1300 Hospital Dr #220
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
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Struggling with Knee or Shoulder Pain that won't improve?
From serious sports injuries causing tissue damage to bone issues and stiffness that comes with age, living with pain is, well, a pain. But it's more than that - it's a stressful, often upsetting way to get through your day, month, and year. Have you ever tried to get out of bed with sore, stiff knees? Most folks would rather just get back in bed. Think you might try exercising with plantar fasciitis? Don't plan on running far or doing cardio for very long. Torn rotator cuff? Without proper treatment, your life might not ever be the same.
Living with pain and the inevitable issues that come with age can seriously affect your wellbeing and happiness. Sure, you could wake up every morning and rely on addicting medications to help you move. Or, you could risk further injury and damage with invasive surgeries that require long periods of recovery and downtime. But those can't be the only two options for treatment, can they?
Fortunately, a new, natural, non-invasive treatment for pain is revolutionizing the medical industry and transforming people's lives. It's giving athletes, average folks, and people of a certain age a reason to be hopeful. It's called Softwave therapy, and unlike many fly-by-night medications and sketchy treatments, it's backed by science and provided by Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine.
If you're barely making it through the day suffering from chronic pain, this FDA-approved drug-free treatment may be for you. Softwave therapy has already been used by thousands of people around the country living with issues like shoulder pain, knee pain, and plantar fasciitis. You could be next.
Though its popularity has only grown in recent years, Softwave therapy - also known as shockwave therapy - has been around for years. In fact, the first systematic study into the benefits of shockwave therapy took place way back in 1950. So, what is Softwave therapy?
Softwave therapy is a method of treatment that works incredibly well for mobility rehab, pain relief, and full-body recovery, usually from chronic pain or injuries. Softwave therapy uses a device emitting low-energy soundwaves that target a patient's injured area. These low-intensity waves boost blood flow and kickstart your body's natural healing processes, relieving long-term pain and helping your body to heal a wide range of injuries and conditions.
The main targets in the body include bones, tendons, and other soft tissues, which are encouraged to regenerate and repair via the shockwaves. Often, shockwave therapy is used in conjunction with other non-invasive treatments like chiropractic care, which we offer at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine. The results are often incredible, leaving patients wondering why they never tried Softwave therapy before.
Softwave therapy works especially well for:
Better Blood Flow
Collagen Stimulation
Reducing Inflammation
Kickstarting cell growth and healing factors
Breaking down build-ups of calcium
With FDA clearance, little-to-no side effects, and quick application time, Softwave therapy is a welcome alternative for people suffering from pain. Who wants to spend weeks or months recovering from a surgery that might not even work? Likewise, who would want to become dependent on over-the-counter or, even worse, prescription pain meds? Living a life of addiction is a road nobody wants to go down.
Softwave therapy represents a revolution in non-invasive pain treatment; best of all, it's highly effective. Independent studies prove that shockwave therapy helps with pain. 65-91% of patients using shockwave therapy experienced real-deal improvements in damaged muscle and bone tissue, solving their mobility problems and drastically reducing pain. It almost sounds too good to be true, but as many patients at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine will tell you - it isn't.
Book AppointmentSome of the most common conditions that Softwave therapy treats include:
When you get up in the morning and go to the bathroom to brush your teeth, do you notice a stabbing, sharp pain near your heel? Does the pain go away once you have a chance to walk around? If so, you could have plantar fasciitis. According to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, this painful condition is quite common. About two million people suffer from plantar fasciitis every year, and almost 10% of all people will experience the condition at least once in their life.
This common foot issue happens when the plantar fascia - a fan-shaped tissue near your heel - gets inflamed. The plantar fascia is a thick strip of connective tissue that links your toes to your heel bone, helping to preserve the arch of your foot. When this band is strained, it causes intensely sharp pain, usually in the morning when you wake up and plant your feet on the floor.
Most folks ignore plantar fasciitis because the pain eventually goes away throughout the day. However, if left untreated, plantar fasciitis can lead to weakness and chronic pain, which may affect daily walking.
Some causes of plantar fasciitis include:
The short answer to this question is not really. Patients with plantar fasciitis will ice the affected area with little-to-no relief since they spend so much time on their feet. It's hard to rest an achy heel if you've got a job that requires you to be on your feet. Anti-inflammatory meds like Advil don't work all that well, either. They may provide temporary pain relief, but in terms of a long-term solution, taking these drugs will cause major side effects.
