Front Street business owners, residents begin rebuilding in Georgetown [The Sun News (Myrtle Beach, S.C.)]

Oct. 12--GEORGETOWN -- A painting still hangs on a wall overlooking piles of rubble where, two weeks ago, businesses and homes stood on Front Street in Georgetown.

The piece, created by John Walters, served as the headboard over his bed and features a tree clinging to a rock that's being constantly battered by strong wind and waves, yet holds on.

That's how Walters sees Georgetown now -- a city persevering following tragedy.

Seven historic buildings in the 700 block of Front Street and overlooking the harbor were destroyed . Another was damaged. Officials still don't know the cause of the blaze that displaced 13 people and left 130 jobless.

Walters is among the fire victims who have since begun rebuild.

The city already is busy with construction crews working overtime to reopen some of the destroyed businesses elsewhere in the city. It's not clear what will happen in the space where the burned buildings once stood, but at least two property owners hope to rebuild stores there.

Zest, a sushi and pizza restaurant, had opened at 719 Front Street this summer, merely months before it was destroyed by the fire. Workers, including a plumber, carpenter and electrician were busy inside the new location at 916 Front Street Thursday.

The business' owners weren't at the scene and couldn't be reached for comment, but Chris Valentine, who was doing the plumbing in the building, said the goal is to have the restaurant open by the Wooden Boat Show on Oct. 19. The restaurant will open with a new name, according to the Zest Facebook page -- 700 Modern Grill and Bar as a tribute to the 700 block of Front Street.

Doodlebugs, a children's clothing store, and Boardwalk Boutique, a women's clothing store, also are moving to the 900 block of Front Street, according to Facebook pages for the stores.

Next door to the 700 Modern Grill and Bar, at 912 Front Street, is where Janette Ard says she plans to reopen her business.

Two men were inside the long and narrow shop Thursday sanding the wood framing of an old mirror.

The days since the fire have been a blur for Ard who is continuing to search for a small apartment or house in the city while working to reopen her floral shop.

The City Councilwoman lost her business, Colonial Floral Fascinations, and her home above it at 725 Front St., in the blaze.

She vowed to return and rebuild, and Ard said she hopes to open a temporary shop in a couple weeks.

"We're trying to get reopened soon," Ard said via telephone with the sounds of busy workers in the background at her new location. "We're remodeling here and doing everything we can to get going."

A day after the fire, Ard stood beside Gov. Nikki Haley and told reporters "Yes we will" is her motto to get through the tragedy. This week she reaffirmed her will.

"We ask that everyone continue to keep us in their prayers," Ard said. "We're all trying to stay strong."

Walters, meanwhile, who lost everything in the fire also is starting to rebuild. He said he lost his home, his dog and his studio which contained $20,000 worth of art awaiting the arrival of a buyer.

On Thursday morning he walked down Front Street to the United Way where he picked up a check that he said would buy groceries. It wasn't clear Friday how many displaced tenants and business owners were receiving aid from organizations like the United Way.

Stopping in front of a pile of rubble he used to call home he learned that some scuba gear that he had fished out of the rubble to keep had been moved by workers back into the pile as the crew cleared a path from the sidewalk to the harbor.

"The hits just keep coming," Walters said.

Walters said restarting from nothing hasn't been easy, but he said he doesn't believe in shying away from the uncomfortable emotions.

His first painting following the fire is of the 700 block of Front Street, showing the gaping hole left by the destroyed buildings.

He hasn't found new living quarters yet, but is in negotiations to purchase another Front Street building near the Rice Museum that he could live and work in, he said.

Walters wants to stay in Georgetown, but said if the new location doesn't work he may end up in Charleston.

Harborwalk Books, owned by Ann Carlson, used to sit at 723 Front Street. Carlson is moving toward retirement, but isn't out of the business completely.

She's partnering with Michele Overton and Lauren Call to reopen the book store at 105 Screven Street, which is next to the fountain on the corner of Front Street.

"My husband and I have talked about it [running a bookstore] for years," Overton said. "It would be a fun retirement thing though he's got about seven years before he'll retire. And my mother-in-law absolutely loves it. We thought why not? Ann's a great person we couldn't have asked for a better partner."

Overton said it will be part post office part bookstore. The Overton family was already in the process of opening Coastal Postal, but has gone into overdrive to get both businesses going.

Sue Overton, Michele's mother-in-law, even sold a book from the sidewalk already.

On Thursday, Michele Overton and Carlson were in one of several meetings for the new partnership where Carlson was sharing tips of the trade, including how to choose books for the store.

Michele Overton said an order has already been placed and books will be on the way soon.

It's a quick turnaround. She said Selden "Bud" Hill will be signing copies of his new book "The Unpainted South" on Oct. 19. Hill's photographs are in the book, with poems and songs written by William Baldwin.

The location will be temporary with plans to move back to Front Street when a store can be rebuilt, though it's not clear when that could be.

While investigators continue to search for what caused the blaze, Gov. Nikki Haley signed the first executive order Tuesday to use funding from the Community Development Block Grand program for such an emergency. Haley approved up to $1 million in grant funding for use in recovery from the blaze.

Haley's order allows funding to be sent to city and county officials to make improvements on public property destroyed by the fire. The declaration also allows those businesses impacted by the fire to not be charged costs associated with paying unemployment benefits to the more than 100 workers.

The aid is appreciated, but Ard said she's unsure how the buildings will be rebuilt.

"There are a lot of unanswered questions still," Ard said. "A million dollars won't even put one of the buildings back, so I don't know how far that million dollars will go or how it will be distributed yet."

Ard said she and other business owners must continue to maintain their obligations to insurance companies for things like flood coverage, which was $6,000 a year on her building, in order to be able to rebuild.

"I'm very appreciative of anything anybody does," Ard said. "But we are trying to explore every resource we can right now to help."

For now, Ard's focus is on reopening her florist business before the rush of the holidays.

"I'm hoping to get open before the holidays," Ard said. "We're working on that."

Contact AMANDA KELLEYat 626-0381, or follow her at Twitter.com/TSN_akelley.

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