Wedding & Event Venue Near Conway, SC

Anthony Ludovici-DeBrigida knew he wanted to open his own pizzeria. His family had run one, and he’d been in the business for years.

Ludovici-DeBrigida contacted a real estate professional to help him and his wife find a location in the Myrtle Beach area, and the realtor found a spot in downtown Conway. The location previously housed the Pickled Cucumber restaurant that opened in 2018. However, Ludovici-DeBrigida said the owners wanted to retire, and the restaurant closed in late June 2024.

At 1129 3rd Ave, the location is in the heart of downtown Conway, and Ludovici-DeBrigida opened Anto’s Pizza Romana & Italian Market in October 2024.

“I just kind of fell in love with the location,” he added.

Ludovici-DeBrigida wasn’t the only one who became infatuated with Conway. Several new restaurants of all varieties have opened in the area recently.

In addition to Anto’s opening in October 2024, the healthy foods restaurant Bowled also opened a second location in Conway. The self-serve beer restaurant Palmetto Taps began serving drinks in downtown Conway in August 2024. The owners of River City Cafe plan to start a new restaurant in Conway, and the Myrtle Beach-based wing place Kluck It announced plans to expand into Conway.

The prevalence of restaurants in Conway represents a change from how the area looked, particularly in the downtown area. Hillary Howard is the executive director of the Conway Downtown Alliance, which tries to generate economic activity in downtown areas. Howard said that when she started in 2009, downtown had 50 empty storefronts, and the downtown alliance had to create illusion-like activities to bring life to the area.

“We did a whole campaign where we put posters of residents in all the empty storefronts to at least try to bring some activation to those storefronts,” Howard said.

At the time, Conway was more focused on bringing in tourists, which Howard said didn’t serve the area. Locals can visit daily, whereas tourists usually visit for a couple of hours one day out of their vacation. Howard said that 2017 the strategy change was more focused on locals.

Howard said three things helped bring Conway residents downtown to eat. Hurricane Florence in 2018 spurred locals to hurt eateries impacted by the storm. Construction on the Main Street Bridge in 2019 deterred locals from traveling past the Intracoastal Waterway to eat and instead dine in Conway.

Then, during the coronavirus pandemic, restaurants transitioned to curbside pick-up, and Howell said these things helped spur Conway’s burgeoning reputation as a place to eat. Now, more than 20 restaurants in the downtown area draw in patrons.

“Coming out of the pandemic, the restaurants have just not slowed down at all,” She added.

Howell claimed that the number of people dining in Conway has nearly doubled since 2021. Part of this new profile also includes events. The City of Conway hosts events year-round, with peak season during the holidays.

The goal is to have people attend an event downtown, then walk around the city and eat in one of the restaurants. This is partially achieved by limiting the number of food trucks and similar vendors who would take competition away from area restaurants.

“A lot of folks don’t realize that our entire core downtown fits in the same footprint of a Walmart,” Howard added. “If you’re willing to park at Walmart, I walk to the back and get your milk; you’re not walking any further than you are in downtown.”

The restaurants also help local businesses by drawing people to dine and then perusing downtown shops. Russell Fowler co-owns The Haberdashery Gentlemen’s Clothiers, Her Dashery and Black Water Market in Conway.

Fowler is a Conway native who’s been in operation for 36 years and said the downtown’s rebranding as a dining destination for locals helped invigorate the area after shopping malls and other large retail outlets drew businesses and locals away.

He added that locals visit restaurants before walking to one of the storefronts afterward to shop.

“There’s a lot of synergy in Conway because even though there are a lot of different types of food, we’re all kind of on the same page as far as the clientele that we’re reaching out for,” Fowler added. “Four or five friends will come over here and spend the day in Conway, shopping, eating, and just enjoying the ambiance of the downtown. That’s just the type of person that we gear to.”

And more restaurants could open in Conway to draw more diners in. Howell said that the area could use a seafood restaurant. She added a small plate, and a bourbon restaurant and steakhouse might also be nearby.

Howell added that the area’s restaurant industry will continue to expand as long as Conway’s gets bigger.

“Right now, population, growth, I mean, it’s through the roof,” Howell said. “Until we see that plateau, we’re still going to see the introduction of restaurants that we all really would like.”

