When times are changing, some do likewise

Imagine you are the owner of a furniture store, or a real estate agent, struggling through perhaps the nation's worst housing slump in 40 years.

Home sales are moving at a snail's pace, and consequently the demand for a five-piece bedroom set leaves something to be desired.

What do you do?

Hit the pit

If you're Ray Waldrup, you sell your furniture store and open a barbecue joint.

Set to serve its first rack of ribs by the end of next week, Ray's BBQ, at 440 W. Coleman Blvd. in Mount Pleasant, former site of Red Pepper Squirrel, is Waldrup's smokin' answer to a stifled furniture industry.

"I like to enter barbecue competitions, so this is something I've wanted to do all my life," he said. "Now just seems like the best time to try something different."

Waldrup opened a Bassett Furniture in West Ashley in 2004 and sold the business a few months ago, allowing him to shift his focus.

The fare at Ray's BBQ won't stray far from that of your typical pig pit — ribs, chicken, pork, homemade chili, hot dogs, sliders, fries — but Waldrup guarantees his restaurant will break away from the herd.

Proud of the line service his restaurant will offer, Waldrup said each plate will be prepared fresh, "right in front of the customer, not like most of the other barbecue places around here."

Bag it

If you're Lissa Myers, you hang on to your real estate license but use the downtime to realize your dream of becoming an entrepreneur.

After a year-long search for the perfect purse yielded no results, Myers decided to design her own. But instead of sketching just one bag, she found herself creating hundreds, and In the Bag was born.

Offering 30 styles, 100 chic and classy fabrics, a slew of Italian leather choices and a healthy lot of hardware options, the shop/showroom allows you to build your own handbag, guaranteeing it's tailored to your specific wants and needs.

Located next to Affordables in the Northcutt Plaza off Coleman Boulevard in Mount Pleasant, the upscale boutique — prices for custom handbags range from $60 to $300 — will also sell other merchandise, such as sassy wine glasses, candles and "anything you might find in a handbag," said Myers.

Reach Abi Nicholas at 937-5524 or anicholas@postandcourier.com.