This iconic downtown Myrtle Beach restaurant is moving north

The Library, an iconic Myrtle Beach restaurant since 1974, is moving out of downtown Myrtle Beach.

“I hate to move a place after 43 years, but I feel like I’ll lose the restaurant anyways,” said owner Shad Velasco, who has owned the restaurant since 2003.

Velasco said that he has “been looking for a while to get out of this area,” but a recent increase in violent crimes and an influx of homeless people has made the process move faster.

“It’s just not a place for a three star restaurant anymore,” said Velasco.

The restaurant is moving to 6613 North Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach, with an end goal of July.

Velasco hopes to be out of the downtown location by the end of May.

This past weekend, a shooting at Circle K, about a block from the restaurant, acted as one of the final incidents in the decision to move.

“With the shooting happening around the block, it makes it easier for me to move,” said Velasco.

This is not the first time that crime has happened around The Library, with multiple incidents occurring along the Superblock, including a shooting at Club Levelz and the recent Pure Ultra Club shooting.

Of course, the building itself where The Library is located has been affected by shootings throughout the years. According to Velasco, about 10 years ago a shooting occurred during Bikefest and was based around the Civil War Museum, which was located next to The Library. Velasco said that a bullet landed in the front window of The Library, where it still remains.

While crime is not new to the area, Velasco believes that it has increased over the past two to three years, and he only sees it growing worse.

“It’s dangerous for me, my staff and my customers,” Velasco said.

Velasco has not only taken crime into consideration while contemplating the move, but the “dilapidated” conditions of downtown Myrtle Beach also helped him to make his final decision.

According to Velasco, downtown Myrtle Beach seems to be “rundown, leaking and falling apart.”

“If the owners of the land were to get together and clean up the area, it would help clean up the riff raff in the area,” said Velasco.

While new developments have been promised in the area, Velasco believes that the city is mainly focusing on the boardwalk.

“I don’t see anything being spent on this side of the road,” said Velasco.

When asked whether iconic downtown Myrtle Beach would be changed much by the move, Velasco said that he didn’t think that downtown would even miss The Library.

According to Velasco, many businesses downtown are low-end, while more fine dining establishments are in found in the northern ends of Myrtle Beach.

Right now, Velasco said that he is “losing business left and right” because of the circumstances of downtown Myrtle Beach.

With the move Velasco hopes to double his business.

“[My customers] will frequent it more often because they won’t have to deal with coming downtown,” said Velasco.

This story was originally published March 16, 2017 at 5:53 PM with the headline "This iconic downtown Myrtle Beach restaurant is moving north."