Brigadier General Joel Hall

December 13, 2021October 27, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Oklahoma Native, Commander of the 354th at Myrtle Beach by Melissa LaScaleia Brigadier General Joel T. Hall was born in 1935 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His career trajectory brought him to serve the United States Air Force as commander of the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base in 1984. Hall Lane, which intersects with Cook Circle near Iris Street in the Market Common, is named in his honor. We commemorate his career and accomplishments and remember his service to our city and country in this month’s history section. Joel T. Hall attended Shawnee Oklahoma High School, and graduated in 1954. He joined ROTC in college, and graduated from the University of Oklahoma’s School of Aerospace Engineering with a bachelor’s degree in 1961. Then, he was commissioned a second lieutenant through the Air Force Re-serve Officer Training Corps program and began pilot training. After completing pilot training, he returned to his home state of Oklahoma in 1962 where he was stationed to train other pilots. In January 1967, during the Vietnam War, he was assigned to the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing, Bien Hoa Air Base, in South-Central Vietnam, about 16 miles from Saigon. Joel Hall was awarded the Silver Star by the President of the United States for his gallantry in service during his Vietnam term. On July 11, 1967, Joel, then a Captain, was acting as the Wingman in a relief flight mission of two F-100s that were sent to deliver weapons to a U.S. special forces camp that was in danger of being overrun by the North Vietnamese. The weather conditions at the time were hazardous, and visibility was very poor, making it challenging to accurately deliver the needed relief weapons. He also faced in-tense hostile ground fire from the enemy. Despite these circumstances, Captain Hall made numerous successful deliveries. Because of his valor, the special forces were able to overcome the North Vietnamese and cause them to retreat. In 1968, he left Vietnam for England, where he was assigned to the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Station, in Lakenheath. He later served as a squadron weapons officer, as well as a flight examiner in the wing standardization and evaluation office. Then he was stationed as Directorate of Operations at the U.S. Air Forces Europe Headquarters, in West Germany from 1970-1972. Hall attended Air Command and Staff College, and graduated in 1973. Then he served as the Directorate of Operations for the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations, in Washington, D.C., from July 1973 to July 1977. His duties included serving with the worldwide range improvement program, joint operational tests, and the joint Air Force and Navy air combat evaluation and air intercept missile evaluation. He was stationed in South Korea in 1977. He graduated from National War College in 1981. In 1984, he was appointed commander of the 354th Tactical Fight Wing at the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, where he served until 1986. General Hall is a command pilot who has flown more than 4,000 hours. His military awards and decorations include: the Silver Star, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with 15 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, and Combat Readiness Medal. He was promoted to brigadier general on February 1, 1987. He retired from service on August 1, 1991. To read more about the Market Common’s history, click here!

Market Common Then and Now

December 13, 2021October 27, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

A Perspective and Historical Account by Lynn Mueller On October 16, 1939, the Myrtle Beach Town Council concluded that the community was in dire need of a municipal airport. Given this conclusion, the town purchased one hundred thirty-five acres of adjoining property. Shortly thereafter, the airport was named the Harrelson Municipal Airport. It was named after Mayor W. L. Harrelson, a strong supporter of this project. During World War II, the Army Corps took over Harrelson Municipal Airport. The United States Department of War formally took charge of the airport in 1942 and named it the Myrtle Beach General Bombing and Gunnery Range. Finally, in 1943, the 5,000-acre base became known as the Myrtle Beach Army Air Field. After the war, the site was deactivated and returned to the city with 114 buildings in place. The Myrtle Beach Municipal Airport was reborn in November of 1947. The airport was donated to the military once again, this time to the Air Force, in 1954. It continued under their direction until 1991, when it was announced that the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base would permanently close. The base closed two years later, on March 31, 1993. It was expected that the closing of the base would necessitate the loss of more than 5,000 jobs, leave 1,500 homes vacant and for sale, reduce student enrollment by 15%, and raise unemployment by 20%, and generate a loss of over $91 million in taxes and general revenue. The lake across from Grand Park offers a mile long walking and running path with exercising stations along the way. This aerial photograph, taken atop a crane, shows how thoroughly and beautifully the Market Common has been redeveloped. By August 1995, the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base Redevelopment Authority was created with retired Air Force Colonel Buddy Styers at its head. This lead to the creation of the area we now know as the Market Common, which is comprised of 110 acres. In the early 1980s, the concept of New Urbanism arose. New Urbanism is a planning and development approach based upon an understanding of how cities have been built over the last several centuries. This approach replicated walkable blocks and streets, housing, and shopping near and accessible to open, public spaces. This approach was a reaction to the sprawling, single-use, low density pattern of post World War II development. The flight from urban America to suburbia had created a post urban society which disconnected homes from a traditional urban setting, where shopping and community connectivity had been the norm. The net result of suburbia was the creation of a situation with negative economic and environmental impacts. The evolution of New Urbanism was principally created as a reaction to the flight to suburbia. While Market Common as we find it today is unique to all of us, it is but one of literally thousands of similar types of developments across the United States and nations including The Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The basic principal driving the New Urbanism approach, which sometimes is called Traditional Neighborhood Development or TND, is that public and private spaces are of equal importance. Given this concept, one can create a balanced community which serves a wide range of home and business opportunities. Howard Avenue, in the Market Common, bustles with activity. Few people notice the building block that is encroaching beyond its intended borders. Colonel Buddy Styers, as head of the Redevelopment Authority, worked close- ly with the City of Myrtle Beach. The city had commissioned the development of an urban village plan that the Authority did not have access to, but through his efforts the city cooperated and an agreement was reached to integrate this plan into the planning process of the Authority. It was a commitment which included connecting what was to be developed with the history of the site. This led to the naming of all the streets in Market Common after those who were connected in some way to the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. In addition, plaques were placed throughout Market Common with narratives relaying the history of both the Air Force Base, and the people who made memorable contributions in connection to it. In addition to what might be characterized as Market Common’s downtown, residential neighborhoods surround the core shopping and living area. The core commercial district is filled with unique shopping opportunities with many locally owned businesses and eateries. The SoHo section was designed to replicate past urban America with a first floor as a commercial shop/work place and the business owner living upstairs. This section is relatively unique in these types of developments, and a tremendous shopping experience for residents and visitors alike. The mix of housing opportunities has stayed consistent over recent years. Sales trends tracking the sale of condominiums versus single family homes has continued to sustain each category. For example, in 2012, one-third of the properties purchased were condominiums and two- thirds were single family homes. This percentage stayed the same in 2013. By 2014, the ratio was one condo for every seven single family homes sold, and by 2016, this ratio was one condo for every five single family homes sold. “The backside of Curtis Brown Lane in the Sweetgrass Square development. Developments such as these bring life to the Market Common and support the economy.” Some interesting historical development tidbits are: Based on client design criteria, both the Barnes & Noble and P.F. Chang’s buildings required specific design com- mitments including the need for the Authority to build two large horses at the entrance to P.F. Chang’s. The lakes, the parks, the playgrounds and other public spaces were designed for not only aesthetic purposes but to serve the community and visitors. The addition of Horry Georgetown Technical College campus and the recent addition of the International Culinary Institute have enhanced the nature of the entire development. The development called for the installation of decorative street lamps throughout Market Common. The city wanted to put in standard street … Read more

Business Networking International: The Market Common and Beyond

December 13, 2021October 27, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Supporting Local Business Owners One Connection at a Time

by Melissa LaScaleia

Business Networking International, BNI, is a professional networking group whose core principles are community based. It helps members, the Insider at the Market Common included, grow their businesses through a structured and professional referral marketing program, by providing them with a local network in which they can forge long-term relationships with other professionals.

Founded by Dr. Ivan Misner in 1984, today there are over 220,000 members, nationally as well as internationally. BNI is a franchise, divided into local chapters, and members join based on the geographic location of their target customers, keeping the connections relevant to the area in which they live and work.

Bob Travis is the man who brought BNI to South Carolina 22 years ago. Until then, it was unknown in this state.

“I found out about BNI from a friend of ours in Knoxville, TN,” Bob tells me, “who invited me to a meeting. When I went, the whole process intrigued me. I was in a room of 40-50 people, all of whom were excited to be there, all trying to find out more information about each other, and eager to get to know one another.

“I could see from the structure of the meeting that it was a terrific way to help small businesses grow. The core of the organization is built around the philosophy of “giver’s gain.” And it’s what I believe in: ‘if you help me, I’m going to help you, and as a result, we’ll both prosper.’

“I’m a people person, I love involvement with people— that’s what drew me into being a pharmacist. I didn’t need to network to be a success in my career, but I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, and I wanted to be involved.”

Carina started her business, The Clean Up Club, which offers residential and commercial cleaning services, 5 years ago.

Bob brought the concept back home and decided to take a chance and purchase the franchise because he thought it had tremendous potential.

“Doing something to be able to help other people, and small businesses really intrigued me,” he says. “And that’s how it got started.”

Bob opened the first chapter where he lived in Columbia, SC, in 1995. His schedule was that he worked for two days, then he was off for two days. When he was off, he would travel all over the state and open new chapters. He started managing the coastal area in 1999.

“It’s been an amazing organization to be a part of,” he tells me, “and a remarkable journey. The people in the Grand Strand area have been a mainstay of our franchises for a long time. They understand the concept of a giver’s gain. I saw the value of that philosophy 22 years ago. And today, we have a great passion for this business. It’s not just BNI, in any business, the key to your success is to be willing to help people, but if you don’t have a passion for it, then it’s not going to work as well.”

Three or four years into the venture, Bob became too busy to attend meetings, and asked his wife, Becky, who was then working part time in pharmaceutical sales while raising their children, if she would help him. She left her job and began building business relationships within BNI, and was soon traveling all over the state.

Today, she is the executive director of BNI for South Carolina and Georgia and owns and manages three franchises: Myrtle Beach/Charleston; Columbia/Greenville/Augusta, Georgia; and Hilton Head Island/Savannah, Georgia.

“It’s been a wonderful experience for well over twenty years,” she tells me.

“The other meaningful aspect is the friendships you form. Relationships are a cornerstone of BNI values. We try to emphasize the importance of building them when people join; that’s how they end up making money.”

What makes BNI so attractive for small business owners, and such a savvy financial investment, is that each member has the expertise of the group carrying their cards, trying to help them do business. It’s like a marketing plan for their company, with a high return on their investment. There is an application fee, and a yearly membership fee, and little to no other costs depending on the chapter. The franchise owners make no profit from the business conducted by the chapter members. That, according to Bob and Becky, is how members are able to become involved and stay involved, and grow in success.

Today, the husband and wife team have an organization with over 1,800 members who generated $98 million worth of business last year. There are 7 chapters at the Grand Strand, including ones for the Market Common and Surfside Beach, all of whom owe their existence to Bob and Becky. Last year Grand Strand members generated a total of $8.5 million.

“We’re pleased and proud of what they’ve been able to accomplish there,” Bob says.

“That money stays local and is pumped back into the local economy, and we’re thrilled to be a stimulus for that,” Becky says. “We teach people how to go about this, and it’s very rewarding. Most small businesses can’t afford the advertising that is going to get them those types of results.”

