Shopping

From the warehouse-size to the quaint and oh-so-small, from grab-bag dollar stores to exclusive designer clothiers, the Grand Strand is a resort destination for bargain hunters as well as quality seekers. It is true that many people come here for no other reason than the shopping—seemingly oblivious to sunshine, theaters, golf courses, and the beach.

Belk, JCPenney, Sears, and Dillard’s department stores all have multiple locations here. Almost every major clothing, department, and dry-goods store has an outlet here. You’ll find some of the largest booth-rental flea markets in the South. Antiques stores appear in every section of the beach. And some of the very best shopping opportunities can be found in the small, privately owned stores and shops.

It goes without saying that this chapter can’t even begin to detail every shop, every store, or even every shopping center that is part of this 60-mile-long shopping spree. Even locals are overwhelmed by the variety; thus, we tend to migrate to the geographic part of the Strand where we live.

If you are a seasoned shopper, born to shop, then you already know as many secrets as we do for finding the best stores; at best, we can make a road map for you and highlight some of the more interesting concentrations of shops. Keep your eyes open; ’round every curve in the crowded highway there’s yet another clutch of shops to browse and burrow through.

As for the basics, we’ve already mentioned Belk department store, which can be found at any one of three area malls. Other notable department stores with a presence on the Strand include JCPenney, Sears, and Dillard’s. Several discount “chain” stores pepper the Strand, including Wal-Mart, Kmart, and Target.

The larger supermarket chains include Food Lion, BI-LO, Kroger, and Winn-Dixie; most are open 24 hours a day (except Sunday nights). The local favorite is the Piggly Wiggly, a chain that has been in the area for more than 60 years. The food selection is about the same, but it’s hard to pass up a chance to buy Mr. Pig T-shirts.

It’s impossible to take an overview of shopping without mentioning the plethora of T-shirt and souvenir stores along the Grand Strand. Stores such as Eagles, Pacific, and Wings sparkle with bright lights and seemingly every-other-block locations. They specialize in swimsuits, suntan products, sunshades, beach chairs, rafts, umbrellas, souvenir items, beach toys, T-shirts, and summer sportswear of the most casual sort. And believe it or not, in many of these stores you can actually negotiate with the sales staff for the very best prices.

Although seasonal hours are frequently abbreviated, many places are open seven days a week.