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When more conservative treatment options like ice and over-the-counter meds don't work, most doctors turn to ultra-expensive orthotics, steroid injections, or invasive surgery. For the average person, those options fail on all fronts, as they carry risks for side effects and may even cause the issue to worsen.
Instead of going under the knife or changing their daily routines, many people suffering from plantar fasciitis are turning to Softwave therapy for relief.
During a shockwave therapy session, our expert providers use a special probe to deliver pressure waves to inflamed tissue. These waves trigger natural healing processes causing new blood vessels to form. In turn, oxygen is supplied to the affected area, reducing inflammation and causing healthy cells to regenerate. Shockwave therapy also produces collagen, which is crucial for connective tissue health.
With just a few visits, many patients find long-term relief from plantar fasciitis without relying on strange drugs or harmful surgeries.
Living with knee pain is just miserable. From knee tendonitis to osteoarthritis, knee pain can prevent you from enjoying activities and affect your day-to-day life. Your knee is a joint comprised of cartilage, bone, ligaments, and fluids. Tendons and muscles within the knee help the joint move. When one of these crucial knee structures is hurt or compromised, it results in knee pain and long-lasting knee problems. This, in turn, leads to difficulty walking at best and debilitating knee issues at worse.
If you're an active person or somebody who plays sports often, you're probably all too familiar with knee pain - especially common conditions like patellar tendinopathy. Also called "jumpers knee," this issue happens at the patellar tendon, which is found on the front of the knee just under the knee cap. When living with this condition, most patients experience pain around the kneecap or lower down on the leg around the tibia.
In addition to injuries and issues like jumper's knee, everyday wear and tear will cause knee pain over time. With time, this knee pain can develop into arthritis. If your knees are swollen, painful, or stiff, you may have arthritis in your knees. Regardless of the kind of knee pain you're experiencing, treatment options have been limited to agonizing surgeries and addicting pain medications. But that all changes with shockwave therapy for knee pain in Pawley's Island, SC.
Though no two knee pain problems are exactly the same, shockwave therapy has been shown to be highly effective for knee pain. In fact, many patients at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine find relief after just one session. Many times, sessions can be completed in as little as 30 minutes. So if you want to find relief for knee pain on your lunch break, that's definitely possible.
As is the case with plantar fasciitis, Softwave therapy works by sending sound wave and low-energy impulses to the affected area of your knee. These pulses stimulate your body's healing factors, which can help regenerate and repair damaged tendons and tissues. Softwave therapy for knee pain is especially promising for people who have tried other treatments - like surgery and pain meds - with disappointing results.
Benefits include:
Several studies and reviews prove that Softwave therapy can be very beneficial for people suffering from knee pain problems like jumper's knee. A study involving 66 patients with knee pain found that they enjoyed a significant improvement in their reported pain levels with Softwave therapy. In fact, knee pain was reduced by nearly 50% after a single month. When combined with other regenerative and physical therapy treatments at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine, your days of living with knee pain are numbered.
Book AppointmentHere's a fact for you to consider: Every joint that you have in your body plays a part in your day-to-day life. But when we think of joint issues, we typically jump to knee issues. However, your knees aren't the only joints in your body to go through wear and tear. Your shoulders experience just as much, if not more, wear and tear than your knees. We put a strain on our shoulders just about every time we use or move our arms. Our shoulders play a pivotal part in living a normal life. When they begin to deteriorate over time due to age or overuse, it creates a litany of painful problems.
There are many causes of shoulder pain, like deterioration, inflammation, and trauma. Of the many painful shoulder conditions affecting Americans yearly, rotator cuff tendonitis and arthritis are very common. Also called calcific tendinitis, rotator cuff pain is caused by built-up calcium deposits on the shoulder's tendons, which connect your rotator cuff to nearby muscles and bones. This painful condition is usually linked to sports, like basketball and volleyball, or in professions requiring repetitive movements, like in the plumbing industry.
Some common symptoms of shoulder pain and rotator cuff tendinitis include:
Though strengthening exercises and some medications provide temporary relief for shoulder pain, they're not meant as long-term solutions. Luckily, Softwave therapy for rotator cuff pain in Pawley's Island, SC, can help.