Bob and Becky determined that they couldn’t physically be in all the places that they needed to, to successfully build the quality of relationships that would keep them involved in a meaningful way. So they created a local management team to oversee all the franchises within the state of SC as well as Georgia.

Part of that team is Kay Kennedy Niziol, the regional director for BNI. She manages 19 chapters that are in the Grand Strand, Charleston and Pee Dee area. She’s also a print broker for commercial companies, a business she started in North Carolina. When she moved to South Carolina 19 years ago, she didn’t know anybody in the state, and was cold calling to get clients. Then she was invited to a BNI business meeting.

“Because of my involvement with BNI,” she tells me, “I’ve had a solid customer base for 18 years. I didn’t have to cold call people anymore. I think BNI is a great way to expand your business. I built mine through them. It also helped me learn how to speak in front of people with ease, and how to develop professional skills in general.”

Carina Furr is the former president of the Surfside chapter, the largest chapter in the Grand Strand. She just stepped down from her appointed, year-long post last month. She shares some thoughts with me on how BNI has helped, and continues to help, so many small business owners.

“The only way to truly be successful is to form a relationship with whoever you’re doing business with, so that there’s trust there,” she says. “As a member of BNI, you meet week a er week, and you have no choice but to get to know who you’re with and the services they offer.”

Carina started her business, The Clean Up Club, which offers residential and commercial cleaning services, 5 years ago.

“I measure my success monthly,” she says. “And from my standpoint, BNI has grown my business by 50%.”

When I ask her what she took away from her time as president, she shares:

“Leading a group of strong-willed business owners has taught me a lot. Any time you’re placed in a leadership role, it grows you as a person. Overall it’s been a great experience, and a great year, and I was honored that they thought of me to lead the group.”

For information about the SC and GA areas including Market Common and Surfside Beach chapters, or call Kay Kennedy Niziol.

To read more of our feature articles, visit our Features section!

The Circle of Community

December 13, 2021October 27, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Making Connections, Making a Difference with Audrey Williamson by Melissa LaScaleia Audrey Williamson is a financial advisor with Edward Jones, and relocated to Myrtle Beach in 2014 from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Upon her arrival, she joined the Newcomers Club of the Grand Strand. The Newcomers is a women’s networking and social organization with about 200 members from all along the Grand Strand. It’s women welcoming women to the area, helping them meet others, and get plugged into their community. “Edward Jones is focussed on being a part of the community,” Audrey tells me. “We want to be involved in the communities that we serve on a charitable level. I knew the Newcomers Club of the Grand Strand was charitably inclined, and most of my clients with Edward Jones are women. Joining was my way to make connections with women who could be interested in the service I provide, as well as a way to give back to this area; it was also a way to meet people, since I’m a newcomer myself.” The Newcomers Club meets once a month. They have speciality interest groups, and host a monthly guest speaker and luncheon, as well as other events. Audrey held office as president last year, and as such, she got to pick her preferred charity that the group would support for that year. The club hosts fundraisers all year long, and the total proceeds are split at the end of the year: 50% goes to the president’s charity choice, and 50% is divided between two other charities. Her choice was Big Paws Canine. “My office is in the VA building in the Market Common,” she says. “So every day, coming and going from work, I have the opportunity to see veterans, and to see Big Paws Canine. They have a van that they bring to the VA with their dogs, that they park outside the building.” Big Paws is a completely volunteer run organization that trains and provides service, therapy, and companion dogs for veterans and first responders injured in the line of duty. It was started by a husband and wife team from the area, Steve and Mary Slavik. Steve was in the military as well as law enforcement for over 20 years. The two, along with their team, have grown Big Paws Canine across the country since its inception. On their website, they mention one of the sobering motivating factors behind the creation of Big Paws Canine: every day, more than 23 veterans who have served our country commit suicide. Having a service dog has shown to help support struggling veterans in a positive way, and reduce that statistic. “I’ve made some really good connections with the veterans in the area, since moving here,” Audrey says. “I feel great knowing that there are some wonderful resources out there helping our veterans and first responders. It’s powerful, just speaking to the gentleman in charge of Big Paws Canine. They are so clearly 100% committed to getting as many of these service dogs trained as possible. It helps with a lot of PTSD situations, and even people with disabilities. Diesel, a fully trained service dog with Big Paws Canine, supports the donation made by the Newcomers. It’s dogs like Diesel who can help veterans get a new lease on life. “It’s amazing what they can train these service dogs to do. With a veteran that has a service dog, the suicide rate and dependence on drugs has dropped dramatically.” Newcomers has a fundraising committee, which utilizes the diverse, creative talents of the clubs’ members both in orchestrating events, as well as imagining possible ways to receive donations. Audrey appreciates all the support she and the Newcomers have received from the community in working towards their goal. “The people and stores inside the Market Common are just incredibly giving with their generosity,” she says. The largest fundraising event Newcomers holds is their annual fashion show. The models are volunteers who come from inside of the club. They select and purchase their own outfit for the occasion from a small boutique, consignment shop, or other store. Then they put together an introduction for themselves to be read as they walk down the runway, all highlighting where they bought their outfit, how much it cost, and how much they saved. It’s fun, and it’s helpful information for the newcomers, as it lets them know what’s available in the area and the cost. The location of the Newcomers fashion show changes from year to year, but is always located somewhere along the Grand Strand. Proceeds from this years event, along with the other fundraisers for the year, net a little over $5,400 for Big Paws Canine. “The money that we donated helps train the service dogs,” says Audrey. “I think it’s a fantastic and much needed cause. We have such a heavy veteran population here, and supporting them is a way to give back to that population.” Newcomers Club of the Grand Strand, meets the first Wednesday of the month at the Carolina Forest Recreation Center Big Paws Canine, 844-BIG-PAWS. Edward Jones, 843-238-1893; To read more of our featured articles, click here!

Surfside Beach

December 13, 2021October 27, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Welcome to the Insider! Surfside Beach is aptly known as “The Family Beach.” It is a community filled with incredible business venues and sites to visit. It has a population of over four thousand full-time residents and borders two miles on the Atlantic Ocean with a pristine, sandy beach. The Town is comprised of ocean-front hotels, condos and vacation rentals. There are over 50 restaurants and another 200- plus establishments that comprise the business community. Inclusive in that number are everything from small mom & pops to moderate-sized bussiness. From a shopping and dining perspective, Surfside Beach provides diverse and complete eclectic choices. Surfside Beach is more than just a name of a municipality. For visitors and residents alike it is a unique experience to enjoy. Through the Business Committee, the business community is supporting this joint effort with the Market Common Insider to enhance business activity. Town Council made a conscious decision to strategically partner with the local business community to help local businesses capitalize on the town’s unique niche. The Insider has a readership of over 78,000 each month. Based on the business owners’ feedback, its impact on business activity in the Market Common has been extremely positive. The Town Council and Business Committee of Surfside Beach, and the Insider staff are confident that this connection between this publication not only with the citizens of Surfside Beach but with citizens both north and south of the Town will yield positive results. In addition to this section devoted solely to Surfside Beach, the Insider staff will participate and be involved with the Surfside Beach community in upcoming events. These are examples of the type of connection this agreement will foster between Surfside Beach, the business community and the Insider. The Insider looks forward to feedback from individual business owners and the community at large with regard to this effort. Those interested can find out more about Surfside Beach by visiting the Town’s website Visit our new Surfside Beach section here!

Pee Dee Bicycles

December 13, 2021October 27, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Promoting a Fun Fitness Lifestyle in the Market Common

by Melissa LaScaleia

“I’m different from most bike shop owners,” Jim Whitmore, the owner of Pee Dee Bicycles in the Market Common tells me, “in that I had zero knowledge of the industry when I began. I worked in corporate America, and I was looking for something else to do.”

At the same time, Jim was looking for a way to stay in shape that didn’t take such a toll on his body.

“I used to be an avid runner,” he says, “but as I passed the age of 40, it became harder and harder on my body, and I was looking for a less impactful way to stay in shape. I had always been a bicycle rider, but only as a hobbyist. So I started doing more bicycling— both mountain and road, and I just fell in love with it.”

Jim was living in the Charleston area, and came often to Myrtle Beach on short vacations. One day, he discovered that there was an opportunity to acquire exclusive dealership rights with Trek Bicycle for the Myrtle Beach market.

“Trek is by far the biggest name in the bicycle industry,” Jim says. “To be able to align myself and my business with them was a win-win for me. I thought it was a great opportunity to start a new venture, with a brand I loved, in a place I loved. I saw an opportunity in this market.

“I reached out, and next thing I knew, I was a bicycle shop owner. It happened very, very fast— scary quick.”

Jim opened his store in downtown Myrtle Beach, at the end of 501, in 2015. In less than a year, he moved his business to the Market Common.

“Initially I didn’t know the Myrtle Beach market that well,” he says. “It was a learning curve for me. It was a great move for us to come to the Market Common last May.”

“Anybody who works here has to have an absolute passion for bicycles in some form,” he tells me. “But that doesn’t mean they have to wear tight spandex. We have a really diverse group of people working for us who can, in turn, relate to the diversity of our clients.

“When someone walks in the store, we try to understand what they’re looking for, and match them with the right bike for what they want to achieve. We’re not selling them something, we’re educating them through our knowledge and passion for the sport. If we’re selling anything, we’re selling a fitness lifestyle that is focussed on cycling.”

“When somebody buys a bike from us,” he continues, “it’s not a one time purchase, we become their trusted partner for the life of the bike, and we’re there to support them. A good bike is going to last you 15-20 years; it’s an investment in your health and a fun lifestyle.

“80% of our customer base is over 50. And with that crowd, there’s a lot more education involved in a purchase. That age group has greater physical limitations, and there are ways we can help them address that so you get a much more comfortable ride.

“A cheap $100 bike from a big box retailer is put together by people who don’t know bikes. If you buy something that’s not comfortable, it’s going to sit in your garage and rust. Whereas a good bike is going to be much more fun.

“It all goes back to this fun, fitness lifestyle. We want people to walk out excited, and we help get them on the path to get there. We see ourselves as being partners with our customers.”

Pee Dee Bicycles currently hosts several free group bike rides per week out of their shop and will be adding rides geared more towards the casual, entry-level fitness rider in the upcoming months, to better serve their core customer base.

“The entry-level group rides are aligned with our philosophy of how to have fun,” Jim tells me. “And also they’re a way to take the intimidation out of bicycling. Bicycling is a very social activity. You get to meet people, especially people who are new to the area. And you have breakfast afterwards at the Bagel Shop next door to us. It’s a lot of fun.”

They plan to host educational classes on mountain biking in the future as well.

Jim encourages people not to be afraid to walk into a bike shop and get an education.

“If we don’t have the right bike, we’ll tell you where to go to get the right bike for you. It all goes back to education,” he says. “And we work on and repair any type of bike, anything from a $99 big box retailer’s bike, to a high-end performance bike. We have a great team that can address anything.”

Open M-F 10am-6pm, Sa 10am-5pm, and Su 12-5pm.

Bike and Bagel Ride every Saturday and Tuesday at 8am. Call for the full schedule and levels.

To read more about some of the local businesses in and around the Market Common, click here!

