Local restaurants play important roles in our economy, history

On Friday, as part of Calabash’s annual Town Hall Day celebration, the community’s many restaurants and the people and families who have made them successful will be honored.

It’s a perfect theme for this year’s event, especially in light of recent struggles faced by the local seafood industry—which contributes to the food on area restaurants’ tables—and the struggling economy that has made doing business a bit more difficult than normal.

While Calabash may get most of the fame from these hardworking employees and local restaurants’ successes—it is the Seafood Capital of the World after all—all of Brunswick County benefits from the contributions these restaurants and other small businesses make.

From providing employment to creating a unique atmosphere that draws people in from around the globe, Calabash’s community restaurants are vital to Brunswick County’s overall economic success, especially related to the tourism industry and associated service industry jobs.

This summer you can see for yourself how important these businesses are to our economy—drive by any restaurant and you’ll likely see full parking lots and in some cases lines of people waiting to get inside.

These businesses also help keep an important part of our county’s history alive. From the men and women whose families have owned the businesses for generations, to people who have dedicated much of their lives to working for them, they all offer a unique perspective into the history of that small town and also the roots of a county that was built on fishing traditions.

If you’re visiting Brunswick County this summer, we encourage you to stop by some of the local restaurants to see what all of the fuss is about. If you live here, help support these local entrepreneurs by stopping by for a bite sometime.

While you’re there, strike up a conversation with the people who are working. Not only will they be able to tell you about the community where they’re working, they may also be able to share with you some pretty interesting history about the way things were once upon a time in this small fishing town.

To the folks at Calabash Town Hall, especially Mayor Anthony Clemmons, hats off to you for recognizing how important these people and businesses are to your community. They deserve to be celebrated.