Downtown Myrtle Beach business owners voice concerns at first-ever summit

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) – Some downtown Myrtle Beach business owners say recent changes to traffic patterns and extra policing in the city’s Municipal Improvement District are hurting business.

“If you want a bunch of empty buildings in three or four years, [then] you’re on the path to getting them, because we can’t make it in this environment,” said Clayton Burrous, co-owner of Grand Strand Brewing Company.

Burrous and other business owners voiced their concerns during the discussion portion of the first-ever business summit hosted by the Myrtle Beach Downtown Alliance.

The focus of the summit was the revitalization of downtown and the Myrtle Beach Downtown Alliance’s vision for making the city more accessible to visitors, and viable for businesses.

“I think it was a very effective meeting in terms of capturing the concerns, but also illustrating and informing the business owners as to what we’re trying to achieve,” Myrtle Beach Downtown Alliance President and CEO Jason Greene said.

Greene’s goal is to add 2,700 residential units to the downtown area over the next 10-20 years. He said this will help sustain businesses during less busy times of the year.

In the short term, Greene said the city needs to continue developing its brand. For example, he said the Myrtle Beach Downtown Alliance is compiling feedback for a new city logo and color scheme, which he said will make downtown more cohesive and recognizable.

But many business owners were focused on recent changes in traffic patterns, due to the Highway 501 realignment project, and the increased police presence downtown, which has contributed to a dip in violent crime throughout the city, according to Myrtle Beach Police Department Capt. Chris Smith.

Don Cauthen, owner of Don’s Oyster Bar & Grill, said these shifts are deterring folks from coming downtown. He said he’s experienced a 20% decrease in business during the past year.

“You can sell something, market, do anything you want to, but once you get to a destination and you have to have police presence and one-way streets and streets blocked off you have to think what’s wrong, did they have a riot here?” Cauthen said.

Greene said while the execution of the plan is not perfect, he wants to continue to engage in discussions with leaders to find solutions moving forward.

“We certainly know that the plan is not 100% complete just yet, but we have to continue to work with the businesses and residents to understand their concerns to make sure that we’re shaping this thing in the right direction,” he said.

Greene says the plans set in motion will hopefully also attract locals to the downtown area.

Copyright 2024 WMBF. All rights reserved.