Remedies Sports Pub and Pizzeria

December 13, 2021October 27, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

A Local Spot That’s Tuned Into the Community By Melissa LaScaleia Remedies Pub and Pizzeria is a bar and eatery hangout spot three miles from the Market Common, owned by Scott Ordway, a Myrtle Beach firefighter. Remedies caters to a local crowd; it isn’t much of a stop on the tourist gamut. They serve food all day long, and have a regular influx of lunch-time patrons. “A lot of our clientele live across the street in Palmetto Point,” says Katrina Boyer, a bartender. “You always see someone here that you know. It’s a place that brings people together.” At night it transforms into a fun atmosphere with a younger clientele. “I’ve been here since January,” Katrina says, “and this feels like home to me. It’s a warm, welcoming place. It’s a very safe environment. We just have a good clientele— everyone’s very sweet and humble. I’ve met a lot of amazing people here, and made a lot of friends.” Sports fans troop in on Sundays for Football Sunday, and regulars come after work to relax and for the happy hour discounted food menu. “People are here during happy hour for the food 100%,” Katrina says. “It has a lot to do with the dedication of our chef, Steve Roe, and his food is one of the things that makes our venue so great. He revamped our menu 100% and he’s been here longer than anybody.” Katrina Boyer, a bartender at Remedies, pouring her favorite– Titos vodka. Remedies has a brick oven in-house where they bake specialty pizzas, calzones, and strombolis. They also have burgers, pasta, salads, and the usual appetizer bar fare. “There’s always a familiar face in here, and at least 5 people at the bar,” she says. Remedies is very tuned into the community, supporting local businesses and helping to raise money for charities and charitable causes. “Since I’ve been here we’ve done a lot of benefits,” says Katrina. “Our latest one supported the Humane Society. A little while ago, there was a local man who had a stroke, and we held a raffle to help raise money for his hospital bills.” Every year, Remedies hosts a fundraiser to support the Surfrider Foundation in memory of a bartender who worked there, David Adams. “Everyone knew him as Shaggy,” Katrina says. “He was well known by our clientele and very well liked. There are photos of him all over the bar.” Remedies is that small town place, with a big heart, and arms that reach out wide into the community, to lend a helping hand. Remedies Pub and Pizzeria Open daily 11am-2am. To read more about some of our local businesses, click here! Envelope Facebook Phone

ShipOnSite

June 15, 2022October 27, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

A Neighborhood Shipping Service With a Big Heart, Part 1 By Melissa LaScaleia Frank Espinal had vacationed in Myrtle Beach for 30 years before he moved here in 2006. He worked as a corporate director for a Fortune 500 company for many years before he retired and went into business for himself in 2007. “When I decided to open my own business, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do,” Frank tells me. “But I wound up meeting someone who had bought a ShipOnSite, and after talking to him, I decided to open my own store.” ShipOnSite is a licensed turnkey business model, which is different from a franchise in that you exist independently and don’t pay any royalties to the original creator. So when you purchase a store, you buy the licensing. The person selling you the store does all the footwork to help you open, sets everything up, trains you, and then you’re on your own. “We like to say, ‘we build it, you own it,’” Frank tells me with a chuckle. By 2010, Frank had become a partner with the original licensing own-er. The original ShipOnSite is located in Wakeforest, North Carolina. There’s around 14 of them in existence; since Frank has become partner, he’s been involved with selling and opening 6. Most recently, he has sold a store in Hawaii. There are advantages to using ShipOnSite that extend beyond sup-porting local business. Because ShipOnSite has relationships with all the shipping carriers, like UPS, Fedex, DHL, and more, they are able to compare prices and shipping times between them and process your shipment based on what you select. “We highly specialize in freight, and offer a lot in that capacity that other shipping stores don’t do,” Frank says. Freight is identified as anything that weighs more than 150lb. Fedex, UPS and DHL Ground and Express services will only ship up to 150lb— a standard limit across the country. “I served in the army for 20 years, and that’s where I learned a lot about logistics and moving big stuff. There are about 400 different companies I’m brokered with so that I can move freight around the world. I’m the only certified freight agent on the Grand Strand.” Frank then introduced FreightOn-Site, followed by CrateOnSite, in which he’s able to put a wooden crate around large items to ship. He’s adept in handling anything that is very delicate or has a high dollar value, and in the past has moved $100,000 art work. (Stay tuned for more about ShipOn-Site in the December 2017 edition.) To read more from the Insider at the Market Common’s Surfside Section, click here!

The Paths That Weave, The Stories They Tell

June 15, 2022September 29, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Market Common Bike Paths are easily accessible and fun for all ages.

The Bicycle Trails in Our Market Common Community Did you know that there are bicycle paths that weave their way over, about, through and around the entire Market Common? Some of them connect, and others truncate abruptly. We, at the Insider decided to find out the rhyme behind the reasoning for their existence, and where they’re headed. “If we go back to the beginning when this entire area was being redeveloped in the ’90s,” says Kelly Mezzapelle, planner for the City of Myrtle Beach, “Jack Walker, who was the planning director for the city of Myrtle Beach, conceptualized the Market Common to be a walking community. “So as they were putting in new roads and refurbishing old ones, they made a point of putting in walking and biking paths, and established them as part of the infrastructure from the beginning.” The Market Common district is built under the guidelines of the Market Common Master Plan; this encompasses the commercial part of the Market Common as well as the Sweetgrass development and Toffino’s. “All of the housing developments that have been built in this area are developed according to the rules and regulations of the center point pud— a zoning district— which requires all the neighborhoods to be connected to one another with a series of walking and biking paths,” Kelly explains. The city formed the bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee to oversee the completion of the trails, especially as new developments are still being built. The committee looks at the Market Common Master Plan to see where there are gaps in the bicycle and pedestrian paths, and what they need to do to connect them, so people can get where they need to go by walking or biking. The proposed plan for the new Linear Park in the Market Common, courtesy of the City of Myrtle Beach. Accurate as of May 2017. To see the full renderings, visit our website. Kelly staffs the committee along with Diane Moskow-McKenzie, which has been meeting for the past four years. “If there are recommendations that the city makes, we do the research and the leg work,” Kelly says. “We get things done after the city council has decided what they want to do.” One of the things that they did was to complete the Myrtle Beach portion of the East Coast Greenway. The East Coast Greenway Alliance is a non-profit group that is implementing a 3,000 mile bicycle path that runs from Maine to Florida. “Through the vision of Jack Walker,” says Kelly, “we had almost finished. There was only a small section by Harrelson Blvd left to do, and the Market Common asked us to prioritize it. We finished it last year just before Hurricane Matthew came through, the first city in America to have done so. Then this year, we begin building a trailhead behind Seagate Village and Highway 17, to mark the beginning. It will have a picnic shelter, bike stand, water filling station, and a big, ‘East Coast Greenway Welcome to Myrtle Beach’ sign.” In celebration of both new constructions, there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony as well as a short bike ride with the East Coast Greenway Alliance on October 9. The event will take place at the trailhead, which is being named in honor of Jack Walker. Click to zoom. “Right now, the Greenway only goes North,” says Kelly. “That’s the end of the city limits; we’re working now with the county to get the trail to hook up to the one that begins by the Walmart and heads South.” Ryan Harvey is the traffic engineer who decides on the actual shape of the trails. He’s the boots-on-the-ground guy, and handles any engineering issues that arise. The paths are specifically designed to not accommodate golf carts, for the safety of both bicyclists and pedestrians. “We’ve had quite a few bicyclists run off the trail because of the golf carts, so it really is for non-motorized vehicles only,” Kelly emphasizes. The committee’s next project is focussed on the design of a new park that is across Farrow Parkway near the west end of Grand Park, between Phillis Blvd and Coventry Lane. They are working with the Air Force Base Redevelopment Authority to come up with a name; it’s working title is Linear Park. It will have two lakes and a two mile bicycle and pedestrian trail that will circle it. There’s an old Air Force building which they’re working on converting into a restroom; they also plan to build a small outdoor classroom into the bank of one lake that could accommodate 15-20 people for group activities. Two active Market Common residents enjoying a nice ride along the bike paths. Kelly says they are hoping to have the path finished some time in the spring. Another issue they are addressing is that of creating space for cyclists in Market Common who don’t feel comfortable riding on the street. There are 10-foot-wide sidewalks along Farrow Parkway which are wide enough to accommodate both pedestrians and cyclists. But the 5-foot-wide sidewalks, which are interspersed throughout the rest of the Market Common, are not. The committee is working on regulations to figure out how to meet the community’s needs. They are also working on an app that will have a map of all the bicycle trails city wide, not just for the Market Common. “We’re about 6 months out from having that go live,” Kelly says. “And we’re in the beta stages right now for the Market Common trails.” “The app will be a little bit interactive,” she continues. “It will have descriptions of the trails, and tell what type of vehicle can and can’t be on them.” Pee Dee Bicycles in the Market Common can outfit you with a bike to rent or own. They have a general map of the bike trails in the Market Common that they created in response to demand from their customers, and they also have recommendations about where to … Read more

Santee Cooper Credit Union

December 13, 2021September 29, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Working for People, Not For Profits in the Market Common Santee Cooper Credit Union is a financial institution that is entirely owned and operated by its members. Credit unions are different from banks in that they are not-for-profits, meaning that they are not trying to make a profit, and if they do, it gets cycled back into the credit union itself in the form of returns for their members via lower interest loans and other positive money matters. Santee Cooper Credit Union was established in 1953 in Moncks Corner, SC, by and for the Santee Cooper Power company employees exclusively; but they are a separate entity from the power company. Over the years, they changed their charter to be a community charter, so that they could expand into the Horry County area and serve a greater population. They opened a second branch location on 21st Avenue in Myrtle Beach, in 2008. In March 2013, Santee Cooper Credit Union moved their Myrtle Beach office to the Market Common; they’re right next door to us at the Insider. Because Santee Cooper is a not-for-profit, they’re able to recycle whatever profits they make into better returns for their customers. Here’s what the Santee Cooper Credit Union provides members: savings and checking accounts; CDs; IRAs; credit cards with a re- wards program; new and used vehicle, boat, camper, and motorcycle loans; as well as personal signature loans and home equity loans. They work strictly with consumer accounts, and don’t issue business accounts or business loans. “When this space in the Market Common became available,” Kathy Hane, the Myrtle Beach branch manager tells me, “it was the perfect t for our needs. We were able to triple the size of the office and increase our employees; we’ve greatly increased our membership too. Our surroundings are beautiful, those who upkeep the Market Common and ensure its safety have been wonderful, and we love our neighbors here.” Aww, thanks. We at the Insider love you, our neighbor, too. Kathy (right) of Santee Cooper, shows the Insider’s Casey York (left), some attractive loan offers that bring a smile to her face. – Photo by Meganpixels Parker/Casey York Kathy’s role with Santee Cooper Credit Union is to orchestrate loans and establish new members. Over the five and a half years since she began working for the credit union, she’s developed some impressions: “I like that we are here to help and educate our members, teaching them how they save money not only with a savings account, but by securing a much lower rate on a loan,” she tells me. “Our focus is on serving our members and getting to know them. It’s very personal and personable. There’s added value in the level of involvement from those who represent the credit union and those who are the members. Being a member of a credit union is totally different from being a member of a bank.” Santee Cooper Credit Union currently has 8,000 members. Those eligible for enrollment include anyone who lives, works, or goes to school in Horry or Berkeley County; and family of those current members. The Insider’s Megan gets the help she needs from Santee Cooper’s accommodating staff. “When you join Santee Cooper Credit Union,” Kathy explains to me, “you’re not only a member, you’re also an owner. Unlike a bank, we do not have stock in our company. And our board of directors, who are making the executive decisions, are volunteers who are voted in by our members.” Anyone who joins Santee Cooper Credit Union deposits $5, which opens their savings account, called a share account, so named because when you deposit that $5, that’s your share of ownership in the credit union. “When Santee Cooper Credit Union first began,” Kathy tells me, “everyone put in their $5, and that started the pool of funds for people being able to borrow money with low interest rates.” Today, any extra profits that the credit union makes, means greater benefits for members. So the more people who join, the greater the rewards for all. The Insider’s very own Casey speaks with a Santee Cooper employee. Santee Cooper Credit Union’s focus on and involvement with their members has a small-time community feel reminiscent of a by-gone era. They issue a quarterly newsletter keeping members abreast of all in-house decisions and happenings at the credit union. They also give back to the community through donations to various organizations such as the Special Olympics, American Heart Assocation, Carolina’s Credit Union Foundation, Help 4 Kids; as well as donating annual scholarship funds to local high school students. They hold lunch and learn seminars on various financial topics, to educate the community on how to achieve and maintain greater financial health. “Basically, our members are our top priority,” Kathy says. “We know who you are, and we want to develop a relationship with you. Our motto is, ‘we work for people, not for profits,’ and it’s true.” Santee Cooper Credit Union To read more about other local businesses, visit our local business section! Envelope Facebook Phone Internet-explorer

