Broadway at the Beach Blog

Veteran's Day is a day to honor all of our brave men and women that answer the call to serve and protect the United States of America! Although it's only one day on the calendar, we honor our veterans every day! On this day, we are honoring and thanking one of our very own, Chief Petty Officer, Aram J. Noorigian also known around here as our Broadway at the Beach Operations Manager.

Aram recently took a quick break from the busyness of the day to day operations at Broadway to tell us a little bit more about him and his service to the U.S.A.! Check it out below as we salute the service of Aram and all our veterans!

Name: Aram J. Noorigian

Rank: E-7 Chief Petty Officer

What branch did you serve? And for how many years? "8 years United States Navy. 16 years United States Coast Guard."

Why did you decide to join? "I always wanted to join the Navy when I was younger and to serve my country. My Uncle Aram served United States Army WW2. My Uncle Jimmy served United States Navy WW2, my father Leon served United States Marines WW2. My Grand Father served United States Army Suicide Squad WW1."

Where all has your military career taken you? "Went to basic training Great Lakes Illinois 1980 and went to Engineman A School after completing Boot Camp. Stationed in Holy Loch Scotland onboard the USS Holland AS-32 a submarine Tender. Second command was the USS Comte de Grasse DD-974 a Spruance Class Destroyer flew to Oslo Norway to meet the ship which was on a 6 month North Atlantic NATO cruise. Joined the Navy Seabees Naval Mobile Construction Battalion stationed in Puerto Rico. Joined the US Coast Guard Stationed in Baltimore, went to the Middle East Patrol Forces South West Asia Operation Iraqi Freedom stationed in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Louisiana as a first responder during Katrina. Stationed at Station Ft Macon Law Enforcement and Search and Rescue. Deep Water Horizon in St. Mary's Branch Louisiana. Portsmouth Virginia attached to the Naval Engineering Division supporting the fleet."

What is your best memory serving? "Onboard the USS Comte de Grasse during the NATO Cruise. We were with 21 allied country war ships. We were the lead ship The Flag Ship of the fifth fleet, we were the 3rd. strongest ship in the world and I loved looking up onboard that ship seeing the American Flag majestically blowing in the wind. It was an honor."

How long have you been the Operations Manager at Broadway? "9 years."

What is your favorite thing about working at Broadway? "The excitement and fun. It's an honor."

If you could go back in time, would you have chosen to enter the military? "Yes…definitely."

(Pictured: Aram and his girlfriend, Trina, after a local Veteran's Day assembly.)

From all of us at Broadway at the Beach, we thank all of our veterans and especially you, Chief Petty Officer Aram J. Noorigian!

Ghosts, Superheroes and Characters… oh my! Actually, oh Halloween!

It's that time of year again when zombies, movie stars, princes, princesses and superheroes visit Broadway at the Beach. Okay, so they're not really the undead, big screen stars and royalty, but it's the perfect time for you (or your little ones) to dress up as your favorite characters and haunt, or roam around the villages of Broadway!

For the adults…

The Grand Strand's largest Halloween Bash will be held Saturday, October 27^th along The Avenue at Broadway! Vying for 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place in the annual costume contest, this is the time when Halloween enthusiasts can go all out and compete for the coveted titles of best costumes as well as enjoy live music, entertainment and more all beginning at 7pm! For more information on this event, click here.

For the kids…

On Halloween night, the little ones can enjoy trick-or-treating throughout Broadway from 4:30pm-6:30pm! Come one, come all as your little ones can receive their favorite sweet treats from your favorite Broadway shops, restaurants and attractions! Don't worry mom and dad, you are welcome to stop in and get a sweet treat as well. May we suggest a hot pretzel from Auntie Anne's, freshly popped popcorn from Sweet South Popcorn Company or a Halloween themed chocolate covered apple from Kilwins! On Halloween night after you've trick or treated and before your little one (or you) dive into your sweet treats, why not have a family dinner at one of your favorite Broadway restaurants and cap off your evening with fireworks over Lake Broadway at 8pm!

There are other Boo-tastic events in celebration of Halloween at Broadway. To check them out, click here for our Calendar of Events!

So whether you are looking for a place for your little one to trick or treat on Halloween night or you're looking for an adult outing and want to party on The Avenue and compete for the best costume or just looking for some Halloween Hoopla, Broadway at the Beach is the place to be… or Boo!

Fish & chips… shrimp & grits… Crab legs & butter… whether you're dippin', slurpin' or crackin', you can taste your favorite seafood pairings in one place, Broadway at the Beach! In honor of National Seafood Month, here's a few favorite places to curb your coastal cuisine cravings!

Landry's Seafood House

From shareable appetizers including New Orleans Crawfish bread to blue crab cakes and calamari to chef selections of stuffed flounder, cedar planed salmon to fresh catches of Swordfish, Snapper and Mahi Mahi, you can fill up on culinary crafted delights in an upscale, and might we add, romantic atmosphere of Landry's Seafood House located in the Mediterranean Village of Broadway. Serving, lunch, dinner and happy hour specials, it's a great place to wine, dine and relax as you enjoy the comforts of coastal cuisine with a Cajun flare!

