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MYRTLE BEACH — A popular salad bar chain will make its South Carolina debut with locations in Myrtle Beach and Greenville.

Husband-and-wife duo Brian and Keri Leachman plan to open three Salata Salad Kitchen restaurants. They already own seven Smoothie King locations in South Carolina with three others on the way.

"Keri and I are super excited to bring the brand to the state," Brian Leachman said. "We think it's a winner for South Carolinians."

The exact locations for the Salatas haven't been decided yet, but Brian Leachman plans to have at least one open by the end of the year. He said they want to provide some healthy options for Myrtle Beach and Greenville diners.

"We wanted to continue our theme as franchisees in the health and wellness space," he said. "And, we thought Salata was a very compliment to the Smoothie King stores we already have being that we don't have a lot of concepts like it."

The Houston, Texas-based chain provides a lighter alternative to typical fast casual restaurants, offering over 50 fresh ingredients and several house-made dressings for salads and wraps. Similar to a Chipotle, customers can build their own salads or wraps to their liking.

The process begins with a choice of six bases ranging from arugula to spinach. Then, customers can pick from different vegetable and protein toppings, including tomatoes, cucumbers, pesto chicken and chipotle shrimp. Add a dressing and the Salata salad is complete, or customers can turn it into a wrap.

Salata stores are expanding across the country. Since the brand began franchising in 2006, more than 100 restaurants have opened in Texas, Georgia, California and Louisiana.

Tiffany Perez, Salata Salad Kitchen's vice president of franchise development, said more stores are coming to the South.

"Salata is focused on growing its presence throughout the Southern states, including Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma," Perez said in an email to The Post and Courier. "Salata is entering new markets with a strong demand for fresh, customizable dining options. Entering South Carolina is an exciting milestone, and we look forward to continued development throughout the state."

If you want to get dinner, watch a game, play mini-golf, go bowling or have a myriad of other experiences, one restaurant opening in North Myrtle Beach plans to have all those things in one location.

Alley Oops is a bowling-themed restaurant slated to replace Ryan’s buffet once at 3607 Highway 17 South. A sign announcing the new restaurant faces the road.

Alley Oops will feature 12 lanes of Duckpin Bowling, which features smaller pins and a bowling ball that fits in one’s hand. It’s not the only amenity people can enjoy when attending.

The restaurant isn’t new. The first Alley Oops location is in Ocean City, Maryland. An LLC representing the restaurant bought the now-closed Ryan’s buffet in June 2024 for about $2.4 million.

Chris Reda is an owner and general partner at Alley Oops and owns several other restaurants throughout Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. In an interview with The Sun News, Reda said the concept is a restaurant providing entertainment and amenities for Grand Strand locals with a notable first impression once one walks in. He added the new restaurant isn’t an arcade.

“You’re going to see a 10,000-gallon shark Tank, live sharks, and then probably a 40-foot TV screen for swim sports and local events,” Reda said. “It’s going to be a nicer place where you can actually have a nice meal, relax and let your kids play during the day, or, a rain day or come out and play.”

Reda added that the location plans to feature a mini golf course outside, a golf simulator and other virtual reality games. The atmosphere is choose your own adventure. Whether it’s parents having a drink at the inside/outside bar while the kids enjoy one of the activities, young adults relaxing during the weekend or a date night, Reda said everyone is welcome.

“It truly is a melting pot for everyone. It’s kind of funny every time we try to figure out what we’re targeting,” Reda added. “It’s like it surprised us by who’s here. We think all families (but it) ends up being a senior citizen center who comes out and has their bowling night here.”

The menu itself is still in development. Reda said the menu will have Maryland themes like crab cakes and wings, but the rest isn’t final.

The new eatery will not just replace Ryan’s buffet. Reda said the restaurant will build a new 24,000-square-foot property and demolish the old structure. While the restaurant is still awaiting permitting, Reda predicted it would open in March 2026 and hire a maximum of 120 employees.