Friends, Beauty and Fulfilling Careers

December 13, 2021September 29, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

The Best Wig Shop in the Market Common area.

Karen Houghton Speaks About Owning The Wig Shop Karen Houghton has been in the beauty world since 2004, when she started her own business, “I loved making people feel more beautiful, but I was looking for something else to tie in with it,” she says. “I’ve always loved hair and doing hair. So I bought a salon for a short time, but it was not for me. I just didn’t feel like I was giving back.” “I had a friend go through stage four ovarian cancer in 2009 just before I moved here,” she continues. “To use her words: ‘just to go into work and feel human, was a struggle.’ One of her biggest concerns besides her health was the loss of her hair. Once she got a wig, she said, ‘I feel normal now, without people wondering if I’m sick.’ “For most women, their hair is a high priority, and an identifying factor. Having a wig took the worry for her, out of how she looked. Once she felt more like herself, then she could focus on her health fully.” When the opportunity to buy The Wig Shop in Murrells Inlet presented itself in 2014, Karen, touched by her friend’s journey, and inspired to help others in similar situations, jumped at the chance. Right now, her makeup is available online and at the shop by appointment only. “It’s important that my makeup is all natural,” she says, “it doesn’t have any ingredients that could hurt somebody with a weakened immune system. So it’s a great complement to my shop.” All different styles of wigs displayed in the shop’s storefront. The greatest number of Karen’s customers are cancer patients. But there are other reasons too, why people shop for wigs. “A lot of people, young and old these days, are experiencing hair loss or thinning hair, from mild to extreme,” she tells me. “Our society leads a stressful life—with medications, and diet— it’s not only the elderly who lose hair.” “I just had a girl last week who colored her hair herself, and she was terrified and so in shock by what she did, and wanted a wig,” Karen tells me. “There are others who just like wearing wigs, like shoes, and they don’t care who knows it. You’d be surprised how many types of situations there are.” Karen worked hard to make the environment at The Wig Shop warm, friendly, comfortable and boutique-like, so that consultations like this one, are empowering. Karen sells synthetic and human hair wigs, and she also carries toppers and clip-in extensions, and a small selection for men. Anything she doesn’t have, she can find. Her biggest selling styles are synthetic wigs because they’re so easy to care for— making them an ideal choice for anybody going through illness. There are all types of caps that the hair attaches to, so natural in appearance that if the hair flows back in the wind, it looks like your own scalp underneath. “Wigs have come a really long way,” Karen says. “They’re not our grand- mother’s wigs anymore. It’s really tough to tell when someone is wearing one. They can be as light as two ounces, comfortable, and very stylish.” Karen Haughton and her fellow employees smiling at the prospect of making their customers feel confident in the way they look. “We work with so many women in this area,” she says, “all the way from Charleston to North Carolina. You’d be surprised how many people say, ‘why don’t we have this in Charlotte or Charleston?’ We’re really one of the largest and nicest shops in the area. And it’s really convenient to Market Common. We just have a great reputation as well as a huge selection; and we stock the highest quality wigs. There’s some lower-end things you can find online, but that’s not what we specialize in.” Because of her friend’s experience, Karen is aware of the challenges people face emotionally when shopping for a wig. So she created a clean, new, boutique-like environment that feels welcoming, relaxing, and chic. “We just have to so much to offer to help people with whatever they’re going through,” she says. “There’s four of us who work here, and a few of us wear wigs, and a few of us don’t. But I try to hire people who are knowledgeable about hair, to add to peoples’ comfort levels.” “I’m very adamant about not selling something that doesn’t look good on them,” she concludes. “We don’t want them to walk out of here unless they look good and feel good about it.” What To Know: The Wig Shop, Discounts for customers with cancer or alopecia. Some insurance companies will reimburse the cost of a wig, check with yours. To learn more about some of our other local businesses, click here! Envelope Facebook Phone Internet-explorer Simple Karen Cosmetics Facebook Internet-explorer

Home Restoration For The Market Common

December 13, 2021September 29, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

The Best Home Restoration Company in the Market Common area.

This Family-Owned Business Champions Quality Over Quantity

Michael Sokolik Jr., has been interested in building from an early age when he’d go off into the woods and try his hand at constructing tree houses.

“I was never very good until I put my mind to it though,” he tells me. “My stepfather, Victor Conway, taught me everything. He would give me the idea of what to do, and lead me to do it, then say, ‘you’re on your own.’ Hands on education was the best learning tool I could have had.”

Different in tone and precision but no less inspiring, was his painting education by Darell Wilson, one of Victor’s employees when Michael was younger.

“He taught me how to paint,” Michael tells me laughingly, “by saying, ‘put some damn paint on that brush and put it on the wall. And keep it moving.’ It worked. I got it.”

Michael started working full-time for his stepfather’s company, Conway Builders of Myrtle Beach, just prior to graduating high school in 2006. When the 2008 recession hit, fewer people had the money for refurbishing their homes, and Michael needed a steady job. So he shied to his other great passion in life— Elvis impersonation.

Through his company MSJR Productions, Michael put on a local show called Elvis ’N’ Friends, Rocking Around the Time Machine, in which he performed as Buddy Holly, Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis. His partner, Rinaldo Wright, impersonated Chuck Bery, Ray Charles, and the Temptations. They also created their own fictional rock star characters— Lucky Jackson and Rooster Jazz— white and black twin brothers.

“I started loving Elvis at the age of three and the rest is history,” Michael says. “But I decided that Conway Builders was a much better investment. And I just love building stuff and making things look beautiful.”

After the recession, Michael returned to Conway Builders full-time. He officially purchased part of the company from his stepfather in August 2016. Now he’s the vice president and the two are partners. Michael continues to have fun performing with Rinaldo in MSJR Productions on the side.

Victor Conway is originally from Vermont, and learned this trade beginning at age 8, by accompanying his father and uncle on jobs.

“My father got into the drywall business, and he would take us on the weekends— teaching us how to sand walls and that sort of thing,” he says. “As I grew older, I was hired during the summers to frame houses for construction companies, and from high school, I took on jobs as the lead carpenter. It just kept developing. I also went to trade school for blueprint architecture. When I moved to Myrtle Beach in 1997, and saw the terrible pay scale here, I decided to start Conway Builders of Myrtle Beach.”

Conway Builders specializes in interior house restoration and remodeling, and they’re branching out now into the Market Common. They do everything from framing, drywall and cabinet installation, painting, flooring, trim, and plumbing. Now with Michael as partner running most of the jobs and meeting with customers, Victor does a lot of supervising.

“But if he sees something that isn’t done right, he puts his hands on it,” Michael tells me. “Our slogan is: there’s the right way, the wrong way, and the Conway. We do things the Conway— right the first time.

“And our motto is: quality above quantity. So what we tell our customers this, we work on a first come first serve basis. Whoever books the job first, gets the next available spot. We want each customer to have the same excellent quality as the person before them. So if people want the job done yesterday, they have to wait their turn while we give our full attention to the project we’re currently working on.”

“There is an exception to that standard,” he continues. “We take emergency service calls. If somebody has a water leak, something like that, we’ll take care of his needs to keep him going. That’s important to us.”

“Our main goal is to make our customers happy,” Victor says. “And that’s a lot of hard work and hands-on mentality to achieve it. We’re a family business, and you’ll always have a member of the Conway family on the job.”

Conway Builders of Myrtle Beach LLC.

Book the superstar twins through MSJR Productions, Facebook: MSJR Productions.

Surfside Beach Seniors Fair

December 13, 2021September 29, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Senior Beach Fair presented by Tidelands Health.

Stay Empowered About Health Share It With Those You Love By Shelby Smith Staying healthy and feeling great in the latter years of like is a continuing priority for the seniors in our community as well as those close to them. South Carolina has over 1 million seniors aged 65 and older— 20% of the total state population of 4,961,000, in 2016. And with its beautiful, sandy beaches and mild climate, Myrtle Beach is a prime location for many of them to settle. That’s why we’re thrilled that the town of Surfside Beach is hosting their 3rd Annual Seniors Fair for Health & Wellness, on Friday, October 20, inside the Surfside Beach Fire House located next to Town Hall. The Ralph Magliette Seniors Citizens Committee is helping to present the event, and Tidelands Health, Horry County Council on Aging, and DynaSwingFit Golf School are sponsors. Here’s a bit more about our sponsors: As our region’s largest health care provider, Tidelands Health is dedicated to keeping the communities the health system serves healthy and active, inside and outside of the hospital. Tidelands Health has three hospitals and nearly 50 outpatient providers that stretch from North Myrtle Beach to Hemingway. More than 200 physicians and 1,800 employee partners are working side by side with patients to transform the health of our region — promoting wellness, preventing illness, encouraging recovery and restoring health. The Horry County Council on Aging, Inc. is a private 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation founded in 1975 to provide senior care services throughout Horry County. HCCOA was created in accordance with the Older Americans Act of 1965 to provide in-home services, senior care services, and senior activities for members in our community. The DynaSwingFit Golf School helps golfers of all ages and skill levels improve their game. They host a specialty program designed specifically for seniors called Seniors Enhanced Golf. It’s an instruction program uniquely tailed to accommodate senior’s changing physical needs, and meets them where they’re at to help them achieve greater power, control, and consistency in their swing. Shelby Smith, the owner and director, is a golf teaching professional with 30 years of experience in his field. The Seniors Fair will have many offerings. More than thirty-five health and wellness related vendors are participating, including: the Alzheimer’s Association, Arthritis Foundation, Cancer Society, Diabetes Association, Care Givers & Hospices, American Heart Association, and Horry County Council on Aging. Walgreens Pharmacy will be providing pneumonia and flu shots (insurance card required). Free blood pressure and pulse readings are being done by Con- way Medical Center. There will be door prizes, raffles, and food-truck concessions too. Whether you’re in need of meal assistance, housekeeping assistance, or a variety of activities designed to help you maintain an active and healthy lifestyle, you’ve found your connection at the Surfside Beach Senior Fair. It’s open to all ages, not just seniors, and we welcome all who have a senior in their lives to come and receive information to help support you to support them. Our ultimate goal is for seniors to stay healthy, active, and involved in our community. See you there. The Surfside Beach Senior Fair is Friday, October 20, 10am-2pm located next to Town Hall. Free admission, all ages welcome. To read more of our feature articles, click here! Sponsors Tidelands Health Horry County Council on Aging, DynaSwingFit, at Burroughs & Chapin Cane Patch Driving Range in Myrtle Beach and Midway Par-3.