Joe's Crab Shack

They've got the classics… you know, the fish finds, the shrimp platters and for those whose palettes prefer to stay on shore, steak and chicken, all equally tempting and all equally delicious. However, when we walk into Joe's Crab Shack, we've got one thing on our mind…. CRAB LEGS! From their signature steam pots including the Artic Bay featuring Snow crab, lobster, shrimp, smoked sausage, garlic broth and Old Bay seasoning to the Blue Moon featuring sweet snow crab, pound of clams, lobster tail, smoked sausage all in Blue Moon Belgian Ale, this is the place that is perfectly acceptable to put on a bib, regardless of age, and enjoy every bite! Of course, you can't forget the fresh corn and red potatoes that pairs perfectly with their steam pot and create your own crab buckets! So get crackin'!

Original Shucker's Raw Bar

We've been fishin' at Landry's and crackin' at Joe's, now it's time to start shuckin' and that's exactly what you are going to want to do at Original Shucker's Raw Bar on The Avenue at Broadway. Whether you prefer them fried, steamed, baked or on the half shell, this is place to enjoy Oysters in all their mouth-watering glory! You can even try them as a shooter (raw oyster, cocktail sauce, worcestshire sauce, tabasco, topped with your choice of adult beverage)! This spot also has the classics of land and sea, so come and eat, drink, slurp and enjoy a meal at Shucker's!

This trio of spots at Broadway is just a few of the places that you can dip into the deep with seafood selections! We haven't even mentioned the Baha Shrimp Tacos at Senor Frog's or the Crispy Coconut Shrimp at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville or the Grilled Grouper at American Tap House or BBQ shrimp at Sweet Carolina's, or the fried catfish of Paula Deen's Family Kitchen or Shrimp Hibachi at Yamatos Japanese Steakhouse or the sushi creations of Grumpy Monk and King Kong Sushi and believe it or not, the list continues to go on!

She brought a touch of sparkle to South Carolina when she moved from the Midwest to the Grand Strand 10 years ago and now her shop at Broadway at the Beach is adding a little shimmer, a little fun and a whole lot of sparkles for little girls everywhere!

Check out our Q & A with Sparkles owner, Julie Yamtich:

1.) Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from originally? How long have you been in Myrtle Beach?

"My name is Julie Yamtich. I am happily married and a proud mama to four wonderful kids. I am originally from the Chicagoland area but moved to Myrtle Beach in 2008."

2.) How did Sparkles come to be? When did you open at Broadway?

"I began creating Sparkles in 2008. I was the store manager for a children's store, but the store was going out of business. I absolutely love working with kids and didn't want to have to work for another large corporation. Both my father and grandfather were entrepreneurs, and I always knew I was up to the same challenge. So, I opened Sparkles at Broadway at the Beach in April of 2009, and I was finally able to share my passion for fashion, make-up, and dance with little girls every day."

3.) What is your most popular item in the store? What is your favorite item in the store?

"Currently, our most popular item is the mermaid swimsuit including the mermaid tail or monofin. Every girl who lives at or visits the beach wants to be a real mermaid. Our swimsuits allow them to swim like a real mermaid in the ocean or pool, and they bring big smiles to girls of all ages. Plus, Sparkles is the only local attraction to include a mermaid swimsuit with every deluxe mermaid makeover!

I don't have one specific favorite item in the store as we are an experience-driven retailer. Therefore, my favorite thing to do is to provide the makeover experiences. I love to see the excitement in a child's eyes when she gets her hair and make-up done and performs on our stage. It is our goal that every child leaves Sparkles having experienced their best day ever!"

4.) Tell us about the Sparkles Party Packages and how large of a party can you accommodate?

"Sparkles offers plenty of options when choosing to book a party with us. Our standard package starts at $175 and includes services for up to 7 girls. The standard package includes a hairstyle of their choice, make-up, sparkly nail painting, an accessory of their choice, and a make-up compact for each child to take home. They also get to dance on stage after their makeover, and most parties choose to have cake and present time at Sparkles as well. Additional guests and add-ons to the standard party package are available, and we can accommodate up to 25 guests per party."

5.) What is your favorite season for kid's fashions? (Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall)

"Fall fashions are definitely my favorite. We carry so many cute and unique options for the fall season including holiday wear and school picture attire from newborn to size 16. Most customers, including myself, are able to find an outfit, shoes, hair accessories, and jewelry that are just perfect for the special girl in their lives."

6.)Is there anything else you would like to pass along to the patrons of Broadway?

"Sparkles is truly a memorable experience. If you've never been here, you definitely should check us out. If you have visited us before, we invite you to come back and see all of the new inventory and makeover packages we have to offer!"

Did you know that one in every six kids in the United States struggles with hunger? Yes, one in every six!

That's a hard statistic for us all and that's the reason why Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville at Broadway at the Beach is wanting to fill the bellies of hungry kids. But, they need your help!

All September long, $1 of the proceeds from every kid's chicken meal will be donated to No Kid Hungry. In 2017, the Heroes Harbor restaurant raised more than $11,000 for the organization and this year, they hope to exceed that number! So next time you're thinking about a meal with your little one, you can be making a big difference in the world of a hungry child.

From one worthy cause to another, Margaritaville is also doing their part to help the environment by skipping the straw.

Here's another statistic for you. Every day, Americans throw away enough plastic straws to circle the earth 2.5 times! It can take up to 200 years for just one of those plastic straw to decompose. In an effort to combat the coastal concern, you can help save our seas by skipping the straw! Now, if you need a straw, all you have to do is ask. But if you can pass on the plastic, why not? Our marine life that we love here in Myrtle Beach and around the world will thank you for it!

So whether you are helping to feed hungry children this September or doing your part in foregoing that plastic sipper all year around, you can eat up, drink up and make a difference at Margaritaville at Broadway at the Beach!