MURRELLS INLET, SC (WMBF) - After years of planning, the first store at the former Inlet Square Mall site is officially open for business.
Floor & Decor held its grand opening, marking the start of what developers say will be a long-term revitalization project for the South Strand.
Developers said the home improvement retailer is the first of several new stores and restaurants expected to fill the once-bustling shopping center.
CHD Interiors, which has operated across from the mall for more than 40 years, welcomed the news after watching the property deteriorate in recent decades.
“This whole area had just really been rundown, so I’m excited to get some new stores, new businesses, and it’s gonna be fabulous,” said Becca Dunn, general manager of CHD Interiors.
Floor & Decor Chief Executive Merchant Martha Mason relocated from Greensboro, North Carolina, to oversee the new location. She said she already feels at home in the community.
“This little community right here is super special to me, and I love that hometown feel, like you get to know everybody as they come through,” Mason said. “That’s what it’s all about—building a community.”
Mason added that the store has already seen strong foot traffic during its first week.
Contractors, particularly, have welcomed the new option, noting they no longer need to travel to Wilmington, North Carolina, or Charleston to pick up materials.
Additional development is on the way; a Hobby Lobby is expected to open in 2026, and construction is already underway on a new hotel.
Dunn said the South Strand is the perfect location to draw customers from Pawleys Island, Georgetown, and Myrtle Beach.
SCDOT is also planning roadway improvements around the site, including realigned intersections, additional turn lanes, and new traffic lights.
Construction is expected to begin this fall, according to the agency’s website.
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