Live Your Best Life in Style with Laurie Dragunoff

December 13, 2021September 29, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Interior Design In the Market Common Laurie Dragunoff has wanted to be an interior designer since she was in high school. Originally from Connecticut, she enrolled in an accredited program for interior design at UMass Amherst, and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1990. She’s been in business as an interior designer for 22 years: first for architectural and interior design firms, then for herself, owning her own business for 16 years in Connecticut— Decorative Interiors. Her business was unique in that she owned a store as part of it. “I always wanted my own store,” she tells me. “I had a location in Middletown, Connecticut at a place called the Galleria Design Center. It’s the largest indoor marble-granite showroom in Connecticut. All of the stores carry items for decorating or designing your home. I sold furniture, window treatments, accessories, wallpaper, fabrics and lighting. People would hire me to walk around the galleria with them and help them make selections for their house.” Two years ago, Laurie’s daughter moved to Charleston for college. While exploring the area, Laurie decided to come to Myrtle Beach to see a friend. She found herself in the Market Common, fell in love with it, and put a deposit down for a house. She took another year to sell her house and store up North, then moved South with Decorative Interiors. Working with Laurie is a win-win. It takes the difficult guesswork out of interior design for clients who aren’t familiar with blending colors and fabrics, and ensures a timeless look (and higher resale value) for a home. “I love everything about living here, and about being in the South,” she tells me. “Once I arrived, I decided not to open another store as part of my design business. It tied me down a little, and I wanted more freedom— a change of pace, and a change of life. I’ve turned my house into a showroom, and run my business out of my home in Sweetgrass West. “I have wallpaper books, fabrics books, I carry all the same lines I used to carry in my store in Connecticut. I’m supporting people in the Market Common, and they’re supporting me.” Laurie explains to me how she approaches a project, and what the advantages are to having assistance with interior design for your home. Laurie displays some of the color schemes she’s working with for a client. “Everyone has a style, and as an interior designer, you have to pull out what that person’s style is,” she says. “The hardest thing for a client to do is to visualize their finished design. If they can’t speak the words to express that, then I can’t show them viable options that they might pick. Often I ask them to look on Pinterest and show me examples of what they like, so I can get a sense of where the client is in their mind, so I can understand, ‘okay, they like clean lines, they like contemporary,’ and go from there.” “Additionally,” she continues, “people when they’re buying a brand new home, often don’t think they need to hire an interior designer until they’re ready to move in and decorate. But that’s not the case. Builders don’t necessarily hire experts to select tile, cabinet and flooring options. And new homebuyers don’t always have the skill to pick that which will bring them satisfaction in the long run from the choices the contractor is presenting them, or find viable alternatives if they don’t like the selection presented to them. Laurie at home in her Sweetgrass West residence, which also serves as her design headquarters. “Hiring somebody with a lot of experience is valuable, because when you try to do it yourself and make a mistake, that’s costing you money,” she says. “Having a cohesive, pleasing design helps with the resale value of your house. It has to look timeless, so that somebody will come in and say, ‘this is perfect for me, I don’t need to make updates.’” Laurie can do anything in terms of interior design, including providing drawings, floor plans, and full layout. She also helps those relocating get organized about what to keep and what to buy new, and how to t it all together. Laurie attends continuing education twice a year to say current with her knowledge of product and where to find it, to continue to deliver the greatest possible value to her clients in the least amount of time. Her motto is, ‘Live your best life in style,’ which sounds like it fits with the Market Common perfectly to us. Unfortunately this company is permanently closed. We have admired their business and are sad to see them go.

Pumpkin Protein Balls

December 13, 2021September 29, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Our recipe corner is brought to you by the Insider Design Team Trio – Megan, Casey and Melissa. Each month, we’ll feature our favorite recipe of the hour, the one that moves us to tears of delight and gastronomic ecstacy every time we make it. It’s the behind-the-scenes peek on what goes on inside our kitchen… Just for you. Pumpkin Protein Balls This month’s recipe celebrates the flavors of fall in the form of a nourishing snack. Megan’s Pumpkin Protein Balls will have your taste buds singing and your energy levels soaring when you need that quick pick-me-up at the office, or are enjoying an outing to the beach and need a bite. Why not pack one in your bag as you explore some of the Market Common’s newly forged bike paths? Ingredients 9 pitted dates ½ cup unsweetened applesauce ½ cup pumpking puree (canned pumpkin) ¼ cup coconut milk ½ tsp vanilla extract ½ cup coconut flour ¼-½ cup vanilla protein powder 1 tsp pumpkin spice ½ tsp cinnamon 2 tbsp dairy-free or regular chocolate chips Directions To make the balls, place dates, applesauce, pumpkin, coconut milk, and vanilla in a blender. Blend until pureed. Add coconut flour, vanilla protein powder, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Blend until a ball of dough forms. If it’s too wet, add a bit more coconut flour. If it’s too dry, add a bit more coconut milk. Stir in chocolate chips by hand, then roll the dough into 12-15 balls and pat into an oblong shape. Place them on a cookie sheet in the freezer until firm, and store in the refrigerator or freezer. To see some of our other recipes, click here!

A Market Common Specialty

December 13, 2021September 29, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

In The Form Of A Shop By AC Bethea The woman behind the store is Emma Ware, owner and proprietor of Emma’s School of Healthy Eating and Specialty Store in Market Common. Her double degrees in Clinical Homeopathy and Holistic Nutrition, along with added studies in herbology, kinesiology and face reading, have led her to be one of the most talented and desired health consultants in Myrtle Beach. Due to her expertise, she is often invited to be the keynote speaker at major events such as the American Heart Association’s, Women’s Legacy Luncheon, Coastal Carolina engagements, and more. But as popular as Emma’s consulting appointments are today, Emma’s cozy space on Howard Avenue is serving two purposes. At its most basic, it’s a health product-based specialty store with a private space for her consultations in the back. The front entrance leads directly to the store where you’ll find an array of all natural handcrafted soaps, honeys, salts, herbal supplements, shampoos, lotions, teas and cod liver oil… yes! Cod liver oil from Iceland! “I learned about this brand a few months ago and was blown away! There are countless health benefits from using this oil,” says Emma. Sifting through the hype and hucksterism from huge corporations marketing the “green” lifestyle versus finding authentic products from smaller manufacturers, is a challenge Emma welcomes. She sources many of her products locally but also learns a lot from her customer base. “If something is genuinely healthy for you, has more nutrients, isn’t overly processed and has integrity, it will last and it has a place here,” says Emma. “But I’m not interested in fads, like miracle cures or diets claiming to help you lose 50 pounds a month, even if they’re popular.” And while the national trend toward “big boxism” sometimes worries Emma, she argues that supporting local brings an intimacy that bigger stores can’t deliver, and pays other dividends to the community as well. Walking into Emma’s Specialty Shop during all times of the year is a blast of warmth to the soul. The shelves and furniture is modern sleek, the music is often soft instrumental, and the space is full of love. If you’ve ever waxed nostalgic for the old days when the local mercantile was the hub of the community, entering Emma’s Speciality Shop on a quiet morning is just that, and can be healing. “I know my base and I’m a part of this community,” says Emma. Emma is as experienced with the items she carries in her shop, as she is with breathing. She believes in the power of self-healing through eating, using natural products on the body, and living a curious life — “always be willing to learn more”. You can find her in the shop Monday-Saturday 10am-4pm. And look out for a once a month seminar to come. One of her goals is to introduce the community to likeminded thinkers and experienced practitioners of herbal care and natural healing. Call her shop today at 843-997-7037 to reserve a spot for the next one. Emma Ware Phone

Brigadier General James Jenkins

December 13, 2021September 29, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Top Gun and Commander of the MBAF Base by Melissa LaScaleia Tucked away in the Market Common, intersecting Hendrick Avenue, is Jenkins Alley, so named after Brigadier General James J. Jenkins, who logged more than 3,100 hours flying with the United States Air Force. Little information can be found about James Jenkins early life, but we do know that he was a graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (more commonly called Virginia Tech) in 1964, with a bachelor of science degree in animal science. In 1967, he received a master’s degree in animal physiology, from West Virginia University. James began his military career in college through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program. After completing his master’s degree, he entered the United States Air Force. During his impressive military career, he distinguished himself with the following awards: Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster; Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster; Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters; Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters; Vietnam Service Medal with three service stars; Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm; and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. James excelled in rank steadily; he was promoted from Captain in 1969, to Major in 1973, to Lieutenant Colonel in 1978, to Colonel in 1983, ending with the appointment of Brigadier General in 1992, before retiring in 1997. James was stationed in South Vietnam with the 390th Tactical Fighter Squadron, during the Vietnam War in 1969. He was a student at the Royal College of Air Warfare, in Cranwell, England, as well as a pilot and flight commander of the 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron, at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. He flew 198 combat missions over Southeast Asia. In 1981, he earned his first appointment as commander, over the 22nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, at Bittburg Air Base, in West Germany.  Throughout his career, he flew F-102, F-106, F-4, F-15, A-10 and F-16 aircrafts. His skill earned him the accolade of F-106 Category Top Gun. From 1985-1987, he was appointed commander, Air Forces Iceland, at Keflavik Naval Air Station, in Iceland. His following appointment was as vice commander of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, at the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. Then, he was appointed commander. He served in those positions for three years, from 1987-1990. He went on to serve at other bases— as base commander in South Korea, deputy director of operations in Washington, D.C., and the deputy chief of staff for plans and operations. His last assignment was as director of logistics, Headquarters, Pacific Air Forces, at Hickam Air Force Base, in Hawaii, where he was responsible for the maintenance and support of fighter and support aircraft and management of equipment and supplies valued at more than $3.3 billion. He was also responsible for the allocation and maintenance of vehicles and war reserve equipment valued at over $350 million.

Ask Your Expert – Meadowlawn Animal Services

December 13, 2021September 29, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Meadowlawn Animal Services is the most convenient and effective animal care service providers in the area.