Shockwave therapy has been shown to work wonders for shoulder pain. Low-intensity shockwaves break up calcium deposits and jumpstart your body's healing processes, stimulating blood flow and healthy cell growth. Shockwave treatment is especially effective for long-term shoulder pain since it releases stem cells, sends growth factors to the affected area, and boosts capillary production. Shockwave therapy has also been shown to break down scar tissue and eliminate trigger points, all of which decrease shoulder pain. This relief is most often long-lasting, unlike other treatments like medications and injections.
Many studies support the efficacy of Softwave therapy for shoulder conditions like rotator cuff pain and calcific tendonitis of the shoulder. In a study of 84 patients living with long-term rotator cuff tendonitis, participants in the treatment group saw a significant decrease in the intensity of their shoulder pain. Another study related to shockwave therapy for calcific tendonitis found that 86.6% of patients experienced fewer calcifications.
If you're having to live with rotator cuff pain or another type of shoulder issue, choosing Softwave therapy may be your best course of action.
Book AppointmentWhether you're sick of living with intense heel pain from plantar fasciitis, the mobility issues associated with knee pain, or the day-to-day struggles of rotator cuff degeneration, you'll find hope at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine. Unlike some medical clinics, our team of doctors and specialists focus on an integrative, multidisciplinary approach to healing. Instead of relying on addictive medications and invasive surgeries, we prefer to address the underlying causes that our patients face.
We combine several all-natural pain relief therapies so that your shoulder pain, knee pain, joint pain, and foot pain go away for good. We resolve pain by using healing treatments that restore function and improve mobility for the long term. Our state-of-the-art regenerative medicine treatments, used hand-in-hand with proven chiropractic techniques, will stimulate your body's healing power from within. If your pain is related to muscles, nerves, and bones, our doctors can help you overcome discomfort, injury, or medical conditions affecting these systems.
If you've been unable to resolve your pain or have become dependent on painkillers to cope, Softwave therapy may be the natural solution you need. It all starts with a quick call to our office, so we can begin to understand your needs. When you come for your first visit, our doctors will find the personalized treatment you need so that you can manage your pain in a non-invasive and drug-free environment manner.
Book AppointmentThere are some places that stick with you, and for Southern Living editor-in-chief Sid Evans, that place is Pawleys Island, South Carolina. He’s been visiting the tiny sliver of Lowcountry land most summers since he was 5 or 6 and says it’s still one of his favorite places. About 70 miles north of South Carolina and 25 miles south of Myrt...
There are some places that stick with you, and for Southern Living editor-in-chief Sid Evans, that place is Pawleys Island, South Carolina. He’s been visiting the tiny sliver of Lowcountry land most summers since he was 5 or 6 and says it’s still one of his favorite places. About 70 miles north of South Carolina and 25 miles south of Myrtle Beach, Pawleys has a loyal fan base despite its small stature. The entire barrier island is less than 4 miles long, and in most places, only about one house wide—which means water is everywhere you look. On the west, there’s an intricate network of salt marshes and creeks. On the east, you get gorgeous views of the Atlantic Ocean.
Though hurricane damage has brought some new and updated places to stay, at its heart Pawleys remains a lowkey Lowcountry getaway where the pace of your day depends entirely on your mood. “If you rent a place with a dock on the creek you can fish, crab, or just hang out and watch the sun set over the marsh,” Evans says. Keep reading for the 14 best things to do on Pawleys Island.
The historic heart of Pawleys all started with the Original Hammock Shop, which was established in 1938. Today, the vibrant shopping village consists of 21 unique local shops, two restaurants, a playground, and several outdoor gathering spaces. You can still get an original Pawleys Island Rope Hammock from the legendary store and see other historic buildings like The Schoolhouse and Waverly Building, two 1800s buildings that now house La Tierra Mineral Gallery and BisQit restaurant, respectively.
hammockshops.com; 10880 Ocean Hwy, Pawleys Island, SC 29585
Consult the Waccamaw Golf Trail, a collection of courses that spans Pawleys Island, Litchfield, and the surrounding area for a recommendation on where to play. The 18-hole course at Caledonia Golf & Fish Club has won multiple awards from golf publications for being a top public course. Another popular spot is the Jack Nicklaus-designed course at Pawleys Plantation.
