The courses pulled traffic west, and ultimately inspired the creation of the Carolina Forest community in the late ‘90s, which accounted for a planned 33,000 rooftops in that area. Just prior to the advent of Carolina Forest, the county rezoned the western portions of the county. And the state passed a law that cities and counties had to develop a comprehensive plan— a roadmap that forecasts where the growth is going to go, and what it might do— a crystal ball, so to speak, of what will happen next. Horry County has had one since 1987. To some degree, the county controls the trajectory of growth— but that power is really held by the market— those private investors and entrepreneurs who, with their far-reaching buying and selling choices, influence trends, and those people that buy homes, condos, and businesses. “Some of the things that have happened here that have caused growth have defied explanation,” Steve says. “Long before there was anything in Myrtle Beach, Waccamaw Pottery opened, and it became the #2 destination to visit after the beach. People would come to Myrtle Beach just to spend a weekend shopping there.” The first commercial waterpark in the world was built in Myrtle Beach in 1973 by a client of Steve’s who owned a campground in North Carolina. One day, this man went on vacation to Switzerland, saw a luge, and decided to add water to the concept to entertain his guests. “Then people wanted to come here because it was the only waterpark in the world,” Steve says. “So you have more hotels, so then you have more jobs. And those workers need somewhere to live. So every time something like the waterpark happens, you change the community fabric in multiple ways. “As to the recent surge of home building and buying down here, I think Covid is one contributing factor, but much more so are Covid policies. And down here they are much more relaxed. The huge increase in home prices in the Northeast has enabled many to sell their homes and retire early and purchase something down here at a low interest rate. “The decisions we make as a collective body have also stimulated growth, in terms of creating highways and infrastructure and expansion that has stimulated growth more west. But quite simply, it’s the age-old formula of supply and demand. This past year has been one of the craziest I’ve seen in my thirty-five years in this industry. “In the past, you’d list a house before you broke ground in the hopes that someone would come and look at your brochures and buy the house before you finished building it. In the past year, material prices are changing literally daily. And the house isn’t being listed for sale until they are hanging drywall, and then it sells in two days.” “The demand is so far in excess of supply, nationwide, that it’s really upset … Read more

The Birth and Evolution of a Place by Melissa LaScaleia Myrtle Beach began as a sleepy little beach town, but it was only a matter of time before its relaxing, sandy shores drew more people. As a result of the growth, the city constructed an airport in 1939 that was named after their mayor, Dr. Wilford L. Harrelson. The Harrelson Municipal Airport would prove to be an invaluable asset to our country in the ensuing years; initially the United States War Department needed the land and airstrip for both offensive as well as defensive military actions, to train pilots for the European theatre of World War II. The government acquired an additional 6,000 acres, and formally established a base on the site on March 24, 1942, called the Myrtle Beach General Bombing and Gunnery Range. 114 buildings were built on the premises, including barracks, a hospital, offices, and other facilities, as well as a compound to house German prisoners of war. The 351st, 136th, and 317th Air Base Units; the 323rd and 391st Bombardment Groups; the 404th Fighter-Bomber Group; and the 304th Fighter Squadron were all stationed there. In 1943, the base was renamed the Myrtle Beach Army Air Field. The famous Doolittle Raiders, heroes for their carrier-based attack on Tokyo in 1942, were stationed in Myrtle Beach for training prior to conducting the raid. On November 1, 1947, after the conclusion of the war was solidified, the base was deactivated and returned to the city. After that, in addition to being a municipal airport, the city leased a portion of the property to a turkey farm; the Boston Braves baseball team, of Babe Ruth fame, also used the property as a training ground. The entrance the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, circa 1950. As the Cold War continued to intensify in the early 1950s, the city chose to donate the airport to the United States military, and the Air Force took over again on June 1, 1954. On April 1, 1956, they activated the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. Over the years, the 4434th Air Base Squadron; the 342nd Fighter-Day Wing; the 455th Fighter Day Group; the 113th Tactical Fighter Wing; the 728th Tactical Control Squadron, and the legendary 354th Fighter Day Wing were all stationed here. The base played a key role in every major conflict the U.S. was involved in during the 20th century including, Vietnam, Korea and Iraq, and was named one of the best bases in country. And the people who lived on the base were an integral part of the Myrtle Beach community. By the early ‘90s, as the Cold War drew to an end, and because of the tremendous cost to operate a base, the Air Force announced its intention to close the base, and began planning how to transition the vast tract of land into the community. The base officially closed in 1993, and the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base Redevelopment Authority was established to help execute the task. Retired Air Force Colonel, Buddy Styers, was hired as the executive director to spearhead the project. The Air Force had funded the creation of a formal redevelopment plan for the area, which envisioned an urban village, recreation facility, an airport, and a golf course. The city accepted the plan, and McCaffery Interests was the developer who committed to build it. Retired Air Force colonel Buddy Styers, senior project manager for the building of the Market Common. The Redevelopment Authority had already installed telephone; electricity; a regional stormwater management system; roads; sidewalks; underground utilities; water; sewer; and computer lines, and worked closely with Dan McCaffery, navigating the back and forth with the governing boards that such a large-scale project necessitates, to bring their vision to fruition. Buddy also acted as senior project manager for the project. Part of his vision was to offer amenities that didn’t exist elsewhere in Myrtle Beach, including a large lake, ball field complex, roller skating rink and soccer fields. Horry Georgetown Technical College moved their three biggest programs from the Conway campus to the Market Common: medical/nursing, dentistry, and culinary arts. The Market Common’s Grand Opening was April 1, 2008. And it’s been growing steadily ever since. Today, it’s an integral part of Myrtle Beach, and many people, new to the area, wouldn’t know that it was ever a base. But keeping the area tied to its roots was important to Buddy. He created a museum as well as an outdoor park to commemorate the Market Common’s origins. And all of the streets in the district are named after people who made a significant contribution to the Air Force Base in some way. History plaques recounting their accomplishments dot the streets, reminders of this area’s rich past.