Why is dental care so important especially in small children (dogs and cats)? (Hopefully the cannot read! If your pet does, do not let them see this article.) All pets get dental disease, and it is the number one health problem facing all pets, but especially small dogs and cats. It has been estimated that more than 70% of all those patients have significant dental disease by the age of 2-4 years, depending on the breed. Pets are very resistant to cavities, but get gingivitis (inflammation of the gum tissue around the teeth) and periodontitis (when the gum dies back and loses the boney support for the tooth). To ensure longevity among other things, dental care is a must. Our pets do not complain at all, but silently suffer with these problems. We know that it hurts because it hurts in us, so stink breath equals pain most of the time. When we correct these problems, most owners call us back and report their pet feels so much better in a week or so. I have been practicing dental care of pets for almost 40 years. When owners allow me to take care of this problem, their pets live much longer. Quality of life is also improved and they live longer. My own little poodles have reached 20 to 21 years with good dental care. Cats get much more painful lesions than dogs, and dental radiology is imperative to find all the lesions in a pet’s mouth. It is estimated that over 40% of lesions are missed without dental radiographs. So, Charlie and his doctor know how important good dental care really is. Charlie wants to be spoiled by his owners for a long time. Questions? Click on the icon below to get your answers and ask one of our knowledgeable team members or Dr. Hardee. Phone

Q&A with Barbara Neese

June 4, 2021September 29, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Reading the Market Common Meet Your Neighbor section is a great way to get a feel for your community.

90-Year-Old Barbara Neese Has Logged Thousands of Hours of Volunteer Work— Calls Myrtle Beach Home For Over 30 Years Our Community wishes Barbara a Happy 90th Birthday on October 5, 2017! by Melissa LaScaleia Introduce me to your family. I married a wonderful man, Charles P. Neese. He was in the Navy, and we were married two weeks before World War II was over. We have three children, two girls and a boy. I had 6 grandchildren, but we lost a little girl when she was a few months old. I have 8 great-grandchildren. I’m an only child. But my husband was the eldest of 11, so I had many nieces and nephews through marriage. Why did you move to the Market Common? Myrtle Beach has been my home for thirty-one years. We moved to the Market Common 12 years ago this past July. After my husband passed away, I wanted a place where I could walk with ease, with easier upkeep. Where I live now is an HOA, and it includes weekly landscapers, and I don’t have to worry about the outside. Where are all the places you came from? I was born in Morgantown, West Virginia. When I married, I moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, then Myrtle Beach. Do you have a favorite place in the Market Common? Kings Street Grille, and I like Crepe Creations. What’s your favorite thing about living in the Market Common? It’s an easy place to meet my other friends from different parts of Myrtle Beach, and it’s easy to get around. What new activities have you taken up since moving here? I’ve spent thousands of hours doing volunteer work. I never could when I was raising a family, but now I can. What are your favorite things to do here? Watch sports at King Street Grille, and watch movies at the Grand 14 Cinema; I like going to the bookstore. It’s an interesting luxury place to get out and see people at your leisure.

The First Halloween Pet Photo Contest

May 12, 2021September 29, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Charlie’s Corner is the domain of Charlie, the furry four-legged lady’s man of Market Common. Each month, he’ll share information to help all new, visiting, and existing doggie community members get the most out of life alongside their human companions. Here, we’ll feature his reflections on what it’s like to be a dashing downtown doggie, as he reminds all of us how to play well together. This month, Charlie has a surprise in keeping with the Halloween season for all you fans of fluffy creatures, and really who isn’t? October is such a great month. Well really, come to think of it, every month has something great about it. What can I say? I’m just a positive guy. But October has Halloween. Some people think it’s silly, others ignore it as just another day. But I see an opportunity for fun. Now, you might think that being a dog, and not being able to enjoy the culinary delights of the hour, like chocolate and candy (reminder: we can’t eat this stuff), would get me down. Or that I wouldn’t be thrilled about it due to the profusion of decorations that are loud and startling to my overly sensitized doggie ears, or because of the occasional ghoulish ghost that chases me and some of my friends until we run, tail tucked in fright. But aside from these minor inconveniences, it’s just so exciting. I get to pick out a new, totally different, and completely awesome costume every year, and play make-believe for a day, or sometimes, for weeks on end. I can be a superhero and fantasize about saving more than the Market Common, I can save the world. Last year, I was a French chef and barked around in an especially pretentious and overly flamboyant way. And the ladies just love it. You all know I love community, parties, making new friends, and making things fun, so this year, we’re having… drumroll please… The Insider Halloween Pet-Costume Photo Contest Everyone, take a photo of the beloved four-legged friend in your life, all decked out in their selected altar-ego attire. Rules of the contest: First, visit www.facebook.com/marketcommoninsider, and if you haven’t already, like us. Then, post your pet picture directly to the page using the hashtag #charliescostumecontest. All submissions must be received by October 20. Our community will vote for their favorite photo by giving it a thumbs up. Whoever receives the most likes will win a small gift basket and a $50 gift certificate from Paws Pet Spa, as well as a free vaccination and exam from Meadowlawn Animal Services, both in the Market Common! In addition, we’ll get our photo taken together, in costume, and it will be published in next month’s Insider, as well as on our website, Facebook, and Instagram accounts. You’ll be famous! Cast your vote by 10am on October 30; we’ll announce the winner online on Halloween day, October 31 at 10am. The sooner you submit your photo, the more time you have to share your photo and collect those likes. Contestants and voters are not limited to living in the Market Common. Anyone is welcome to join in the game. I can’t wait to see what everyone picks. It will give me great ideas for next year too. Just wait until you see my costume photo for this year. I’m going as a lion. Hey, weird dog fantasy— don’t judge me. Until next time, P.S. Follow me on Facebook to keep up with all my latest news, www.facebook.com/InsiderCharliesCorner and on Instagram @charlieparkerscorner

Ask Your Expert – NDD Attorneys

December 13, 2021September 6, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Featured in the July 2017 issue of the Insider at the Market Common Topic: Wills Is it important to make a will? No one likes to think about death; it’s a very uncomfortable subject. However, it’s important to understand what would happen to your property if you pass away without having written a will. This is a question some tend to think about the older they become. It is vital for people to have a will completed correctly, especially, if that person owns personal or real estate property. What happens if you pass away without a will? If you die without a will in the State of South Carolina Probate Code determines who is entitled to your property. The South Carolina Probate Code provides that a surviving husband or wife is only entitled to one half of the deceased person’s property, if the deceased has surviving children. The line of succession continues to the deceased person’s parents, brothers or sisters, grandparents, cousins, etc. And if there are no surviving family members who come forward to stake a claim, then the entire estate of the deceased will be turned over to the State of South Carolina. When a will is properly drawn up and witnessed according to the laws of this state, a person can have the peace of mind that those he or she leaves behind will not be burdened with court costs and fees associated with determining the proper heirs who would inherit under the Probate Code. This advanced planning can prevent significant headaches for your loved ones, during an already difficult time. Are there any other documents that can assist in end of life planning? While a will is very important for the distribution of your assets after you pass away, there are several other documents which a person should have with end of life planning. Specifically, a living will, a healthcare power of attorney, and a durable power of attorney are all documents which provide assistance to your loved ones in case you become incapacitated and cannot make decisions on your own. All of these advanced directives are important and essential in the end of the planning. Written by Woody DuRant friend of the Insider at the Market Common Law Office of Durant Please call us for assistance in drafting these documents. Envelope Facebook Phone Internet-explorer

Ask Your Expert – Fit Body Boot Camp

May 4, 2021September 6, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Featured in the September 2017 issue of the Insider at the Market Common What makes Myrtle Beach Fit Body Bootcamp different than other gyms and bootcamps? Our workouts are 30 minutes in length, so anyone can fit them in. We use high intensity interval training which burns more calories than traditional workouts and you will continue to burn calories for up to 30 hours after your workout. We focus on building lean muscle. This will improve your metabolism and turn you into a fat burning machine! Every workout is different and so you never get bored. Our trainers are knowledgable and care about each member and their progress. I have not exercised in a long time or I have an injury, can I still workout? Yes, you can. We provide modifications for every exercise. No matter what fitness level you are, you will get an amazing workout. We also provide modifications for injuries so that even if you have an issue we will help you work around it. We welcome all fitness levels and ages to our facility. What role does nutrition provide in getting fit? You cannot out train a bad diet. We provide everything you need to be successful with your eating. We focus on eating whole foods and low glycemic impact eating. You will save money because you won’t be eating expensive processes food any longer. We will give you meal plans and guidance all the way. Come try us out and see everything we have to offer! Written by Jennifer Shifflett, CPT friend of the Insider at the Market Common

Sweet and Sour Salad

June 4, 2021August 28, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Market Common Recipe Corner September 2017

Sweet and Sour Salad Our September recipe captures the waxing and waning energy of this season of the year— the sweetness, warmth, and abundance of summer, and the twang that we feel in our hearts as the advent of cooler climes hints at its none-too-far-off approach. This recipe is a transitional season favorite, and as sure to delight your palate as well as calm and soothe any farewell-to-summer blues. Ingredients Serves 2 – 3 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce 2 large cucumbers, peeled 1 small white onion 2 scallions, chopped 1 Tbs sea salt 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar 1/4 cup water 1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil 1 Tbs brown or raw sugar Directions Chop the lettuce, cucumbers, onion, and scallions and toss them together in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle the salt over the mixture and wrap with plastic wrap. Push down to release any excess water from the cucumber, and place in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. Uncover the salad, and drain any water that has settled at the bottom of the bowl. To make the dressing: Whisk together vinegar, water, olive oil, and sugar in a small bowl until dissolved. Toss the salad with the dressing. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled through. Serve chilled. Click here for more great recipes.

Q&A with Tom & Geri O’Leary

June 3, 2021August 25, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Market Common Meet Your Neighbor September 2017

These Vacationers Came to Myrtle Beach and Never Left by Melissa LaScaleia Introduce me to your family. My husband Tom and I have been married 37 years. We have three children: Greg and his wife Jess, and our grandson, Jaxson, live in Oswego, NY; Matthew lives in Pennsylvania; and our daughter, Jennifer, is the catering and sales manager at Travinia. Why did you move to the Market Common? We always thought we would retire in Florida. But in 2014, enroute there, we decided to come to Myrtle Beach because we had heard wonderful things about it. We came to the Market Common, fell in love with it, and bought a house in an hour. Where are all the places you came from? We both grew up on Long Island, NY. We lived in Japan for 2 years when Tom was in the Navy; Melbourne, Florida; and 20 more years on Long Island. Do you have a favorite place in the Market Common? Travinia. It was the first spot we went to after we bought the house, and we loved it. They had a jazz band playing, and we loved sitting there, looking out at the beautiful scenery, people watching. What’s your favorite thing about living in the Market Common? We have many. We love that you can walk on trails and bicycle everywhere; the many social activities; the Southern Times Square New Year’s Eve party; the different outdoor affairs and outdoor concerts. Of course, with a name like O’Leary we love the Irish festival. We love all the beaches, and the MarshWalk. How has your lifestyle changed since moving here? Without having to work everyday, we’ve become stress-less. We enjoy every day; we do water aerobics, book club, line dancing at the rec center, pool parties. I had to get a larger calendar to write in all our activities. Is there anything that you miss or would like to see in the Market Common? A Trader Joes. We don’t like to see any stores empty, so we try to do a lot of local shopping and support the farmers market. We don’t miss the snow or the cold, dreary days.