The restaurant is also part of a growing trend of business owners from across the United States who know the Myrtle Beach area well and bring their operations here. Some, like Reda, previously vacationed in the Grand Strand, ultimately attracting them to open new locations.

Despite this, he also said Myrtle Beach’s growing year-round population makes it an attractive place to open a restaurant. Reda added a customer survey at one of his other restaurants, which also inspired him to bring Alley Oops south.

“A large percentage of all people that vacation in Ocean City, Maryland, have also vacationed in Myrtle Beach,” Reda said. “So we thought that name recognition would (be a) good thing.”

The Sun News

Ben Morse is the Retail and Leisure Reporter for The Sun News. Morse covers local business and Coastal Carolina University football and was awarded third place in the 2023 South Carolina Press Association News Contest for sports beat reporting and second place for sports video in the all-daily division. Morse previously worked for The Island Packet, covering local government. Morse graduated from American University in 2023 with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism and economics and is originally from Prospect, Kentucky.

Surfside Beach Fire Chief David Nelson again presented his case to charge fees for structure fires and vehicle crashes at a Surfside Beach Town Council workshop.

Last November, Nelson presented a plan to use a third-party company from Pennsylvania, PA Recovery Services, to collect a litany of fees whenever the town’s fire department responds to a fire or vehicle wreck in the town.

The town council gave first reading approval to the idea but said they wanted to discuss it more in a workshop before giving the final nod. The vote to delay the second reading in November passed 6-1, with council member Shawn Fallon voting to keep it on the agenda.

Last week at a workshop, Nelson said the company would only charge insurance companies and not individuals for things such as use of department fire engines, how much hose is used at the location along with a long list of other items provided by the outside company.

The town already has an ordinance on the books with another outside company that would allow charging fees. Nelson said no fees had been charged so far and the new ordinance would only be to change the collection company.

Though the council wanted to wait before enacting the new fees last year, Nelson presented an agreement with PA Recovery Services already signed by him last November.

When it was first presented, several residents protested paying fees for times when the fire department was called to assist lifting someone who had fallen. Nelson said then and last week that the company would not charge for lift calls.

He assured the council that only certain charges would be levied from an extensive list provided by PA Recovery Services. Nelson said the original list of several pages of fees had been pared down to less than a page. However, nothing in the written agreement limits the types of fees available to the third-party company.

At the recent workshop, Fallon said Surfside Beach was in the middle of two departments that charged these types of fees, the city of Myrtle Beach and the Garden City-Murrells Inlet department.

A city of Myrtle Beach spokesperson said that isn’t the case.

“I am unsure as to what the Surfside Beach council member is referring to,” said Meredith Denari, communications director for the city. “The City of Myrtle Beach does not charge fees for fire and car accident response. We consider the fire department's response and protection a critical part of the public safety services we provide as a city. The only fee a fire or car accident victim may incur would be an ambulance transport bill if they are transported to the hospital by ambulance.”

Several council members wanted specific reassurance from Nelson that only insurance companies would be charged fees and not individuals. His proposal said that the fees would be added to existing insurance claims and not billed directly to town residents.

Despite protests last November about insurance costs going up, Nelson said those folks were wrong and the fees would not affect insurance rates.

But according to the South Carolina Insurance Association, insurance policies are a contract between an individual and the company, the association said in a specific newsletter regarding accident response fees. The SCIA said third party vendors lack the legal standing to require such fees directly from insurance companies.

The association’s newsletter said recovery fees are prohibited in 14 states.

In the November meeting, council member Harry Kohlmann said “for a few extra dollars,” maybe it wasn’t worth passing the ordinance.

Mayor Robert Krouse said he hoped the issue could be ironed out one way or another in an upcoming town council meeting.

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - City leaders in North Myrtle Beach took a step toward approving a development to bring more than 600 homes to the area.

On Monday, the North Myrtle Beach City Council approved the first reading of a revised proposal for the project - known as The Preserve.

The vote came after the council sent the project back to a workshop phase last month. The city’s planning commission approved the amended proposal earlier this month after receiving feedback from public works.