Between Pawleys saltwater coast and its immense freshwater network of marshes, deltas, tidal creeks, and estuaries, there’s so much vibrant nature and wildlife to observe. On an ecotour with Pawleys Island Guide Services, you can expect to to spot everything from alligators, turtles, crabs, dolphins, and otters to a huge variety of birds including roseate spoonbill, osprey, blue heron, and wood storks.
pawleysislandguideservice.com; 577 Brace Drive, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-833-4477
It’s not hard to find the beach on Pawleys considering the entire island is only about a quarter-mile wide. Before you plant your umbrella in the sand, make a stop at Pawleys Island Supplies for all your beach day essentials. The old-school hardware and general store has everything you might need for a long day of fun in the sun, from floats and boogie boards to sun hats, shades, and snacks.
facebook.com/pawleysislandsuppplies; 10460 Ocean Highway, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-237-2912
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it’s worth paying a visit to this early 1900s Classical Revival-style church that still hosts Sunday services to this day. If you go, be sure to also spend time in the church cemetery, which was established in the 1820s and is famously the final resting place of local legend Alice Flagg (who’s said to haunt the Grand Strand) and celebrated poet and novelist James Dickey.
allsaintspawleys.org; 3560 Kings River Road, Pawleys Island, SC 29585
If you want to attend a Sunday service in one of the most gorgeous settings imaginable, the marsh side Pawleys Island Chapel is ready to welcome guests from June through August. Even if you don’t come for a sermon, be sure make the pilgrimage to see this iconic Pawleys Island spot.
pawleysislandchapel.com; 391 Myrtle Avenue, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-237-2000
Most of Pawleys Islands best attractions are 100% free, and this activity is no different. Evans recommends going to the Point, also known as the Southern tip of the island, at low tide to look for shark teeth. You never know what kind of treasures you might get to take home.
For some of the best food on the island, dine with Chef Adam Kirby at his two restaurants Rustic Table and Bistro 217. At Rustic Table, the former state chef ambassador serves up his signature style of Southern comfort food with dishes like country-fried steak with Sawmill sausage gravy and sweet tea collards and Cajun seafood gumbo. Save plenty of room for dessert because you’ll have a hard time deciding between favorites like the Pawleys Island Pie (made with chocolate chips and pecans) and the Roasted Banana & Chocolate Bread Pudding. At Bistro 217, Kirby flexes his culinary muscles in a different way with fun fusion dishes like Korean Chili Seared Salmon with udon noodles and gochujang dashi and Horseradish-Encrusted Pork Schnitzel with roasted potatoes, kale, sauteed onions, and chasseur sauce.
rustictable.com; 10683 Ocean Highways, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-314-0164bistro217.com; 10707 Ocean Highway, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-235-8217
There’s room for all at Frank’s, a Pawleys Island institution that has expanded over the years to include four dining venues and four bars, all on one sprawling property. Make reservations for a table in the main dining room or at Frank’s Outback (back patio). If you’re coming with last-minute plans, walk-ins are welcome in the Courtyard and Way Back Garden. All four dining locations, as well as all four bars, serve the full menu of chophouse steaks, seafood, and Southern favorites. Pro tip: The pimiento cheese is legendary so you should always start your meal with an order.
franksandoutback.com; 10434 Ocean Highway, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-237-3030
There’s no lovelier setting for a meal than under the canopy of Lowcountry live oaks in the Chive Blossom Café’s courtyard. Open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday through Saturday, the restaurant is known for blending Southern cuisine with influences from Mediterranean, France, and Asia. Be sure to try chef Tina Renualt’s famous crab soup, then choose whatever sounds best from the ever-changing seasonal menu.
chiveblossom.com; 85 N Causeway Rd, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-237-1438
The all-day menu at BisQit, located in the Hammock Shops Village, has something for every craving. Of course, there’s a whole list of biscuit sandwiches (try the Lowcountry with root beer-braised pork belly, smoked gouda, slaw, and bearnaise aioli), but there are also burgers, pancakes, tacos, chicken fingers, fried shrimp, and even a lobster roll.
bisqitsc.com; 10880 Ocean Hwy Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-979-2747
This local bakery is the place to go for a grab-and-go meal that can easily be toted to the beach, or for a decadent dessert to sweeten up your day. Pick your meat, cheese, bread, and toppings for a breakfast or lunch sandwich. Or choose from a selection of breakfast pastries that includes croissants, donuts, scones, muffins, cinnamon rolls, and more. Desserts range from cookies and bars in dozens of flavors to cupcakes.
