Roofing company in Surfside Beach, SC

MYRTLE BEACH — Ever since Trader Joe's announced it would open a store in the Myrtle Beach area, the main question was where.

The famously secretive company hasn't revealed its Grand Strand location yet, but the grocer's name appears in Horry County records for a construction site in SayeBrook Town Center. A building permit for the property was issued on Oct. 23.

SayeBrook is already home to a Target and Marshalls, among other stores. The construction site is across the street from Ulta Beauty at the corner of Sayebrook Parkway and Brookton Circle.

The Post and Courier requested the building permit application for the property after local Realtor Jake Lee announced that Trader Joe's would be coming to SayeBrook. Lee could not be reached for comment.

Myrtle Beach Business

County records describe the project as a 13,005-square-foot retail shell building with a construction value listed at nearly $1.7 million.

Steve Alger of The Jackson Companies, which owns SayeBrook, also submitted an application for new service to Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority. He listed the project as a grocery store on that application.

Alger declined to comment on the development.

Throughout most of the 56 pages released by the county this week, the project is referred to as Sayebrook Parcel G1. But on multiple pages, "Trader Joes Shell" is listed in the file name. It's the only grocery store mentioned in the county's records for that site.

After years of Trader Joe's fans begging for a Myrtle Beach store, the company announced in early October that it would be expanding here.

The California-based, German-owned grocery chain already has four stores in the South Carolina market, with a second Charleston-area location that opened last month.

Trader Joe's is known for being highly selective about new locations and is said to prefer college towns. The chain's popular snacks and meals include chili and lime flavored rolled corn tortilla chips, creamy spinach and artichoke dip, and butter chicken with basmati rice.

Grand Strand residents have been buzzing with excitement since hearing of the store's opening, and some fans have said they're relieved they won't have to travel to Wilmington or Mount Pleasant anymore.

Unsurprisingly, the company has remained tight-lipped about its plans for the Grand Strand.

When contacted Nov. 13, Trader Joe's spokesperson Nakia Rohde would not confirm a location or a timeline for opening in the Myrtle Beach area.

Rohde said new stores are listed on the company's website.

SURFSIDE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — After months of debate, the Surfside Beach fire chief said during Tuesday’s town council meeting the department will not transfer control of the town’s services to Horry County.

The topic was in talks back in April when chief David Nelson announced the agency was understaffed and unable to protect the community.

When Nelson joined the department, he says the decision to bring in the county was a matter of safety. But since then, he says the department has made several changes thanks to additional funding.

Nelson says each shift now has four personnel instead of the two it had before.

He says because Horry County offered four personnel to a shift and Surfside can now offer the same, a transfer isn’t needed.

During budget talks in June, the town set aside funds to hire seven full-time and five part-time firefighters.

He says if it did make the switch, it would have increased taxes for Surfside residents.

Nelson says it’s important to him they kept the department to maintain a presence in their community.

“And you would lose that stance of where our guys are within the town and knowing the people and stuff like that,” Nelson said. “Horry County seems to move their people around and stuff like that and there’s nothing wrong with that. But that’s the way they do it and so you don’t get that hometown feel.”

Town officials also voted against a $22,000 evaluation to look into mold in its civic center, which is where it holds town council meetings.

A report showed that the town’s civic center has mold in its insulation and in some office spaces.

This is the second time the town has had to deal with these kinds of issues, the first coming in 2021 after demolishing the former town hall and council chambers last year and moving to the current site across the street.

It says for now, it will look into whether they want to build a whole new building or not, or potentially “rehab” the current site.

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Adrianna Lawrence is a multimedia journalist at News13. Adrianna is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and joined the News13 team in June 2023 after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2023. Keep up with Adrianna on Instagram, Facebook, and X, formerly Twitter. You can also read more of her work, here.

A picture of a "Fire Rescue," firetruck for Horry County Fire department (WPDE File)

SURFSIDE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — Surfside Beach Town Council has decided to keep its own fire department after a potential Horry County Fire Department takeover was in discussion.

Town council members had a long, but also hot topic of conversation on Tuesday, with the fire department being one of the main topics.

In April, Surfside Beach Fire Chief David Nelson came before Surfside Beach Town Council to speak on not having enough manpower at the station to cover the town.

Rumors flared up around town with talk of the Surfside Beach Fire Department going away, and Horry County handling all emergency responses.

