History

The Market Common is a lifestyle center located on the southern end of Myrtle Beach, just off of Highways 17 Business and 17 Bypass, near Myrtle Beach State Park. The 114 acre area is located on the grounds of the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, which closed in the early nineties, and was redeveloped and opened to the public in 2008.

The Market Common retains its roots to its military past with Warbird Park, which pays homage to the men and women who served at the former Air Force Base; it also showcases several fighter aircraft. Markers throughout the district commemorate the history of the Air Force Base, and most of the streets are named after those connected with it. The Market Common offers military history trolley tours throughout the year, as well as a local folklore tour.

The district has been masterfully and thoughtfully designed along the lines of an urban village, to include a well-balanced mixture of residential complexes, stores, restaurants, businesses, and natural spaces that identify the Market Common as the place to do it all— work, play, eat, and live— without ever leaving.

Attractions

The Market Common has developed into Myrtle Beach’s premier dining, shopping and entertainment destination. Well-known, higher-end retailers and restaurants such as Barnes & Nobles, Anthropologie, Pottery Barn, CityMac, Black House White Market, Chicos, Orvis, Victoria’s Secret, and P. F. Changs to name a few, are located here, alongside smaller, local boutique shops and trendy stand-alone restaurants where the proprietors put their personal touch on all they offer. Live-work spaces, with apartments upstairs, and office spaces downstairs, have inspired more than a few unique mom-and-pop businesses.

The Market Common district is an outdoor walking community, with the ocean a short bicycle or golf cart ride away. Patrons walk, run, bicycle, picnic, or simply relax and watch the wildlife around the lake at Grand Park and Valor Memorial Park in the commercial district. Savannah’s Playground is an enabling park for people of all ages and abilities to come together and play safely; the first of its kind in scale and scope in the entire Southeast.

Grand 14 Cinema is a state of the art movie theater, which yearly hosts the Myrtle Beach International Film Festival. 810 Billiards & Bowling offers live music, bowling, food, and interactive games for adults and families.

The Market Common is home to the Seacoast Artists Gallery, a live theatre company, a dance studio, and a yoga studio, Yoga in Common. The International Culinary Institute of Myrtle Beach delights people with their invitation-only farmers market, and student-run restaurant which is open to the public. The bi-weekly summer farmers market, held in the commercial district, showcases local farmers and artisan-products from all over the state.

Festivals and events abound at the Market Common year-round; there are free concerts and movies under the stars each summer; carriage rides; continuous live music in many of the restaurants; and the South’s largest New Year’s Eve event— a Southern Times Square. With so much to explore in so small a space, there’s something for everyone at this upscale, down-town area.