Beaufort’s Newest Bakery Biscotti, Cookies, Muffns,
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If you have a BBC gift card come by and see us...
we will honor BBC gift cards at 25¢ on the dollar. 1281 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC 29902 | www.briciolebeaufort.com | info@briciolebeaufort.com | 843-379-4800
AUGUST 1 - 7, 2019 WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
All you need is love Presidential hopeful Williamson brings her message to Beaufort ‘town hall’ appearance
By Mindy Lucas About 130 people gathered at United Church of Jesus Christ in Beaufort on Saturday, July 27, to hear bestselling author, spiritual advisor and democratic presidential hopeful Marianne Williamson deliver her trademark message of love. Speaking at a quick pace to a spirited crowd of residents, church members and area religious Marianne leaders, Wil- Williamson liamson managed to jam a wide range of topics – from children’s health and well-being to the economy and race relations – into the nearly 25-minute-long talk. For many like Marcia Whitman of Beaufort, it was an opportunity to purchase Williamson’s latest book, “A Politics of Love: A Handbook for a New American Revolution,” and see the author speak again in person. “She’s just awesome,” said Whitman who had heard the candidate speak once before. “She’s positive and she comes from a loving place.” Whitman, who is “in her 60s,” said she was still undecided as to who she would vote for come November of 2020 – she also likes Elizabeth Warren. Whatever the case, though, Whitman said she was tired of politics and looking for a change. “The main thing for me is somebody who can beat Trump,” she said. Though at times the 67-yearold Williamson has raised eyebrows or been mocked for her seemingly soft touch approach to politics, and despite polling among the bottom of the pack in an already crowded field of candidates vying for the Democratic party’s nomination, she has stuck with her message. On more serious notes of
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Rick and Mandy Griffin, managers of the Downtown Marina on Bay Street, will be retiring soon. Photo by Bob Sofaly.
CHANGING OF THE GUARD Marina manager’s retirement signals end of an era for Beaufort
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By Mindy Lucas ick Griffin’s father had been running the downtown marina for nearly a decade, when Griffin returned home to Beaufort in 1974. A new graduate with a degree in administration management from Clemson, Griffin intended to work for his father who also owned and operated the adjoining service station, though his father wasn’t so sure his firstborn son was up to the task. “I wasn’t that good of a student,” Griffin said recently from his corner office in the small, red-brick building in the marina parking lot. Now, nearly 45 years later, and after a career that has seen everything from freak storms, to celebrity sailors and million dollar yachts, Griffin is hanging up his hat
as marina manager. When the Beaufort native retires this week, it will be the end of an era – not only for Beaufort but for the Griffin family as well. Dallas-based marina operations company Safe Harbor will take over the marina’s operations as approved by the city in May, and for the first time since 1946, there won’t be a Griffin on the property. But the 67-year-old Griffin said he’s made his peace with that. He’s ready to retire and move on to other things. “I guess you just know when it’s time,” he said. Built from Scratch Outside of storm damage, little has changed about the marina since it was built in the mid ‘60s, Griffin said. He was 12 when work to fill in the parking lot began, he remembers.
His father, John Griffin Sr. – Rick is actually John Myrick Griffin Jr. – came to Beaufort in 1946 to take over the lease of the Sinclair Service Station, a white block building that once stood atop Freedom Mall, on Bay Street. His father eventually bought the marina business but went on to sell it back to the city in 1975, which was in the midst of creating the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. The Griffins, or Griffin Enterprises, Inc., has leased it since. “We really built the place up from scratch,” Griffin said. After the Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center moved out in the ‘90s, the marina store and offices, once in the building where the laundry and showers are now, moved into the brick building next door, causing
little disruption. The storm, however, was another thing. Blowing up suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere, the ’93 Superstorm, or Storm of the Century, as it was also called, hit Beaufort along with most of the Eastern Seaboard on March 14, 1993. With hurricane-force winds, the storm dumped snow as far south as Alabama, caused heavy flooding and storm surge around the southeast and left millions without power. More than 270 people died as a result of the storm. Out on Fripp Island where Griffin lived at the time, he decided to try calling the marina. “It was snowing sideways,” he said. “In March.” After the phone rang for what seemed like too long to be a good sign, an over-
whelmed employee finally answered. “I’m on my way,” Griffin said and hung up. He would spend the rest of the afternoon in his own 23-foot, fully covered Mako, towing and helping to move sailboats away from the splintering docks. The marina docks were totally destroyed but would eventually be rebuilt – this time with a “T-head” added to its end. A View to the World From his modest, back-corner office tucked in at the back of the marina store, Griffin has had a front row seat to possibly one of the most interesting spots for people and boat-watching in Beaufort. Just outside his window, where the original seawall
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Beaufort Bread Company closes its doors
BBC on Bay owners Eric and Robin Staton.
FAMILY TRADITION
By Mike McCombs Beaufort Bread Company is ceasing operations immediately. A Monday morning post, presumably by owners Eric and Robin Staton, on the restaurant and bakery’s Facebook page confirmed the closure. “We have made the difficulty (sp) decision to close down the Beaufort Bread Company and BBC on Bay as of Tuesday July 30, 2019,” the post reads. “At this time in our life we have other responsibilities that have become a different
priority for us. Which makes it complicated for us to operate these business (sp). We have enjoyed meeting so many wonderful people in this great Beaufort community and have enjoyed the support we have received by this great community – for this we say thank you.” As of press time, the owners had not responded to an email request for comment, and The Island News was unable to reach them by phone. It had been business as usual as recently as Saturday.
FIRST FRIDAY
Both locations were open and the daily special was posted on the Facebook page. “Saturday’s Are Made for BBC Brunch!” the post read above the menu listing for eggs and tacos with fire-roasted salsa. But on Sunday, the owners notified employees via a group text message that they would be closing both locations, Lady’s Island and 705 Bay Street in downtown Beaufort, as of Monday, giving the employees instructions on how to collect their paychecks.
INSIDE
Dr. Earnest Collins left a legacy to both the hospital and the community.
This month's event gives patrons a sneak peak of Beaufort’s annual Sidewalk Sale.
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Lowcountry Life A2 News A2 Health A4-5 From the Front A5 Community B1 IGNO B2
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Beaufort Bread Company’s Lady’s Island location was launched by Rick Stone in 2013 and had become known for its fresh-baked bread, sandwiches and desserts before the business was sold to the Statons in August 2016. A second location in downtown Beaufort, in the works since December 2016, was opened in November 2018. “Our main goal was to bring something to Bay Street that Bay Street doesn’t have,” Robin Staton said at the time. “We’ve done that.”