Shallotte picks up biker business, crowds that left Myrtle Beach

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SHALLOTTE, N.C. -- Ray Herro says Shallotte, N.C., could own a big piece of the Harley-Davidson Cruisin' the Coast spring motorcycle rally if it wanted to.

It has proved to be biker-friendly with the reception given vendors and bikers now in their second year at the Beach House Harley-Davidson just outside town, a venue that Herro set up. Bikers spend money, Herro said, and restaurants and other businesses in Shallotte would profit if the town accommodated them with more reasons to stop and shop.

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Tom Curtin, of Hopewell, NJ, rides his motorcycle at the Spring Beach Rally at Beach House Harley-Davidson just outside Shallotte Sunday afternoon. Photo by Sabree Hill

"If the city of Shallotte would open up to the daytime bikers," Herro said, "it would get them."

There are 18 vendors at Beach House this year, Herro said, and he believes there could be as many as 30 next year. That's more than the 25 vendors Herro will have at Myrtle Beach Mall this year, a figure that has dropped by more than 75 percent since the city of Myrtle Beach enacted ordinances aimed at ending a springtime crush of hundreds out thousands of bikers.

Herro said he started the mall venue about 15 years ago with just seven vendors. The number climbed to more than 100 before its precipitous drop in recent years.

The new location and new business would be welcome by bikers and the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce. Bikers at Beach House Sunday unanimously said they would be happy to move north to visit vendors. They are angry with the city of Myrtle Beach and won't voluntarily ride in the city anymore.

"I don't ride in Myrtle Beach at all," said biker and shagger Phil Benedict of Sunset Beach, N.C., one of hundreds of bikers at the venue just after noon Sunday.

Biker Joe Marino of northern Virginia said he wouldn't mind if Brunswick County became vendor central. But he likely would continue to stay in North Myrtle Beach rather than trying to find accommodations in southwestern Brunswick County, which doesn't have enough hotel rooms for a big crowd.

But Bob Towles of Watertown, N.Y., said he liked what he was seeing at the Beach House venue.

"If more of the events were located here," he said, "I'd stay here."

Cathy Altman, president of the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce, said she heard that some area restaurants planned to display "welcome bikers" signs this year, but doesn't know of any organized effort from the business community to expand the spring rally presence in Brunswick County.

The money bikers spend would be welcome, Altman said, particularly in today's economic climate.

"I would encourage everyone to welcome them," she said.

But Shallotte Mayor Buddy Kelly said he's not sure the town would be interested in having vendors strung along Main Street.

In the first place, he said, the town bans street vending for all but nonprofit groups, and he's not sure if the Board of Aldermen would want to change that for one week in the spring. He thinks town residents would object to the crowds and worries that the increased traffic on vehicle-choked Main Street would be hazardous.

Herro said Shallotte would avoid the nighttime festivities because it doesn't have the bars and entertainment some bikers look for after dark. He said he has talked with bar owners around Ocean Isle Beach about how they might coattail on the Beach House venue, but nothing has been formulated yet.

Herro said Beach House saw about 3,000 bikers a day last year, its first as a rally venue. He said he choose the location for vendors because of the Harley dealership, which opened in February 2009.

At night, he emphasized, bikers would go to the places that will meet their needs.

"I don't want dancing girls," Herro said, echoing what many Brunswick County residents likely would say. "I don't want wet T-shirt contests. I don't want any of that."
Contact STEVE JONES at 910-754-9855.

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