MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Businesses near the Golden Mile portion of Ocean Boulevard say they’ve lost money since the city implemented its new parking plan.
Wayne Burkart owns Berky’s Grill along North Kings Highway, just a few blocks from the beach, and he says for years they’ve depended on families coming off the beach during the summer to get them through.
“Thirty dollars and fifteen minutes later, he’s back to the beach with a great meal, sharing it with his family. Those days are over,” said Burkart.
In July, Myrtle Beach City leaders started making people pay to park along the “Golden Mile”.
“Since the rules went into effect, you can go down there right now, and there’s not one car on Ocean Boulevard North or South, not one,” said Burkart.
Now, lines that should be out the door to small restaurants like Berky’s, leave empty trays and employees begging for business.
Jennifer Leigh and her daughter used to stop by Berky’s on every day on their way to the beach, but now, because of the parking changes, she says they’re finding somewhere else to go.
“I was very disappointed. I was disappointed because there was nowhere else for us to park except for us to go down by the hotels, and the reason I bought the house here was to not have to go down there”, said Leigh.
Myrtle Beach City Councilman Wayne Gray supported the parking changes along the boulevard, and News13 asked if the impact on businesses would impact the parking plan.
“I’m not discounting the fact that I recognize that there might be a change in his business volume for that period of time, but I’m not sure that impact is such that it’s going to overwhelm and burden and change the parking that we’ve implemented,” said Gray.
Gray says the parking plan was put in place because of safety concerns, claiming they had to do what was best for everyone, but businesses like Berky’s say they got the wrong end of the deal.
“This has been here so long, apparently, a lot longer than I have been. It’s just sad,” said Leigh.
Burkart went before city council leaders Tuesday to tell them about the hit he was feeling to his business.
Council did not give him a response.
Burkart says he’s not the only business impacted, and he plans to keep asking council for answers.