pawleysislandbakery.com; 10517 Ocean Highway, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-237-3100
Perched on the dunes of Litchfield Beach, The Litchfield Inn offers everything you need for a comfortable getaway. There are oceanfront rooms so you can drink in the gorgeous views at all times of day. Private beach access is just steps from your room, so the sandy shores are never far. Start your day with the hearty breakfast buffet at Tide to Table restaurant, and when you need to refuel later, the Tide Beach Bar has a fun coastal-inspired menu that includes refreshing Tiki drinks and grouper tacos.
litchfieldinn.com; 1 Norris Drive, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 855-213-9070
The Sea View Inn has been welcoming guests since 1937 and has been in the capable hands of Sassy and Brian Henry since 2002. Every room on property has a view of either the ocean or the marsh. Exhibiting true Southern hospitality, the Sea View still serves two meals to guests daily: breakfast starting at 8:30 a.m. and a “dinner” meal served at 1:15 p.m. that might include fried chicken, vegetables, homemade biscuits, and dessert.
seaviewinn.net; 414 Myrtle Avenue, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-237-4253
A winter weather event is expected to descend on the Myrtle Beach area.Snow is expected to start in the Myrtle Beach area between 3 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday with the worst of the snowfall happening between 8 p.m. on Tuesday to 3 a.m. on Wednesday, the NWS’s latest forecast said. Snowfall will most likely end between 3 a.m. to 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning.Updated 8:30 P.M. - Jason Lee, JLee@thesunnews.com...
A winter weather event is expected to descend on the Myrtle Beach area.
Snow is expected to start in the Myrtle Beach area between 3 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday with the worst of the snowfall happening between 8 p.m. on Tuesday to 3 a.m. on Wednesday, the NWS’s latest forecast said. Snowfall will most likely end between 3 a.m. to 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning.
Updated 8:30 P.M. - Jason Lee, JLee@thesunnews.com
Check out the images here.
Updated 6 P.M. - Elizabeth Brewer, Ebrewer@thesunnews.com
The cold weather has arrived and a heavy blast of snow and sleet will soon follow in northeast South Carolina and southeast North Carolina, according to an afternoon weather briefing from the National Weather Service in Wilmington, N.C..
Expected snow and sleet accumulations have increased again throughout the Pee Dee region and coastal North Carolina.
As of 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, the NWS is predicting 4 to 5 inches of snow in Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Conway and Surfside Beach.
In Wilmington, the NWS predicts between 5 and 6 inches of snow will accumulate.
The snowfall is likely to start between 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, with the greatest amount falling between 8 p.m. Tuesday and 3 a.m. Wednesday.
Click here to read more.
Updated 4:35 P.M. - Ben Morse, bmorse@thesunnews.com
With a winter storm approaching the Myrtle Beach area and expected to drop between two and three inches of snow, some of the region’s most popular destinations are changing their hours of operation in response.
MarshWalk in Murrells Inlet announced via its Facebook page that several of its restaurants, including Wahoo’s Fish House and Bovine’s, will close Jan. 21 to 22, 2025, due to the storm. The Wicked Tuna at MarshWalk also announced via its Facebook that it will close early at 5 p.m. Jan. 21, 2025, due to the winter storm.
Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach has not announced changes to its hours on social media, and a spokesperson did not return a request for comment before publication.
Click here to read more.
Updated 1:10 P.M.
Here are the street closures and trash updates from the City of Myrtle Beach as the winter storm approaches.
Updated 1:05 P.M.
The North Myrtle Beach Public Works Department suggests the following safety precautions and advises that bridges and critical Public Safety areas have been pretreated with salt brine to reduce the risk of ice accumulation. A second treatment was applied early this morning, focusing on major intersections to ensure safer travel conditions for commuters and emergency vehicles, according to an email from the City of North Myrtle Beach.
The North Myrtle Beach Fire Department has increased staffing levels for all shifts from Tuesday through Thursday to provide rapid response to potential emergencies, the email said.
Public Safety Recommendations from North Myrtle Beach
Photos by The Sun News photographers at the past rare winter storm events that have struck the Myrtle Beach, S.C. area.
As winter weather and the threat of snow hit the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area, here are what places will close due to inclement weather.
With the possibility of a winter storm hitting the Myrtle Beach area, folks around the Grand Strand can stay up to date on beach snow and road conditions without leaving the comfort of home with dozens of live streaming cameras.
The National Weather Service forecasts that the coastal Horry area may get freezing temperatures and possible wintry precipitation this week.
