Are Shibumi Shade devices headed for Horry County beaches summer? A vote may be coming
As millions of vacationers prepare for summer getaways on the Grand Strand’s prize-winning beaches, shading device companies are pressing Horry County for a rule change to accommodate them.
The CEOs of two industry leaders on March 14 asked a county council subcommittee to consider loosening restrictions on when their products can be used - saying demand among local would-be customers is soaring.
“Wind driven shading devices are the most popular beach shade on every beach in the Carolinas except of course in the Grand Strand in the summertime where they’re not allowed,” said Shibumi Shade co-founder Dane Barnes. “Shibumi does get inundated with hundreds and thousands of messages every year from folks who want to their wind driven shading device on the Grand Strand.”
Barnes and his brother Scott previously asked Myrtle Beach officials to amend a long-standing policy that limits the use of tents and other shading devices except umbrellas between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Horry County, which manages 14 miles of beachfront, has different rules. Only circular umbrellas and child-sized cabanas can be put in the sand.
Danny Gillis, who launched Solbello two years ago, asked county officials to amend the description so his company’s single-pole shade shelter would be allowed.
“Our product sets up like an umbrella. The only difference is it’s not circular,” he said. “We built this to address all the safety issues of a traditional umbrella ... We too hear from retailers in your area and people who live here all the time.”
Myrtle Beach resident Lowell Rhodes said he bought a Shibumi Shade four years ago and is disappointed he can’t use it year-round.
“Every summer when I’m there with my wife, we use our old fashioned umbrella, we see umbrellas tumbling down the beach,” he told council members. “It’s a little frustarting to me knowing that my device is safe and I could be using it in lieu of an umbrella.”
A full vote is required for any changes to the county’s policy, and council member Cam Crawford said he’s ready to support the move.
“I think both of these products are rather exceptional and I think that we should look at the ordinance,” he said. “I don’t see this as great an impediment to public safety.”
