MURRELLS INLET, SC (WBTW) – With the growing popularity of online shopping, it’s no secret malls around the country are closing down for good. However, business owners at the Inlet Square Mall are making sure that doesn’t happen by hosting a monthly indoor market with around 150 vendors.
Since December, local painters, crafters, and entrepreneurs have set up shop inside the Inlet Square Mall during the first Saturday of the month; due to the success of the event, it is now being extended to the whole weekend.
Owners of ‘My Olive Shack,’ Sonja and John Hutton started the indoor market as a way to help support local businesses and bring more foot traffic inside the mall. So far, they say it’s working.
“There is so much talent here, so to be able to showcase that and to get the bonus of marketing ourselves and the other vendors in the mall is pretty darn cool,” Sonja Hutton said.
“Many, many people that stop in just thank us for reviving and just giving a little bit of life. Yesterday and today; the first weekend of the month, it’s like, oh my gosh, the life in this mall; the smiles, it really is a community here,” Hutton said.
Other stores inside the mall are noticing how business picks up during the monthly event.
Douan Bingham, owner of Car Tech says he makes most of his sales during the first weekend of the month thanks to the extra foot traffic from the indoor market.
“With the vendor sales coming in, a lot of people are seeing that the mall is still open. That’s the biggest thing, is that people know this mall is still open; there are still a lot of businesses here,” Bingham said.
Hutton says one of the best parts of the event is that it helps the local store owners and entrepreneurs.
“Sorry, enough with the corporate. They have money, we just want to bring it here and help support the great community that welcomed us,” Hutton said.
For dates and times of future indoor market events at the Inlet Square Mall, click here.
