Workers at restaurants and stores along N. Kings Highway are speaking out about homelessness and loitering after a Facebook video has gone viral, showing the exchange between a Myrtle Beach police officer and a homeless man at McDonalds.
The video was posted by user Yossi Gallo and has been viewed more than 40 million times. Gallo explained in the video that he tried to buy lunch for the homeless man but Mcdonalds employees called police to escort the man out due to previous harassment and panhandling.
A worker at Harry’s Pancake House for 20 years, Suzi Shelley said she recognized the homeless man in the video and she has been feeding him for years.
“The gentleman in that video has been in here many times, he has never been a problem, he has always been respectful and he has offered to do a handful of odd jobs for us, so again I think it was handled poorly by the city.” Shelley said.
Richard Burtsfield, a Jimmy John’s employee says he’s been working at the store on N. Kings Highway for six years and the homeless community hasn’t been an issue. He said none of them have acted disorderly, and the store allows them to sit down and eat bread.
“I don’t mind hooking them up with a stick of bread or a drink especially if they are down and out,” Burtsfield said. “I see a lot of people who need help, and I think they need to invest money into an actual community center like they have in larger cities.”
Other business owners along the Highway didn’t want to go on camera but told News 13 that some of them do struggle with homeless people harassing their customers in the parking lot, not allowing them to open their doors.
Longtime owner of The Dowery, a popular bar on 9th Avenue, Victor Shamah said homeless loitering has increasingly become more of a problem over the last few years. He said he has tried to talk with city council about ways to improve it.
“They target the tourism industry and the people who feel bad for them, we all feel bad for them and we want a safe place for them but some of them want a job and some of them don’t. One day they will be spending money in my shop and the next they are out there begging and looking through the dumpsters.” Shamah said.