The reading passed 5-1 with councilmember Fred Coyne being the only “no” vote.

Many council members are still left with questions in regard to the plan.

“I felt I just wanted to really make a point that is wasn’t quite ready for us,” said Coyne. “I am hoping it gets resolved, it is going to be a nice project they have been willing to reduce some densities in there, which is always good.”

PREVIOUS COVERAGE | North Myrtle Beach leaders send plans for nearly 850-home development back to workshop

That amended proposal notably would add around 50 more build-to-rent homes in the layout but would remove a five-story tower that was set to house 370 units. The area for the tower would then become an area for townhomes, while also converting another section of the development into townhomes.

According to city documents, the total number of units was adjusted in the latest amendment to 613.

The proposal approved Monday also includes the removal of a 10,000-square-foot commercial space that was already approved. Other changes included reducing front, side, and rear setbacks to five feet.

“What we want is the best-case scenario for everybody in the end,” said Coyne." If they get those things worked out, and the parking which is really the biggest challenge we have there. If we get that worked out I do not know why we can’t move forward."

The council also noted it wanted to schedule a second workshop for the proposal before it’s brought to a second reading at its next meeting, currently scheduled for March 3.

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Whether you’re a Grand Strand local or just passing through, you don’t have to be in the Myrtle Beach area long to notice the city is home to an abundance of pancake eateries. But with so many places to choose from, it can be tough to pick a restaurant to try.

If you’re craving flapjacks and at a crossroads, Yelp reviewers say these five breakfast favorites, trendy brunch places and classic pancake houses are must-try spots for pancake lovers around Myrtle Beach.

1. Zeytin

224 Fresh Drive, Unit A, Myrtle Beach, SC 29579

4.8 stars with 46 Yelp reviews

Zeytin’s authentic Turkish dishes and Mediterranean-style breakfast offerings have earned fans since its April debut. Customers love the restaurant’s lahmacun–a thin pie with ground beef and onions, sujuk–Turkish sausage — with eggs and, of course, pancakes.

“My husband enjoyed the pancake breakfast. We both agreed that the pancakes were some of the best,” one reviewer said.

2. Drift

980 Cipriana Drive, Unit A-6, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572

4.6 stars with 447 Yelp reviews

Located in the Grande Dunes Marketplace, Drift serves up popular brunch dishes like chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, and fun variations on eggs Benedict. For flapjack lovers, reviewers say Drift’s pancakes can’t be beat.

“We just had the pancake combo and the lobster omelet,” one reviewer said, “all of it was so delicious!”

3. Croissants Bistro & Bakery

8014 N. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572

4.5 stars with 378 Yelp reviews

Fans praise Croissants Bistro & Bakery’s fresh pastries and brunch dishes. Reviewers love the eatery’s cinnamon rolls, Monte Cristo, hash browns and, especially, the Dutch-style pancakes.

According to one reviewer, “The pancake wasn’t your average. It was top notch.”

4. Johnny D’s Waffles and Benedicts

3301 N. Kings Highway Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

4.4 stars with 2,079 Yelp reviews

Although the Grand Strand is filled with restaurants specializing in pancakes, reviewers say the original Johnny D’s location in Myrtle Beach stands out among the rest. Besides Johnny D’s popular pancakes, customers praise the red velvet waffles, jambalaya omelet and brisket eggs Benedict

“Simply the lightest, fluffiest, tastiest pancakes I’ve had ever,” wrote one customer

5. Golden Egg Pancake House

415 Highway 17 Business, Surfside Beach, SC 29575

4.4 stars with 632 Yelp reviews

Another popular pancake restaurant that customers say is a cut above the rest, Golden Egg in Surfside Beach offers fun flapjack flavors to satisfy even the biggest sweet tooth. Some of the pancake house’s more creative options include s’mores, Ferrero Rocher and even chocolate trio taco pancakes.

“Driving through Myrtle Beach- you’ll notice that pancake houses are a dime a dozen,” wrote one customer. “I tried out three different ones during my vacation, and the Golden Egg was by far my favorite.”