Who doesn’t love a craft beer? Downtown Myrtle Beach wants to be a hot spot for things to do in Myrtle Beach. Located a short walk from the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, this area has the quaint look of a downtown that can be very inviting. This area will boast restaurants, brewery, shops and more.
Called Grand Strand Brewing Company, the microbrewery would occupy the first floor of a two-story building fronting Nance Plaza in the Five Points District. The space, located at 819 North Kings Highway, is the former site of a business called Beach Bingo. According to longer-term plans, Grand Strand Brewing Company would feature a taproom serving a range of handcrafted beers, and a small commercial kitchen located on-site would allow local restaurants and chefs to prepare foods that pair well with the microbrewery’s craft-brew offerings.
Plans call for the second floor of the building to become a “maker-and-event space” dubbed The Maker Exchange, which would stage private and community events such as weddings and art classes. The Maker Exchange would also feature a pair of flexible conference rooms and a commercial catering kitchen.
The target timeline given calls for having the spaces for Grand Strand Brewing Company and The Maker Exchange renovated and open for business by summer of 2020.
About the Planned Arts & Innovation District
Found in the area of downtown Myrtle Beach formally known as the Superblock, the planned Arts & Innovation District is part of an effort to revitalize the area based on the Downtown Redevelopment Corporation’s Master Plan. The vision for the district is to bring an eclectic vibe to the area, which includes the section of downtown a few blocks inland from the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk where Main Street, Broadway Street, Oak Street and Ninth Avenue North cross paths.
The master plan was developed after a group of consultants spent six months gathering input from parties likely to be affected by the changes, including business owners, residents, city leaders and others. The effort’s ultimate goal is to create a vibrant, thriving urban center that capitalizes on diversity and serves as a sought-after destination for residents and visitors well into the future.
“The idea here is to make it much more of a destination for our residents to enjoy the arts and enjoy a much more diverse sort of experience,” Myrtle Beach City Manager John Pedersen said at a recent meeting of the Myrtle Beach City Council.
As currently proposed, plans for the district will also include:
- a performing arts center
- a new library
- a new museum or two
- new city offices
- a creative co-work space geared toward start-up businesses and budding entrepreneurs
- a new city square for events and activities
Forward-Looking Venture
According to officials, proposed rents for spaces in the district would be modest at first, as one major goal would be to create an incubator area for new businesses. Attracting artists and entrepreneurs to the district would also create an inviting cultural atmosphere in the area, which would increase the potential for attracting new business and residential projects nearby.
“Making sure we are building a city not for yesterday, not for today, but for 50 or 100 years from now,” John Krajc, the president of the Five Points Association, said of the project’s goal in an August 2019 WMBF News feature on the Arts & Innovation District. “I think so often as people, as government even, and sometimes business owners, we get concerned about what’s going to happen five or 10 years from now, because that’s our life span. But we don’t think 50 or 100 years from now, and that’s where our minds need to be.”
For more information on plans for the new Arts & Innovation District, visit the City of Myrtle Beach’s website at cityofmyrtlebeach.com.
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