Chief Nelson explained to the council why this was so unexpected for him.

Within two weeks of taking the fire chief position, I was informed that Horry county fire rescue might be given an opportunity to take over the responses for fire and emergency services in surfside beach. This was a shock to me," said Nelson.

Even with reassurance from Chief Nelson on the 13 firefighters hired since April, some concerns lingered.

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To run this fire department the way it wants to be run, its gonna cost these people here and myself more money because we are gonna have to have more tax money to pay you," said Councilman, Chris Stamey.

There were also concerns over their ISO rating or a fire score that indicates how well a department protects its residents.

Surfside Beach Fire Department dropped from a level one to a level two, with ten being the worst.

We are at a two which is what we are we are hoping to get a one, but we wanna make sure we are a strong one if we are gonna push toward that," said Nelson.

The Surfside Beach Fire Department was able to convince the town council on Tuesday to keep things the same in town with more training, more manpower, and more fires being put on in Surfside Beach.

The Town of Surfside Beach also passed an ordinance where anyone in town who calls the fire department or emergency services will have to foot the bill.

This comes after Surfside Beach Fire Department said many false alarms have been made in the last few months, wasting gas and personnel.

If you think Myrtle Beach area laws are stricter in the summer than in the off-season, you would be right.

And while things generally shift when the throngs of tourists leave the area, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t laws that you still need to follow for the beach and at many of the coastal cites.

Some violations of these ordinances could cost a hefty fine or even jail time.

Here’s a few you need to know.

Beginning Nov. 1, you can park for free in Surfside Beach and North Myrtle Beach.

All parking locations in North Myrtle Beach are free from November through February. After that, parking is paid from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March through September.

In Surfside Beach, parking is free beginning Nov. 1 through February. Paid parking begins on March 1 through Oct. 31 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Myrtle Beach has year-round paid parking from 9 a.m. to midnight daily.

As Daylight Savings Time began on Nov. 3 and the days grew shorter, it’s a good reminder to drivers that there are laws regarding when they can operate a golf cart.

According to South Carolina law, golf carts can only been driven during daylight hours and only four miles from the address on the registration certificate. In addition, golf carts can only be driven on roads in which the speed limit is 35 mph or less.

Daylight hours means after 6 a.m. and no later than 6 p.m.

However, when daylight saving time ends, the time shifts from after 6 a.m. and no later than 8 p.m.

Golf carts are allowed on Horry County beaches from Nov. 1 through Feb. 28. However, you must have a valid state permit and they have to be driven by a licensed driver.

Myrtle Beach prohibits cruising from 2 to 6 a.m. from May 1 through Labor Day. But after that, drivers are free to travel the boulevard as much as they want.

Cruising is defined by the city ordinance as “driving a motor vehicle, or causing or allowing a motor vehicle to be driven, past a traffic control point between 3rd Avenue South and 21st Avenue North on Ocean Boulevard two or more times in any two-hour period between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. during the period from May 1 through Labor Day of each year.”

There’s no restriction on what time of day dogs are allowed on the beach after Labor Day through April 30 in the city of Myrtle Beach.

In North Myrtle Beach, there is no time restriction for dogs from Labor Day through May 15.

During the summer season, dogs are not permitted on the beach during certain times of the day in both cities.

While your pooch must still be on a leash, and you must pick up and dispose of their droppings, your pet can enjoy a romp in the sand or water any time.

Bicycles are allowed on the boardwalk anytime after Labor Day through April 30. After April, they are only allowed from 5 to 10 a.m.

That goes for dogs as well.

There is always the question of kind of umbrella is allowed on area beaches, especially when it comes to the popular Shibumi Shade.

From Memorial Day through Labor Day, only circular umbrellas, up to 7 1/2 feet in diameter are allowed in the city of Myrtle Beach

But after Labor Day, tents and shading devices are allowed on the beach in both Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach. However, there still are guidelines for what size.

If you’re under the age of 18, the city of Myrtle Beach has a year-round curfew between midnight and 6 a.m.

That means a minor can’t be in a public place during the curfew hours.

In North Myrtle Beach, it’s against the law for any person to ride a surfboard or skimboard on the public beach or any waters near between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. from May 15 through Labor Day except in designated areas.

However, after Labor Day, the ocean is open to any surfer, anytime.

This story was originally published November 5, 2024, 9:01 AM.