Celebrating 15 Years of the Iconic 5k Race Along the Grand Strand by Melissa LaScaleia The annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot is back for another year along the Grand Strand, amidst the joyous anticipation of running enthusiasts and their cheering squads. The race is hosted by NS Promos, a local event-production company which puts on a series of races, events, festivals and fundraisers along the Grand Strand throughout the year.  Mike Shank is co-owner of NS Promos with business partner and friend, Steve Taylor.  “Steve and I have known each other for a long time,” Mike says. “Steve owns Native Sons, a large T-shirt company, and was dabbling in events on the side. He started the Jeep Jam, it’s kind of like Bike Week for Jeep-owners.  “I had a full time job and was also running a company called Festival Promotions. Three years ago we decided to join together and call our event-production company a fusion of those names— NS Promos.”  Mike grew up in Cumberland, Maryland, and attended Radford University in Virginia. He moved to Myrtle Beach in the summer of ’94 for what he thought was going to be three months and never left.  “When I was first here, they were digging the lake at Broadway at the Beach,” he says. “I loved Myrtle Beach when I was a kid and we vacationed here. So to have an opportunity to get a job and move here— that’s pretty good.”   Mike and Steve’s partnership presented itself at the perfect time for them both. “I was bogged down with how much time it was taking for me to create and organize all of my events on my own,” Mike says. “I was really running myself into the ground. And Steve needed help with Jeep Jam. Once we merged, we hired additional people to help us run things, and it was a much more sustainable lifestyle.”  “I enjoy my partnership with Steve,” he adds. “It’s been great. I get a lot of insights and inspiration from him. And the team putting the events together is great too. Now they are people that I can trust and rely on to do exceptional work, and that’s taken a lot off of my plate.”   The finish line for the Market Common race in 2019. Mike created the Turkey Trot 5k race in Myrtle Beach fifteen years ago. Up until that time, and despite the sunny, balmy conditions in Myrtle Beach as well as the ubiquitous tradition of race running on Thanksgiving Day in most cities across America, there was no race in Myrtle Beach.  “At the time that I started the Turkey Trot here, I was on the organizing committee of the Myrtle Beach marathon,” Mike says. “Thanksgiving Day is traditionally the largest running day of the year, and I wanted Myrtle Beach to be a part of that. So I decided to go for it, and put it together.”  Four hundred people showed up to run along Farrow Parkway and what would become the Market Common that first year. And Mike has been organizing it ever since. By year three, he had expanded the Turkey Trot into Surfside Beach, and was amazed that the turnout was larger than the one in the Market Common.  “Initially, it was kind of crazy to me that just a few miles up the road even more people would come and attend,” Mike says. “But what we found over time, especially with the race starting early in the morning, was that people were only willing to drive so far along Hwy. 17— north or south— depending on where they lived.”   Almost ten years ago, Mike branched out and began a race in Florence, which has consistently drawn around 300 runners a year. Four years ago, he added another location at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach; approximately 400-500 people run that location.  “2019 was our peak in terms of numbers of participants,” Mike says. “Between all of the locations, we had about 3,500 runners show up— 1500 in Surfside Beach; 1300 in Market Common; 400 in Barefoot Landing; and 300 in Florence.”  Mike hosts the race in Surfside in partnership with the Surfside Rotary Club. The club sells all the sponsorship packages for the race.  “It’s been their largest fundraiser every year and a great partnership for us,” Mike says. “In Myrtle Beach, we usually partner with the Grand Strand Humane Society to do the same thing.”  Because of Covid, the 2020 Surfside Beach Turkey Trot has far fewer runners than in years past. This year’s race is currently on track to be more well attended. Right now, Mike has no plans to add any more race locations. He’s focussed more on nurturing and sustaining what he and his team have already built.  “2019 was the largest turn-out of runners we’ve ever had,” he says. “And we found a way to safely and responsibly hold every race we scheduled last year, except one. But despite the fact that we offered it, in Surfside we had 480 runners compared to 1500 the previous year. Right now, the numbers are trending more towards where they were in 2019. We’ve done a lot of expanding over the last few years, and now we want to support that base.”   For Mike and his team, last year’s Covid climate influenced their mindset to stay positive, and simply persevere with their intentions to host the races for the Myrtle Beach community no matter how many people showed up to run.   “The events industry has been impacted just like everybody else,” Mike says. “But with the races, we certainly benefitted from being outside. The main thing we did to make sure everyone stayed safe, was to encourage everyone to wear a mask until they started the run. Then, instead of starting everybody at the same time, we had people form a row across and spread them out about 10 feet apart. Then we staggered the rows by 20 second start intervals. At the end … Read more