The Sun News

Ben Morse is the Retail and Leisure Reporter for The Sun News. Morse covers local business and Coastal Carolina University football and was awarded third place in the 2023 South Carolina Press Association News Contest for sports beat reporting and second place for sports video in the all-daily division. Morse previously worked for The Island Packet, covering local government. Morse graduated from American University in 2023 with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism and economics and is originally from Prospect, Kentucky.

Horry County Council gave third and final approval for a zoning change which will allow 116 residential units on 47 acres off Cates Bay Highway near Conway.

The land, on Spring Beauty Drive, is currently zoned rural forest agriculture and will be rezoned to multi-residential one. Council approved a rezoning request on third reading for the parcel at the Tuesday, Nov. 12 council meeting.

Council met and approved the rezoning request, which was listed on the consent agenda, with no discussion despite the project being voted down 6-1 by the county’s planning commission.

Al Allen, council member representing District 11 where the project is planned, said he approved the project because the development agreement would improve stormwater drainage in the area and that staff recommended the project.

“Staff approved it. The planning commission disapproved it because our planning commission member was not there that night to represent it fully, and so all standards have been met,” Allen said. “It is going to actually improve and help the drainage in that area, which was the biggest concern.”

Unrelated to that particular project but related to growth in the county as a whole, resident Stefanie Chiapetta spoke on behalf of Horry County Residents for Responsible Building at the public comment portion of the council meeting. The organization has been collecting signatures (947 so far in person and online) for a petition asking for a pause in development in the county.

“Where once stood a family-friendly area replete with small town charm, we now face overdevelopment. Iconic landmarks, wetlands and wooded tracts that once painted the character of our county are being demolished and destroyed for more urban sprawl that the county cannot sustain,” Chiapetta said. “The construction boom in Horry County is straining our resources to the limit.”

The “sustainable development standard” requirements listed in the ordinance for the Cates Bay development include a 100% increase in the required active recreational space such as yards and sidewalks, and three “pocket parks” to be built on separate lots in the housing community to add green space. The project would be 2.47 dwelling units per acre, a rezoning review sheet describes. The minimum lot size is 10,000 square feet. The county’s comprehensive plan had a future land use designation of rural for that location, but council also approved a change of the land use designation to “rural communities” at Tuesday’s meeting.

At the planning commission meeting where the project was voted against, residents brought up concerns about flooding, density and traffic. Paved roads and roofs of homes increase the amount of “impervious surfaces” which exacerbates flooding issues. According to the rezoning review sheet, the project’s traffic impact is expected to cause 928 “projected daily trips.”

Schools are already full in the area, according to the rezoning review, with Whittemore Park Middle School at 107% capacity and Pee Dee Elementary School at 111% capacity.

The applicant for the rezoning is “Diamond Shores,” and the land has been owned by the same individual since 2006, land records show.

Other news

The surcharge fee that gambling vessels must pay per passenger was increased by Horry County Council. Big M Casino passengers will now pay a $15 per passenger surcharge starting in April 2025, which will increase to $18 in 2030. The current surcharge is $10 per passenger.

Horry County Council on Aging may soon have a new location. County Council approved on second reading an ordinance which would lease the site of the former Wampee Fire Station to the nonprofit. The lease terms are yet to be negotiated, and the ordinance is not fully approved until it goes through three readings, with the third reading scheduled for Dec. 10.

Tommy Cardinal is the managing editor of MyHorryNews. Reach him at 843-488-7244 or tommy.cardinal@myhorrynews.com. Follow him on X @BySTCardinal.

It’s fitting that Fred Falconbury operates his Conway antique store out of a more than 100-year-old building.

But now, after six years of leasing space in the barn-like structure for RoadRunner Antiques, Falconbury is being forced to move his antiques and old treasures to make room for a new development.

A Slim Chickens and Firehouse Subs will be built on the location at 2197 Church St. after the current building is torn down, Falconbury said.

According to an email from Jackie Lobdell, vice president of franchise development for Slim Chickens, it appears that the franchisee “had decided to move to a different location.” Lobdell said she didn’t have details about where the new location would be.