You can check out live views of the Grand Strand coastline for yourself with live streaming cameras from local businesses, hotels and outlets from Little River to Pawleys Island.
This story was originally published January 21, 2025 at 11:36 AM.
PAWLEYS ISLAND — A new Pawleys Island restaurant is serving up classic Southern comfort foods with a hint of creative flair.Brandon Wallace, head chef and co-owner of Pawleys Fish Camp, is a Georgetown County native. He said he wanted to create a place with an authentic Lowcountry menu — something that would remind locals of...
PAWLEYS ISLAND — A new Pawleys Island restaurant is serving up classic Southern comfort foods with a hint of creative flair.
Brandon Wallace, head chef and co-owner of Pawleys Fish Camp, is a Georgetown County native. He said he wanted to create a place with an authentic Lowcountry menu — something that would remind locals of the food they ate growing up.
“I try to put a little twist on it, you know, to bring it up to speed, but still keep those traditional roots from a long time ago,” Wallace said.
Pawleys Fish Camp is located along U.S. Highway 17 in the building that once housed Tuscany Bistro.
Its menu includes such dishes as lobster mac and cheese, oysters Rockefeller with smoked collard greens, and 12-hour braised beef brisket, plus traditional samplers featuring hushpuppies and honey butter.
Wallace has over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry. He’s worked in several other Pawleys restaurants, including Frank's, Bistro 217 and The Chive Blossom Restaurant and Bar. He also spent time working at a Connecticut restaurant and at a country club in Blythewood.
Pawleys Fish Camp celebrated its soft opening on Jan. 14. Wallace said the restaurant received rave reviews from its first customers.
“It wasn’t soft, I’ll tell you that. Right at four o’clock, they (the customers) piled in. It was beautiful,” Wallace said. He added that the fried deviled eggs, in particular, were a huge hit.
Andrea Brunson attended the soft opening. She ordered the fried shrimp and dirty grits. She enjoyed the entree, but like many other customers, her favorite dish of the night was the fried deviled eggs.
Wallace said Pawleys Fish Camp already has plans to expand its offerings to include live entertainment and Sunday brunches. At the moment, the restaurant is only open for dinner, but it will start serving lunch in the coming months.
"We're just kind of taking our time right now with the winter and everything, getting acclimated with the menu that we have," he said. "And before we rush into something else, we want to do it right."
The community responded to the restaurant’s opening with a surge of support.
Brunson said she's been eating Wallace's food for years, having hired him to cater private events. She also went to school with Alfonzo Allen, who co-owns the restaurant with Wallace. She said she’s excited for them to be embarking on this new venture and is confident the restaurant will be a welcome addition to Pawleys Island.
"It's going to be great for the community," she said. "I think everybody's going to love it.”
Correction: Pawleys Fish Camp opened this week. An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the name of the restaurant. It has been updated to include the correct name.
PAWLEYS ISLAND — Donna Shafer remembers the collapse of the Pawleys Island pier well.On her first beach outing after Hurricane Ian’s landfall in 2022, she was shocked to find the front of the pier had broken off during the storm and been carried out to sea."We came down and said, 'Oh my God, the bridg...
PAWLEYS ISLAND — Donna Shafer remembers the collapse of the Pawleys Island pier well.
On her first beach outing after Hurricane Ian’s landfall in 2022, she was shocked to find the front of the pier had broken off during the storm and been carried out to sea.
"We came down and said, 'Oh my God, the bridge is gone,'" Shafer said.
The pier, once over 800 feet long, was cut in half. It's remained that way ever since.
Now, it could be torn down to make way for something new.
Plans are underway to demolish the existing pier and to build a nearly identical one in its place, said John Felton, vice president of the Pawleys Island Pier Village HOA.
The 32-year-old pier is privately owned by the HOA, which means the group has taken the lead on the reconstruction project. It will largely be funded by insurance money collected after the pier's collapse.
The HOA is waiting to get permits from the Bureau of Coastal Management and the Army Corps of Engineers, Pawleys Island Town Administrator Daniel Newquist said. From there, the group will obtain a building permit.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2025, Felton said. Building could start sooner, but was delayed to avoid disrupting residents and visitors during the busy summer tourist season.
The new pier would be built in the footprint of the original structure and have the same primary features. It would be a wooden pier and feature a gazebo that closely resembles the one that was lost in the storm. Cape Romaine, the same contractor that built the original pier, will be in charge of construction.