In Which Charlie Becomes Immortal

June 3, 2021August 25, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Market Common Charlie's Corner September 2017

Charlie’s Corner is the domain of Charlie, the furry four-legged lady’s man of the Market Common. Each month, he’ll share information to help all new, visiting, and existing doggie community members get the most out of life alongside their human companions. We’ll feature his reflections on what it’s like to be a dashing downtown doggie, as he reminds all of us how to play well together. This month, Charlie prepares for his very own pet portrait to be taken, and lets his fans and followers know how they can do the same. Today I am very busy in front of this mirror. I’m practicing the best pose to strike for my portrait sitting— one that shows off my best fluffy angles, but not too much of my belly roll. That’s right, yours truly is going to have his portrait painted, and by South Carolina pet portrait artist, Mollie Fout. In anticipation of this momentous event, I’ve decided to do a little background research about the history of portrait painting. I’ve discovered that it’s a specific genre of art, and it reached its height of popularity during the Dutch Golden age in the 1700s. It also thrived in the Netherlands during the same period. In France, subjects were more casual, often shown in pastoral settings; and in England, miniature portraits that could be kept in a pocket were all the rage. The Italians used portraiture as a means of showcasing their piety, learning, wealth, status, or even soulful qualities. Jim is giving this to me as a gift, probably because he’s pleased that I always submit my column on time every month. Or maybe it’s a gift to himself since I’m so lovable and all he wants to do is look at me. Either way, I’m excited. I AM GOING TO BE IMMORTALIZED FOREVER; it is important that I get this right. I wonder if I should be shown lounging in an insouciant manner over my favorite recliner, emphasizing my Southern roots and laid back approach to life; or in a stronger role, a stance that emphasizes my engagement in building community, perhaps with pen in paw, pensive thoughts clouding my visage; or maybe I’ll just go for my signature head tipped to one side, don’t-you-just-love-me look— that one almost always wins me more belly rubs— a true classic. Hmmm… How to choose? Mollie works from photographs, since most of my kind are unpredictable when it comes to our decisions about moving around or sitting still. Once I pick, Megan will make me the star of a photo shoot, and then send the photographs to Mollie. I’m getting the extra large size. I’ll show it to all my friends once it’s ready— maybe they’ll get their portraits done too, and we can have a portrait unveiling party. I’ll have them order extra dog treats to prepare. Or maybe we can get doggie donuts for the occasion, the ones with peanut butter frosting and a biscuit on top from Clayton’s new store— Peace, Love, and Little Donuts. Contact Mollie at prizedpetportraits@gmail.com to see examples of her work and get your very own pet portrait taken. Ah, fine art. I’ll toast to that with a doggie bone. Until next time, P.S. Follow me on Facebook to keep up with all my latest news, www.facebook.com/InsiderCharliesCorner and on Instagram @charlieparkerscorner To read more about Mollie, click here.

Local Businessman, Local Hero, Civilian Fred Nash

June 3, 2021August 25, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Our history column usually recounts the stories of those who served in the United States Military and were connected with the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. But this month, we’d like to commemorate the actions of a local civilian who was honored many years ago with his own plaque in the Market Common as well as with the naming of a street. The eponymous Fred Nash Boulevard is located in the Market Common; it intersects Farrow Parkway near Highway 17 Business. Once through the intersection, the boulevard turns into Crow Lane. Nash Boulevard is located near Myrtle Beach State Park. Fred Nash was a local businessman who together with his wife, Agnes, opened Fred Nash’s Grill near Springmaid Beach in 1947. The two also built and ran Nash’s Rooms and Apartments in the same area in the ’50s; they lived near Myrtle Beach State Park. On August 18, 1958, a T-33 aircraft was returning to the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base when something went terribly awry. The plane hit the State Park Pier, and had a crash-landing just outside of Fred’s house. Fred was home at the time, and ran over to the burning plane. A pilot was trapped inside, and Fred single-handedly pulled him out and to safety. He extinguished the flames on the pilot’s clothes and burning body, and sustained 3rd degree burns on his hands as a result. He was 71 years-old when he saved the life of the pilot. The United States Air Force showed their gratitude and recognized is heroism by presenting him with an Exceptional Service Award in Recognition of Distinguished Patriotic Service. Fred Nash loved to fish in the ocean, especially with his family, and was always helpful to people in his community. After he passed, his sons dedicated an artificial reef to their father, to honor his memory. The artificial reef is a mass of concrete, which is placed at certain locations in the ocean as a way to attract more marine life and learn more about ocean ecology. Fish will congregate around any substance in the ocean— thus artificial reefs create more opportunities for fishing and are a great way to help fishermen in the area. Myrtle Beach’s miles of sandy bottoms, devoid of any hiding holes that fish like to find, makes artificial reefs important for fishermen. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources helped to implement the 400-yard diameter reef in 2016. It is called Pop Nash Reef and is located 6 miles straight offshore of the Surfside Pier in Surfside Beach. Friends and family members gathered for a dedication ceremony, and scattered yellow roses at the site of the new reef— now an additional place near the Market Common that salutes the legacy of this local hero.

The Insider Online

June 15, 2022August 25, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Our Commitment to Building Community

by Melissa LaScaleia

The Insider at the Market Common began eighteen months ago with a mission to connect and inform the greater Market Common community about who lives and works here, and what’s available that makes it so special.

According to the Post and Courier, our publishers in Charleston, our team has reached publishing benchmarks in one year that typically aren’t achieved until year five.

“I’ve lived in the Market Common since it opened in 2008,” Jim Parker says. “Consequently, I have a unique perspective of the heartbeat of this community because I’ve seen every phase of its development. I saw it needed a greater cohesion and communication between its members and the outside world in order to really thrive.”

Jim, his business partner, John Jobson, and his daughter, Megan Parker, brainstormed ideas to fill this need over the course of many months. Our free, monthly print publication, the Insider, was their response to it.

As the Insider has evolved, we continue to identify the gaps we perceive in the ways in which we act as a bridge in our community, and the ways we can fill them to make our community even stronger.

Because so much of our culture today centers on the online world and technology, meeting our community where they’re at— online— was always a part of our vision.

“The digital realm incorporates a myriad of ways for our readers to engage with us, our stories, and our advertisers, all in one place,” says Megan. “It’s a way to reach a different, broader audience.”

Online, if people are interested in learning more about what they just read, they can explore in any number of different directions with the click of a button: from further reading, to photos, to platforms by community members who went there, tried that, and have things to say about it— to being able to contribute your their thoughts.

We started online over a year ago, by posting an exact digital version of our publication in a flip-book format, called an e-edition. From there, we began the process of evaluating what a comprehensive website would look and feel like.

Our printed edition of the Insider has a monthly longevity of use because it relays current information that the people who live, work, and visit here need.

Every part of how we present our ads and content to our readership is designed to make it engaging, memorable, and real— from the full-color displays and photography, to the articles.

We sought to replicate that same effect on our website, which would incorporate the e-edition, but go beyond it.

We wanted to create an easy-to-use interface which satiates people’s desire for current happenings; to learn more; and to have information available and accessible from a wide variety of places on our website.

Behind the scenes, we’ve been preparing for this evolution for a year— ensuring our expanded offices could accommodate an in-house staff to handle web maintenance and social media content— and by bringing in top professionals to help us reach our goals.

“This is a day-in-day-out kind of project,” says Jim.

One of the professionals we engaged is Dr. Monica B. Fine, of B. Fine Consulting. She serves as chair of the marketing and hospitality department, and as associate professor of marketing for the Wall College of Business at Coastal Carolina University.

She’s been instrumental in helping to shape the landscape of our website, and guiding us in understanding how to use social media as a tool to help us drive traffic back to our website, www.marketcommoninsider.com, and thus further our goals.

Social media and the web are both, in turn, platforms to connect back to our advertisers, and from there back to us, like a boomerang, or wherever the viewer chooses to click. In this way, the general public can see the bigger scope of our website, how it connects, and its value.

In addition to the e-edition, our website contains content from all of our papers, over 100,000 words, easily catalogued and cross-referenced under relevant tabs. There’s also a magnifying glass at the top right of the website allowing you to bypass the menu bar and search for anything.

All of our future business articles will have integrated videos that show an Insider’s perspective about what’s happening in our community.

“We’ve tried to bring the best of the best to our community,” says Jim. “And we’ve approached it aggressively, with a lot of thought and preparation.”

We’ve moved Casey out of graphic design and into the role of social media marketing strategist full-time to meet our company’s new needs.

She takes the content we have and expands it, ensuring that we’re optimizing our posts to drive traffic back to our website and e-edition. She works with Monica, who advises her on website development strategy.

Megan is media director, helping to orchestrate the design and shape of the entire project. She studies the trends in the analytics and creates strategies for us to implement based on the data— whether that entails creating videos, photos or stories, and to ensure that there’s a good balance of everything.

Patrick Winum is our in-house web developer; he uploads our website content and ensures everything is running smoothly.

We built our website in a way that enables the Google search engine to find keywords in our articles and identify their relevancy to whatever somebody is searching for; which means in time, our website will be higher in the Google search results for people who are searching for things that we feature.

It also means that someone who is not aware of the Market Common but looking for a desirable place to live or vacation, can more easily discover this place through us. This type of back-end decision gives the Market Common a more prevalent place on the map; it helps support our community.

“Additionally, having an online website gives you data analytics to study and share with advertisers,” Monica says. “It’s valuable because you can see your customers’ specific actions in an online context, and track how they engaged with you, where they went on your website, what they clicked on next, and where you lost them— and use that data to make decisions about your online content that serves your reader as well as your advertisers in the best light.

“Now, we can show advertisers the number of impressions they receive, and how many times people clicked on an ad daily. It’s data that serves to build us new relationships and strengthen the ones we currently have.”

The connections that we’re making via social media will also benefit from our new relationship with the local news station, WMBF, an affiliate of NBC Networks. It’s an arrangement which will further increase our exposure as well as that of our advertisers.

The Insider will appear on a weekly, local news segment, through Where to Live Wednesdays with Properties at the Market Common; and our website will be linked through their online and mobile apps throughout the month, with over 75,000 impressions monthly.

Properties at the Market Common is also going to be featured on WMBF’s Facebook page which has 100,000 followers.

We’ll be gaining a lot of visibility with the entire Myrtle Beach community and those outside of it who participate in any way with the local news station; these media connections are further building blocks that help drive traffic to our site.

“Now that our foundation is in place,” says Megan, “we can continue to move forward with our purpose of integrating the Market Common into Myrtle Beach, of highlighting the people who serve this area, who are doing incredible things here.”

We’re still in the testing phase of our ever-evolving website, and we expect to be for some time. But our online presence is another way of building a stronger community.