Spreading Heart and Cheer to All – Take a moment to read all about how Janice Sialiano has given so much to our community with her annual Christmas dinners to those less fortunate than us.

A Conversation with Joe Bonaparte of the Myrtle Beach International Culinary Institute brings us a whole new perspective and inspiration on Thanksgiving!

Kathryn Hedgepath has always loved local history. “As a kid growing up here in the 70s, I used to read a monthly publication for tourists. It always included a ghost story— the same ones— again and again— and I would read them again and again I loved them so much,” she says with a laugh.

How the Myrtle Beach Community is Giving Back by Melissa LaScaleia Declan Maloney will be fourteen years old on April 22. He has a form of cancer called Epithelioid Sarcoma, which typically affects males in their late twenties to late thirties. The chances of a child being affected with this are rare— .05 out of 1 million.  Epithelioid Sarcomas are among the most misdiagnosed cancers because they resemble ganglion cysts. They are slow-growing tumors with a high rate of reoccurrence, and are very aggressive. Epithelioid Sarcomas only develop in the arms and legs. But if it metastasizes, it can go to the lungs or the brain. The first line of treatment is surgery, then scans every three months to detect any new growth.  Declan was diagnosed on November 30, 2018.  “He had had a mass removed earlier that month,” says his mother, Allison. “And even the doctor thought that everything was fine. Then they did testing on it and it came back cancerous.”  The cancer was tentacled throughout Declan’s arm to such a degree that doctors had to amputate his lower arm to remove it.  Declan Maloney has a rare form of cancer that affects .05 out of 1 million children. — Photo Meganpixels Parker “We were so blindsided by the diagnosis,” Allison says, “that all of the groups we are a part of stepped up to offer support. Our church, Belin United Methodist Church in Murrell’s Inlet, held a healing service for Declan before his surgery that was open to everyone. The church youth group presented Star Wars-themed shirts, signed by everyone, for myself, my husband John, and Declan to wear the day of the surgery. It meant a lot to us.”  Insurance doesn’t pay for all of the treatment that Declan needs, and Allison and John want to make sure that he can have a bionic arm and live as normal a life as possible. Declan has ambitions to go to the University of South Carolina and be a member of their marching band.  “I was posting on social media groups, asking people to pray for our son, to come to the healing service, and support his Go Fund Me page,” Allison says.  Dan O’Reilly, who has the same type of cancer and performs at Travinia in the Jazz band UNI, attended the service at Belin with his wife Lisa.  “Cancer Heroes of the Carolinas, a non-profit 501 (c) (3), has also been tremendously supportive,” Allison says. “It helps families and children with cancer in Horry and Georgetown counties. Jennifer Johnson, the founder, was the first cancer mother who reached out to me via a connection through our church. She helped educate us and fill in the gaps in a way that no other resource did.” To support Declan Maloney visit www.gofundme.com and search for Declan Maloney Medical Fund or click on the photo above. Facebook @ Friends of Declan.  Facebook @ Cancer Heroes of the Carolinas or 843-798-2020.