Could this historic fishing village in Horry County become a mini Murrells Inlet?
Steve Martin has a plan for Little River’s waterfront area.
The owner of Mako’s Marina Bar and Grill wants to turn the area into a mini MarshWalk, similar to the well-known boardwalk in Murrells Inlet where visitors can walk along the water from restaurant to restaurant.
The idea is not a new one. There has been hope for redevelopment of Little River’s waterfront for more than 30 years. Horry County set aside money for the effort, but lawsuits and what Martin described as “political fighting” has caused the funding to be held up or lost.
“I said, ‘OK, I need to do it on my own’,” Martin said.
The first phase of his plan was completed last week with the opening of a new tiki bar along the Intracoastal Waterway set behind the restaurant. The plans eventually call for a full marina and a boardwalk that connects Mako’s to the Casino M on the right and near Seabrisa’s Restaurant to the left.
But Martin’s hope is to extend the boardwalk to all the waterfront restaurants.
“You see what is going on in Murrells Inlet,” said Tim Marsh, whose company Blu Marsh Marina is doing the work for Martin. “Why not keep our locals and tourists” coming to the area.
Creating a ‘mini’ Murrells Inlet
Over the last year, Martin has worked to clean up along Water Front Avenue.
“We’ve cleaned it up a lot,” Martin said.
In addition to the restaurant he bought in 2024, he also purchased the Pilot House, a pub and restaurant that is located in one of the oldest buildings along the water. Martin had the building repainted.
And because parking is in such short supply in the area, he also purchased two lots to provide 118 additional parking spaces. While the lots will be paid parking, a voucher will be provided to drivers who can then redeem it for food at one of the nearby restaurants.
The boardwalk is the next phase in Martin’s plans. But for now, he’s taking it one step at a time.
Donny Kettner, owner of Crab Catchers and a board member of the Little River Chamber of Commerce, said while Martin is trying to do this on his own, it’s going to take a collective effort.
“Everyone wants this area to be cleaned up,” Kettner said.
Turning it into a “mini” Murrells Inlet would be beneficial for both residents and businesses, Kettner said.
“Whatever we can do to attract more people to this area,” he said.
Is county project moving forward?
Horry County set aside about $3.5 million to hire a master planner to oversee the project, The Sun News previously reported.
Horry County spokesperson Thomas Bell said by text that the county is currently in the procurement process for the project, which includes hiring a master planner and vendors for the work.
Last year, Jennifer Walters, president and CEO of the Little River Chamber of Commerce, told The Sun News that the county was previously withholding the money due to lawsuits involving waterfront businesses, including Crab Catchers, as well as the county attorney and zoning administrator.
Walters said Saturday that the Chamber is working to hire a master planner for the project, and it will be a while before any real progress news will be available.
“We want to make sure to do it right,” Walters said.
Kettner said that plans are in the works, but “when it all comes to fruition, I couldn’t tell you.”
Kettner said that the Chamber has been persistent in getting businesses on board as well as submitting plans and communicating with county officials.
Martin said he has been working with both county and state officials to get help in developing the area.
South Carolina Rep. William Bailey, who is the representative for District 104 in Horry County, said that the county is going to have to be the main player in moving the project along and “create an environment that Little River can enjoy.”
Bailey said because there are multiple areas and restaurants, it’s going to take some time to get much needed things such as road improvements, property extensions and natural gas.
Bailey is working on getting natural gas to the area which will help restaurants in their operations. He also helped in changing a state law last year that now allows the serving of food and drink over water with a permit.
It was a crucial step in Martin’s ability to open the tiki bar.
Before the law was changed, “you couldn’t do anything (on a deck over the water) but use it for water activity,” Bailey said.
And while restaurants in Charleston and other high tourist areas had been eating over the water for years, “they just never got caught,” Bailey said.
Bailey said the potential for future businesses like Mako’s tiki bar and the eventual marina not only provides revenue for owners, but also for the county and state.
“Can you imagine that tiki hut on a Saturday and Sunday?” Bailey said. “That is going to be a prime spot if you’re a boater.”
“We don’t have anything like that on the north strand,” he said, adding that as more people come to the Little River area, “we have to provide something for them.”
Historic fishing village is changing
Little River is a historic fishing village and one of the oldest settlements along the coast. The village was a prosperous port in the 1850s, before the Civil War wiped out its progress.
The unincorporated community is known for its commercial fishing and charter boats, providing many restaurants and businesses with fresh seafood.
Little River has grown by more than 11% in the last six years, according to Census data. Its 2026 population is estimated at 10,802.
Kettner has seen the changes in Little River since his family took over Crab Catchers in 1996. The restaurant itself has been there for 30 years.
In addition to exponential growth, many businesses have changed hands over the years. Because of that, in the next 10 years, the area may look nothing like it is now, Bailey said.
But the quaintness of Little River, especially along the waterfront, is a plus, he said.
“It has the potential to be a mini Murrells Inlet,” Bailey said, “even nicer.”
This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
