Feeling the pinch

Each summer, the city of Folly Beach beefs up its services to prepare for a swell of visitors. Residents anticipate traffic jams, and shops stock up on souvenirs. But according to some who live and work there, fewer people are journeying to the Edge of America this year.

"Things are slower, there's no doubt about it," said LaJuan Kennedy, owner of Fred P. Holland Realty. "People are asking for last-minute specials, and we're giving it to them."

The company manages about 285 rental houses on Folly Beach. This time last year, they were completely booked. Right now, 15 houses are vacant.

Inside AM-PM Convenience Store on Center Street, skim boards have been marked down from $35.99 to $28.99. A potential customer asks if she can get a deal if she buys two, and owner Arik Rom gives both to her for $50. He also throws in two jars of wax.

"That's the biggest sale for the last three days," Rom says as the customer leaves.

Rom, who owns two other stores on Folly — Folly Trading Company and Beachwear and Gifts — said sales are about half of what they were at this point last summer.

"The streets are empty," he said. "The streets used to be packed with people. Right now, it's only the weekend that's busy."

Those who are visiting seem to be coming from less than three hours away, while last year they came from around the world, Rom said.

Kennedy, too, has noticed more local visitors, particularly "daytrippers." She thinks families who are feeling the economic pinch may be choosing the beach over attractions that cost money, she said.

As a lifelong resident, she gets a little frustrated by the increased summer traffic, but understands it comes with the territory. What she can't stand is the litter that comes with some visitors.

Recently, she asked people in two separate cars to pick up the trash they had thrown into her yard after parking there.

"I'm fine with them coming and having a good time," Kennedy said. "It's also home to some people, so they need to be a little more considerate about garbage."

Some Folly residents have taken it upon themselves to patrol the stretches of beach near their homes for litter. The Surfrider Foundation picks up trash during regular beach sweeps. And the city staff hauls in discarded items, too.

"We're getting quite a collection in our public works shed," said Mayor Carl Beckmann. Currently, it holds about six tents and two volleyball nets, which the city will sell at the end of the year, he said.

During the summer, Folly Beach brings in sanitation workers on the weekends and increases garbage collection from two days to four, Beckmann said.

The city also augments its Public Safety Department with deputies from the Charleston County Sheriff's Office.

Folly Beach Public Safety Director Terry Boatwright said service calls increase during warmer months, particularly on weekends when as many as 20,000 vehicles might enter the city for the day.

Officers spend more time patrolling for underage drinking and enforcing parking regulations. The department enlists civilians to help patrol for illegal parking during the busiest summer months, Boatwright said.

While the department's log shows the increase in summer service calls it has come to expect, Boatwright said, "It doesn't seem to be as busy here as last year."

Beckmann said he had heard the number of renters was down this year but, based on the number of people he's been seeing, there don't seem to be fewer visitors.

"Fourth of July weekend, I thought we were going to sink," Beckmann said. "One more car and we would have."

Reach Kristen Hankla at 937-5548 or khankla@postandcourier.com.