A new location will be the second for Slim Chickens in the Myrtle Beach area. The restaurant chain opened on Oct. 21 at 135 Sapwood Road in Myrtle Beach.

The John T. Henry Auction Co. in Conway sold the property a year ago, according to John T. “Teddy” Henry II.

Henry said the property has been owned by the family for years and “we just decided to sell it.”

Henry actually helped his father construct the building which came from an old school house in the Homewood section of Conway, he said. The now 76-year-old was in the 10th grade at the time.

The school house was being torn down in the 1960s and the Henrys used the lumber and beams to construct the building.

The family used the building for auctions and had a livestock market behind the main building, Henry said.

Falconbury has tastefully stocked and placed items throughout the spacious two-story building. Walking inside is like taking a step back in time.

“It’s sad to see it go,” Falconbury said.

The new store will be at 2579 Main St. in Conway.

The current place will be closed for two months in order to move the large quantity of items in the building. However, it should be in its new space by the beginning of the year, Falconbury said.

Billy Brand, Conway, SC— Billy Brand passed away peacefully on November 2, 2024, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was 63 years old and is remembered as a minister of the Gospel, a devoted husband, brother, uncle, and friend. His positive impact on those around him has left a lasting legacy.

His family, including his wife Deborah Brand, is now facing the challenge of managing final expenses and burial costs. A fundraiser has been organized to support them in this difficult time, with a goal of $15,000. So far, $50 has been raised through donations, including a contribution from Taylor Parks.

On social media, many have expressed their condolences and shared heartfelt memories. Samantha Nicole Mincey shared her sorrow, asking for prayers for both families during this challenging period. Numerous friends, including Carla Fowler, Pamela Lindsey, and Bill Wilburn, have sent their thoughts and prayers, highlighting the community’s support for the Brand family.

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Billy was known for his unwavering faith and strength, always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. He is remembered for the love he shared and the lessons he imparted, especially in teaching others about home improvement.

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The community mourns the loss of a truly remarkable individual whose spirit will continue to inspire those who had the privilege to know him.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Billy Brand’s family during this difficult time.

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Note:This post was written and edited by Leah Campbell, based on their expertise and research. It is intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. We welcome your feedback and questions on this content. Please feel free to contact us.

A large shopping center in the Conway area will be re-developed, and construction is expected to start soon.

Rise Partners bought the Coastal Centre property at 1610 Church St. in Conway and intends to re-develop it. The firm announced the purchase in a LinkedIn post.

Rise Partners is a commercial real estate firm focusing on commercial real estate and the development and re-development of properties. The company focuses on high-growth areas like the Grand Strand in the southeast United States.

Indeed, the firm has also invested in other South Carolina shopping centers and mixed-use projects in Rock Hill and Easley. According to Horry County Land Records, RP Coastal Centre LLC bought the parcels that make up the property for $14 million.

In an interview with The Sun News on Oct. 30, 2024, Rise Partners Partner Greg Wilson said that the firm was looking to bring in new national tenants to the shopping center, although he could not say who. Wilson added that the firm hopes to start construction on the project in 2025 and complete it sometime in 2026.

“We’re super excited about it,” Wilson said. “Conway is growing and needs better options in the market.”

Wilson added that the center would remain retail-focused, and no residential component would be part of the project. The Coastal Centre falls within Conway city limits.

City of Conway Public Information Officer June Wood wrote in an email to The Sun News that the city hadn’t received any plans from the developers for the Coastal Centre.

It’s not the only shopping center along the Grand Strand undergoing re-development. Construction and demolition on the Inlet Square Mall in Murrells Inlet started in October 2024, with rubble piling up.

The site plan includes converting the enclosed shopping mall with several distinct retail components, potentially including a residential component. Hobby Lobby and Home2 Suites have already been announced as tenants for the property.

The Sun News

Ben Morse is the Retail and Leisure Reporter for The Sun News. Morse covers local business and Coastal Carolina University football and was awarded third place in the 2023 South Carolina Press Association News Contest for sports beat reporting and second place for sports video in the all-daily division. Morse previously worked for The Island Packet, covering local government. Morse graduated from American University in 2023 with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism and economics and is originally from Prospect, Kentucky.