Myrtle Makers: Craftsmanship At The Beach

Village Surf Shoppe, 500 Atlantic Ave., Garden City Beach

This little surf shop that could has been around since 1969 in Garden City, and Kelly Richards’ handcrafted boards are renowned in waters worldwide. From start to finish (about four to six weeks), he hand shapes all his custom and stock Perfection brand surfboards.

10880 Ocean Highway, Pawleys Island

The homemade hammocks of Pawleys Island have been a longtime Lowcountry tradition for more than a century. The first one, as the story goes, was woven by riverboat captain Joshua John Ward to get a cooler, more comfortable good night’s sleep in the summer heat. Today these rope hammocks are still handwoven daily in the Weaver’s Shed located next door to the retail shop within the Hammock Shops Village.

708 12th Ave., Conway

The husband-and-wife team of Ed and Barb Streeter have been hand-blowing glass at Conway Glass for more than 30 years. The couple is known for their handmade, customized glass vessels, ornaments, stained glass windows, public art installations, and more. The gallery is open to shop every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., by appointment, or you can order the handcrafted items online. Or you can book an onsite hand-blowing class. The Conway Glass studio also doubles as the main hub for their ARTyRV Glass Studio YouTube channel.

593 SC-90E, Little River

As one of 17 distilleries in South Carolina, Twelve 33 produces nine handcrafted spirits from locally sourced grains and fresh ingredients: vodka, gin, rum, and whiskey varietals in small batches. Husband-wife owners Kevin and Rebecca Osborn named their craft distillery after the date that Prohibition ended on December 5, 1933. Choose to sample from Twelve 33’s tasting menu, order from a menu of seasonal signature cocktails, or take a guided tour that ends in the distillery’s speakeasy.

819 N. Kings Highway, heart of Myrtle Beach

Grands Strand Brewing Co. (GSB), just one of the craft breweries on the Myrtle Beach Beer Trail, is located in the newly renovated Nance Plaza in downtown Myrtle Beach with killer ocean views. Tap into any of their nearly dozen craft beers brewed onsite, from IPAs to lagers and more, and munch on grub from their pub menu.

3026 Nevers St., Market Common, Myrtle Beach

This family-owned woodwork retail shop in The Market Common is run, as the name implies, by brothers Adam and Mark Landry. Their handcrafted furniture pieces and artwork are beautifully made from American-sourced materials – some are even further transformed with epoxy and resin. Two Brothers starts the woodworking process by harvesting whole fallen logs, plaining the wood, and giving it a new life that leads to the finished product.

1120 St. Joseph Rd, Little River

The centuries-old vines of La Belle Amie are rooted in a family farm in Little River. Today, the vineyard boasts an outdoor deck, a tasting room for its Twisted Sisters line of muscadine wines, a retail shop, and a year-round schedule of live music and outdoor festivals. Sip on the Bless Her Heart drier white, Cabana Boy peachy white, Ice Queen sweet, sweet white, or Sweet Baby Blues blueberry blend—or all four!

1519 Executive Ave, Myrtle Beach

Since 1984, Native Sons has been taking a blank canvas (T-shirts, hats, hoodies, and more) and printing fun beach-based graphics. You can also shop online for their vintage line and Coastal Carolina University apparel.

The Myrtle Beach area has a bounty of talented homegrown artists selling their creations in studios or festivals. Pick up original art in a variety of mediums at any of these art galleries: Kaleidoscope Artisan Collective, Seacoast Artist Guild, William H. Miller, Rebecca Z Artist Studio, Cheryl Newby Gallery, Gray Man Gallery, and Gallery on Main.

Palmetto Cheese, the pimento cheese produced by Pawleys Island Specialty Foods, first debuted in local market outlets throughout Pawleys Island and Georgetown, South Carolina, in 2006. And it’s been a hit ever since. Try the original blend, Palmetto Cheese with jalapeños, and Palmetto Cheese with bacon. Find them at most boutique grocery stores across The Grand Strand.