This downtown Myrtle Beach candle making company is driven by young entrepreneurs

Less than a week after its grand opening in downtown Myrtle Beach, Lucid Coast Candle Company was forced to close its doors.

It was time for a restock already.

The young entrepreneurs — Chase Masters is 24 and his partner Landon Schultz-Zwahr, 25 — brought their traveling boutique candle making concept into space along 9th Avenue North in the heart of what city leaders hope will be reborn as merchant district within a few years.

With products including “Pawley’s Front Porch,” “The Black Pearl,” “The Blvd.” and “Carolina Coastline,” the candles are designed not only to reflect some of the region’s most notable places, but also pay homage to it.

“Within the past year, I feel like I’ve seen this area transform already,” Masters said. “I’ve never felt unsafe over here at all and I feel like the only way to improve it is for people to come in, so we felt like it was the perfect spot for our business.”

Lucid Coast launched in 2021, with its handmade products being sold at farmers markets and breweries between Wilmington and Charleston.

Masters and Shultz-Zwahr then started working with local businesses like Tidal Creek Brewery and Grand Strand Brewing before finding a spot of their own.

The city has been aggressively snagging parcels for nearly a year, putting almost $30 million worth of funding into the plan to date.

In 2021, the city agreed to spend $15 million for a 10-parcel land buy targeting locations that have fallen into disrepair near its Arts and Innovation district: Two commercial properties, seven hotels and a vacant lot.

And three more were snapped up over the summer as part of an aggressive redevelopment plan covering its downtown and arts and innovation districts, approving $1.5 million worth of purchases for parcels along 8th Avenue North and North Kings Highway that will aid in storm water retention and allow for future private sector investment.

Masters said the city’s vision for a revitalized downtown and the prospect of more niche businesses filling in empty spaces influenced the decision to open Lucid Candle Company at its current site.

“I love the arts and innovation district idea. I think it’s something unique,” he said. “Just bringing more diversity to the city, that’s always a good thing anywhere.”

This story was originally published January 23, 2023 at 8:00 AM.