Building the new pier is expected to take between 12 and 18 months, Felton said. The town plans to monitor construction activity on the beach to ensure the safety of beachgoers.
Pawleys residents have mixed feelings about the pier. Some people love it, but others resent the fact that it’s privately owned and only accessible to Pawleys Pier Village residents and renters.
Pat Killian, who strolled beneath the pier on a bright, windy afternoon, said she was indifferent about the reconstruction. She said the project won't make much of a difference in her life because she can’t walk on the pier anyway.
"It looks nice the way it is," she said.
Others, like Shafer, are more enthusiastic.
Shafer walks her two golden retrievers on the beach almost every day. Although she typically strolls in the opposite direction of the pier, she said she’s excited to see it rebuilt.
Many community members will be interested in the project, Newquist said. The pier has long served as a landmark, even for those not able to walk across it. For many, it's a lingering reminder of the storm that damaged it.
"You know, it's what people remember, certainly from Hurricane Ian, being kind of in awe of the damage that was caused by that particular storm," Newquist said.
Felton also believes people will appreciate seeing the pier restored, especially considering its significance to the area.
"It's important that we bring it back to the island and let it continue to be part of what makes Pawleys," he said.
PAWLEYS ISLAND — For many, TAZ Boutique was more than a clothing store.It was a place to share wine and secrets among the racks of brightly colored clothes. It was a sisterhood.Faye Altman, who owned TAZ for over 12 years, described a strong sense of community between the store's staff and its customers."It wasn’t a department store," Altman said. "It’s kind of like Cheers, the bar. You knew their names ...
PAWLEYS ISLAND — For many, TAZ Boutique was more than a clothing store.
It was a place to share wine and secrets among the racks of brightly colored clothes. It was a sisterhood.
Faye Altman, who owned TAZ for over 12 years, described a strong sense of community between the store's staff and its customers.
"It wasn’t a department store," Altman said. "It’s kind of like Cheers, the bar. You knew their names when they walked through the door."
But after 25 years, the beloved Pawleys Island-area boutique is closing. It will be running a liquidation sale through Dec. 21.
Altman said she's closing the store because she's retiring and plans to visit Europe. She said it’s been difficult to let go of the store because she knows how much it’s meant to people in Pawleys.
"It’s bittersweet, because you hate to close it, but you know it’s time to move on and do other stuff," Altman said.
With roughly 6,700 followers on Facebook, TAZ attracted a dedicated customer base that persisted until the end. The brand also gained traction in other areas of the state, which prompted Altman to open a location in Greenville in 2014, which she later sold.
Many of the boutique's loyal customers said they were dismayed that TAZ would be leaving the Pawleys community.
Robin Agnew has been shopping with TAZ for over 20 years. She was first a customer at the store's original location near Litchfield Beach, which was opened by Leslie Sloan in 1999.
“I’ll miss it, it’s been a great store,” she said. “I’m a little broken up about it.”
A furniture and home accessory store will be moving into the building when TAZ leaves, Altman said. The store is expected to open in March.
Shopping in your sister’s closet
When asked about her favorite memories of the boutique, Altman grinned.
"I would probably break a lot of confidences if I told, because we did a lot of wild stuff here," she said.
Altman likened the customer experience at TAZ to "shopping in your sister’s closet." She always wanted her customers to feel at home in the bright and spacious boutique.
Julia Sullivan, who shopped at TAZ for over a decade, said visiting the store was like spending a day with friends. She and the staff members would routinely catch up on each other's personal lives, and Sullivan fondly remembers listening to her husband chat with Altman over a glass of wine while she tried on clothes.
"It was just such a fun experience," Sullivan said. "And you know, there’s not a lot of shops around here like that."
For most of her time at TAZ, Altman was the buyer for the store. That meant she was often traveling to markets along the East Coast to handpick items for the boutique. Many times, she would buy items with specific customers in mind.
If someone had a special event coming up, she would look for pieces that would fit their style. Altman often sold the pieces before she even came back to Pawleys Island.
Altman said she enjoyed getting to share in the lives of her clients. She dressed many of them for weddings, rehearsal dinners and other special events.
“We shared a lot of memories, a lot of secrets, a lot of good times.” Altman said.
One really good black dress
Before she owned TAZ, Altman spent 40 years as an interior designer. She had a successful career that included designing the Southern Living Home in Brookgreen Gardens.
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