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“ It’s better for our local economy

The produce stand is open April through October
near the corner of Ocean Highway and Tiller Road. and the footprint we leave on the
Less than two miles south on Ocean Highway is
Pawleys Island General Store, Pope’s pride and joy. environment. Buying local cuts down on
At both locations, Pope is a proponent of locally-
sourced fruits, vegetables and homemade products the impact of transporting the goods and
like pot pies, soups, casseroles, and salad dressing. “
She says sustainability has come to the forefront of supports South Carolina.
consumers’ minds in the last decade as more and
more people have opted for fresh and nutritious over Chef Adam Kirby, co-owner of
convenient and cheap. Bistro 217 and Rustic Table
“It’s important to us to support something that
can keep going,” Pope says of her outfits’ sustainable
and organic choices. “That’s the best thing for a

consumer’s health and body and, long-term, the The trend toward home-grown isn’t
best thing for the environment.” limited to the direct-to-consumer market;
Like most businesses in Pawleys, Pope’s restaurants are getting in on locally sourced
endeavors to see a boost from seasonal products as well. Chef Adam Kirby, owner of Bistro
tourists; however, her ability to build and 217 and Rustic Table, said he couldn’t imagine
operating his Pawleys restaurants without the
maintain relationships with local and regional
farms attracts year-round residents who are freshest ingredients.
The award-winning chef said fresh products
looking for high-quality goods grown nearby. like eggs, seafood, and greens give him the tools
Nearly all the produce she sells comes from he needs to develop dishes at a fusion eatery
Georgetown, Williamsburg, and Horry counties, like Bistro 217 and Rustic Table, which features
and the squash, okra, and cucumbers are grown Southern comfort food.
alongside a nearby creek. According to Kirby, about 85 percent of
“In general, it costs a little more to buy his ingredients are sourced from within the
from a small farmer working to make a living, but state, noting half-jokingly that not many potatoes
in the end, the benefits outweigh the costs,” Pope are grown in South Carolina. But when it
says. “More and more people are interested in comes to seafood, he said, fresh and local
local food and they like knowing that I personally is the expectation.
know the farmer who grew their food.” “When people come to the beach, they want
to get food from the beach,” Kirby said. “I’m not
calling around Atlanta asking them to send us fish.
We get fish fresh from the ocean. I call our supplier
Mary Beth’s Sustainable Foods
on Pawleys Island every morning to see what the catch is and the
same guy delivers it to us each day.”
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