‘We put our heart, soul’ into it. Why this local spot left downtown Myrtle Beach
For Chase Masters and Landon Schultz-Zwahr, owning their own small business is a lifelong dream.
When they first heard about downtown Myrtle Beach’s promises of a new Arts and Innovation District with government support behind it, it sounded like the perfect place to open up their organic candle shop and workshop, Lucid Coast Candle Company.
“We grew it from the bottom. And we were fortunate enough, we were saving up money, and we loved the idea that the city was creating an arts district, because we just felt like it was something different and something amazing,” Masters said.
But after almost two and a half years of not getting the support they felt like was promised, they ultimately made the hard decision to leave their first Myrtle Beach storefront and move to the Tanger Outlets off of Highway 17 near North Myrtle Beach.
“We’re so happy to be here,” Masters said over the phone when they moved locations. “Tanger actually approached us, which we adore them. We did a small vendor event with them back in April, and one of their heads in the company came over and loved our business, and asked if we had any other locations, and it went from there.”
Some of the support for the candle business could have come from the Myrtle Beach Downtown Alliance, an organization that collaborates with businesses and residents to revitalize and develop downtown Myrtle Beach.
In response to an email requesting comment from The Sun News for this story, Michelle Cantey, spokesperson for the Myrtle Beach Downtown Alliance, wrote a lengthy response describing the nonprofit’s mission.
“The MBDA sponsors or hosts events in commercial corridors such as the historic district, Arts & Innovation district, Ocean Boulevard and Kings Highway,” part of Cantey’s email read. “We work with businesses to promote the greater downtown area and revitalization.”
Cantey said that the Downtown Alliance’s events are designed to draw residents and visitors to the downtown area, which directly benefits local shops, restaurants and attactions.
“We do not offer free advertising or promote specific businesses in a singular manner,” her email read. “We may share an event that a downtown business is hosting but not the business itself.”
According to City of Myrtle Beach documents, the Myrtle Beach Downtown Alliance has “an entire budget” of $2,267,144.
Masters and Schultz-Zwahr said they felt like their business did not receive free advertising or benefits of that budget during the time they were in the Arts and Innovation District.
“We tried our best to collaborate and stuff, and we had high hopes, and it was just, to be honest, we just always felt kind of pushed out, like we did,” Masters said. “We really do like, I could tell you a million stories about everything we tried to do. I would invest my own money.”
One specific event they helped organize with the help of other downtown businesses was a Halloween “Trunk or Treat,” which Masters and Schultz-Zwahr said was inspired by their favorite TV show “Bob’s Burgers.”
‘Never once supported’
The business was formerly located along 9th Avenue North across the street from the HTC Aspire Hub and the former Le Manna Bread bakery.
Lucid Coast’s decision to close its Arts and Innovation District storefront was a difficult one, Masters said. It’s one that other now-shuttered downtown businesses, including Le Manna Bakery, Dagwood’s Deli and ESA Fitness, have all made too.
“We put our heart, soul and everything into it,” Masters said of their downtown location. “I am a very emotional person. So even when I go near there, I get very, very emotional.”
Unlike other businesses on the stretch along 9th Avenue North that comprises the heart of the Arts and Innovation District according to online maps, Lucid Coast was not in a city-owned building, Masters said. He said their private landlord was fantastic and that was not a factor as to why they decided to leave downtown.
“It honestly was, it really was like a movie,” Masters said. “All the important people came in on our first day, and then never once came in again, like, never once supported in any way.”
Originally, Masters said his plan was to keep both locations and operate out of the Arts and Innovation District and as well as the new Tanger Outlets spot. But, he said after hiring a small team, they were met with more problems.
“We attempted to keep (the downtown) location going,” he said. “And the biggest factor aside from that was the lack of foot traffic, and I started to struggle hiring individuals due to safety concerns, and when that became a thing, not only us losing money at the location, but when that became a thing, and I was struggling to even hire people because of, because our job is, like, part time, it’s fun, it’s candle making.”
Following multiple fatal shootings in the late spring and early summer months, Schultz-Zwahr said there was concern for the safety of their employees closing up shop late at night and any customers who may be in a candle making workshop.
Cantey’s email directed claims about safety downtown to the City of Myrtle Beach.
“The City of Myrtle Beach can provide information on safety/foot traffic metrics in the A&I District, as well as other areas of downtown and the entire city,” her email read.