The Insider

B Fine Consulting

www.monicabfine.com

Tidelands Health

December 13, 2021August 25, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Addressing Health Care in the Market Common Press release: by Tidelands Health Tidelands Health, the region’s largest health care provider, is planning to build a new, $44 million medical park in the Market Common as part of its efforts to provide access to high-quality medical care for the region’s growing population. In August, the health system broke ground on the new, 65,000 square-foot Tidelands Health Medical Park at the Market Common, to be located at the corner of Crow Lane and Farrow Parkway. The building will offer primary care and specialty care offices, physical therapy, radiology, pain management and other services. Bruce Bailey, president and CEO of Tidelands Health, said the new medical park is part of a concentrated effort by the health system to provide care for the growing Horry County community. The county’s population has grown by more than 700 people per month since 2010, making it the second- fastest-growing area in the nation, according to U.S. Census figures. From 2010-2016, the number of people living in Horry County has increased by more than 53,000. The architectural drawing showing the new $44 million Tidelands Health building which is being erected at the corner of Farrow Parkway “When people think about population growth, they tend to focus mostly on the need for more roads and other types of transportation infrastructure,” Bailey said. “But health care is also an extremely important part of the mix. It has to grow lock-step with the community to help ensure people have access to care in a timely fashion.” In response to the region’s population growth, Tidelands Health has expanded rapidly over the last several years. The health system, which started in 1950 as a single hospital in Georgetown County, now features three hospitals and nearly 50 care locations that stretch from Andrews in Georgetown County to North Myrtle Beach in Horry County. In addition to constructing the new medical park at the Market Common, the health system is partnering with HealthSouth Corp. to build a new, 46-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Little River. Construction is expected to begin later this year. A new medical park on Holmestown Road in Horry County is also under construction and will house physician offices and serve as the headquarters of a new family medicine residency program. The Tidelands Health groundbreaking ceremony in the Market Common, on Thursday, August 17, 2017. Front row left to right: Dr. William Richmond, Dr. Marthena Grate Morant, Dr. Philip Dulberger, Pam Maxwell, Josh Kay, H. McRoy Skipper Jr., CPA, Bruce Bailey, Dr. William Greer, Robby Jones, Willie “Booty” Shelley, Edward Norris III, Francis “Jeepy” Ford Jr. The residency program, which provides post-graduate training for doctors who have completed their medical degrees, is a way to bring in new physicians to serve the region. The first class of eight doctors began their residency in July. “Buildings alone mean little without the right people to provide care,” Bailey said. “That’s why we’ve focused heavily on our recruitment efforts. “We want our patients to have access to physicians who are not only experts in their field but also engaged partners in their patients’ health and well-being.” All of the growth within the health system has led to major benefits within the region, not just in health care but also to the overall economy. A study by Coastal Carolina University found that Tidelands Health generated $504.5 million of regional economic impact and supported 5,373 jobs in Horry and Georgetown counties in 2016. Construction activity alone accounted for 471 jobs and $35.3 million in regional economic impact. Tidelands Health Envelope Phone Internet-explorer

Wine and Design

December 13, 2021August 25, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Community Art with a Convivial Setting

Bailey Turner was first introduced to the Wine and Design franchise about four years ago when she was a sophomore at Coastal Carolina University. A graphic design major with a minor in studio art, she was looking for a job doing something she loved, and discovered a Wine and Design location to work at around 50th Ave. N, in Myrtle Beach. After graduation, she moved to Chicago, and stayed in the same industry with a similar company.

“I love it so much here, though, it was hard to be in the North,” she tells me. “I came back, and Wine and Design had moved up to North Myrtle Beach; that opened a huge market in the heart of Myrtle Beach.”

She and her now fiancé, Chris Wilkinson, decided to open their own Wine and Design in the Market Common when they were still dating.

“We got business married before really getting married,” she laughs.

Wine and Design teaches step-by-step instructions for painting your own painting. Groups of friends or solos get to leave with a painting that they made that same night. The studio is BYOB, and encourages people to bring what they want to eat or drink.

“People often bring cheese platters or fruit trays, they sometimes even cater,” Bailey says. “It’s really like a big party, where you happen to learn how to paint. People who come in here expect to have a good time, and we want them to. It’s just a fun environment to be in.”

Classes are held daily, and pre-registration is required to give Bailey and her team of artists time to pre-trace the canvases. If somebody wants a totally blank canvas, they’ll provide that too.

All of the artwork at Wine and Design is original— either created by an owner of a franchise or an employee of one. It’s all copyrighted— therefore, not something you’ll find reproduced anywhere outside the venue. There are new paintings to choose from all the time, and the artwork is kept in an online gallery database, which all of the franchises have access to. Selected paintings are rarely offered twice— only brought back by client demand.

The paintings are picked a month in advance based on what Bailey thinks will be popular seasonally. You can see the selections on their website, and pre-register for the painting you want to do. They also have a range of other mediums you can select besides canvas, like wine glasses, wine bottles, and pallet boards; they also offer monthly specialty classes like paint your pet.

Bailey and Chris have what’s called a paint it forward division, a charity division of their company, in which they donate a percentage of the class proceeds to a charitable cause. Often customers will approach them with a cause, and the two will host a class to support them.

Wine and Design has two rooms— a larger for public gatherings, and a smaller room in the back for private functions. They also offer a kids camp over the summer as well as mommy and me classes on Saturday mornings.

“We have five artists on staff, including myself,” Bailey says. “Everyone who works here either has an art degree or is getting their art degree, so they’re well within their realm of being qualified to teach. I try to teach a large number of classes because I enjoy it.”

Chris works on the business side. With a degree in business and finance from Coastal Carolina, he handles most of the marketing. Bailey works with the calendar, manages the artists, and handles inventory; they both handle customer interactions.

“There’s never a moment we’re not working,” she says. “A lot of the times, Chris will stay behind when I’m teaching a class, and continue what he’s doing. I truly love my job. It’s amazing being able to paint everyday. This is probably the dream job for any artist.”

Bailey’s favorite thing about being co-owner of Wine and Design is seeing customers find and discover their creativity.

“98% of the people who come to us have never painted before, or haven’t since elementary school. A lot of times they get discouraged and say, ‘I’ve never learned art,’ but they have so much talent. I myself didn’t start painting until I got to college. They’re usually a little hard on themselves, but at the end, they’re so proud of their work.”

Chris and Bailey are grateful they receive such incredible support from other franchises as well as guidance with marketing from corporate headquarters to help them be a success.

“We all collectively share information about what we’re doing,” Bailey says. “You can ask anything at any time and most likely someone will have an answer for you.”

“We especially love being in this community of Market Common,” she continues. “We couldn’t have chosen a better area when we decided where to go. We have a lot of support from people who live nearby. I want to bring them creativity. Art is important, especially for people with a 9-5 job, because creating helps you destress. And where else do you really get to do art in the community? We have a lot of customers who come to us multiple times per week, and per month, and this is their therapy session. I think that’s a neat thing.”

“Being a Myrtle Beach native, it’s really awesome to start something in your community, and I really encourage people to do the same,” Bailey says. “It’s something you may think you’ll never be able to do, but it’s doable. Starting a business and receiving community support for it is so important to me, because I was born and raised here.”

Wine & Design

Classes M-Sa 6-8pm; Sunday 1-3pm; $35 per person. Pre-registration required online or by phone.

Peace, Love, and Little Donuts

December 13, 2021August 25, 2017 by The Coastal Insider

Market Common Peace Love Little Donuts 9/17

They’re Open! And Bringing a Little Bit of Groovy With Them Clayton Matthews was born in Texas. He grew up in Athens, Georgia. The last 15 years of his life, he’s spent living in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley, two hours outside of D.C. Clayton attended James Madison University, where he played football and graduated with a business degree. His father was the head football coach for 15 years at the same university, then worked as a TV analyst at ESPN. Clayton was introduced to Myrtle Beach when his father accepted a position with Coastal Carolina’s football team. “When I moved to Myrtle Beach a little over a year ago,” he tells me, “I immediately fell in love with the Market Common and the lifestyle. It became a home to me as soon as I moved here. My friends make fun of me saying that if you want to see me you have to come to Market Common because for the most part, I don’t leave it. The great thing about it… it’s an area for everybody— there’s older retired people and younger people in their 20’s.” After moving here, Clayton and his family wanted to go into some type of business together. Close family friends owned a Peace, Love and Little Donuts in Huntington, West Virginia, so Clayton and his family knew about the franchise and liked the concept. “We were already familiar with the model, and thought it would be great if we brought it to Myrtle Beach,” he tells me. Clayton, and his mother and father, all bought into the business equally 6 months ago, and are co-owners. Kay, his mother, is a retired teacher and a full-time grandma, and did the majority of the design and decorating for the shop. She’ll be around a lot, helping out and making sure things are running smoothly. Clayton is the manager, and the only one who will be involved in a day-to-day capacity. To help them prepare, the franchise director came to Myrtle Beach and spent a few days helping them select a retail space. They went from Litchfield to Conway and looked at every available commercial space; all unanimously agreed that Market Common would be the best area for the shop. “You can pretty much get everything you need here,” Clayton explains. “So opening a business here is a great opportunity. The whole urban lifestyle of the Market Common appealed to us. It’s a family atmosphere donut shop. It’s not, come get your donuts and leave.” The original Peace, Love and Little Donuts began in Pittsburg, PA, in 2009, in chic section of town called the Strip. In less than ten years, the funky store with a retro 70’s vibe has grown to over 25 locations. By the time this goes to print, Clayton’s store will be another, the first in South Carolina. Clayton makes himself a cup of coffee. “We’re going to have a nice seating area— indoor and out,” he tells me. “We have invested a lot of time and energy making sure people feel comfortable when they come in, that it’s an exciting spot, and an exciting experience for people when they first walk through the door.” Peace, Love, and Little Donuts is not your run-of-the-mill donut munching experience. For starters, they’re made from a specific, controlled recipe, not a generic cake donut— and in Clayton’s words: “a gourmet donut kind of deal.” You stand at the counter and see your donut being fried right in front of you. Then, on to the donut bar, and witness your selection being dressed up before your eyes. There are three levels of frosting options: groovy, far out, and funkadelic, which range, as their titles imply, from something pretty cool to the works. There are 60 rotating toppings which include almost every cereal and candy bar out there, as well as more exotic toppings like salted caramel, and the all-time customer favorite— maple bacon. “This is a completely new thing to me,” Clayton confesses with a laugh. “It’s really exciting, it’s trial by fire. And it’s something I feel I have a passion for.” Peace, Love and Little Donuts offers some of the best coffee and gourmet donuts around. They also offer doggie donuts for your favorite four-legged friend. It’s a donut with a peanut butter frosting with a milk-bone biscuit on top, and immensely popular with the pooches. Gluten friendly donuts for people will be available on Monday mornings once they get more established. There is a full coffee bar serving all the specialty drinks with the addition of cold brew coffee and nitro coffee. Nitro is the newest niche offering amongst coffee connoisseurs— and it’s gaining a rapid, passionate following. It’s cold brew coffee on tap, which uses nitrogen, rather than the traditional co2 to dispense the coffee out of a kegerator. It is drunk without ice, and the nitrogen infusion gives it a creamy texture, so much so that most people who drink it don’t have to add cream or sugar. “It’s extremely important to me that the store adds to what people term as the Market Common lifestyle,” Clayton says, in speaking to me about his goals. “I want this to be a successful and positive addition to the community… And I think it will be. I think people will love what we do. People can walk through the door and see people that they’ve seen before, that they see on an almost daily basis. This is a spot they can come and hang out at for a bit on a Sunday afternoon. A lot of businesses in Myrtle Beach thrive on tourists. But I want it to be successful… we want this to be successful with Market Common and Myrtle Beach people who work here on a daily basis.” Peace, Love and Little Donuts, Open 6:30am-9pm depending on the season. Peace, Love, and Little Donuts offers catering for your special event or host your event on their premises in their private … Read more

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