History of Calabash as tourist destination (Wilmington, Brunswick: condo, live in, restaurants)
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Our family went to the Brunswick Islands and stayed at a nice condo at Calabash (via Airbnb). It was a very interesting little town, but I can't escape the feeling that it has a "South of the Border" feel to it. Meaning, there seemed to have been a peak period of tourism in the area (perhaps the 90s?), and now it looks cheesy and past its prime. I couldn't find any blog or anything that supported this thought, but just from the demographic layout and how the stores look like they're stuck in a mid-1990s time warp got me thinking about it all.
Don't get me wrong: its proximity to the Brunswick Island region and N. Myrtle Beach are attractive. Just that it seems to stand out in a way I can't put my finger on.
Our family went to the Brunswick Islands and stayed at a nice condo at Calabash (via Airbnb). It was a very interesting little town, but I can't escape the feeling that it has a "South of the Border" feel to it. Meaning, there seemed to have been a peak period of tourism in the area (perhaps the 90s?), and now it looks cheesy and past its prime. I couldn't find any blog or anything that supported this thought, but just from the demographic layout and how the stores look like they're stuck in a mid-1990s time warp got me thinking about it all.
Don't get me wrong: its proximity to the Brunswick Island region and N. Myrtle Beach are attractive. Just that it seems to stand out in a way I can't put my finger on.
One of things we LIKED when we looked here was it WAS NOT cookie cutter like many areas.
No strip mall shopping centers.
We call it "quaint". No 2 buildings look alike giving each on it's own personality.
With the amount of restaurants in town, there is PLENTY of tourism during the summer.
Calabash has a long history of good, inexpensive seafood. In many areas of North and South Carolina you will find restaurants advertising "Calabash Style Seafood" which generally means, fresh seafood, deep fried, served on paper plates, with plastic utensils, more often than not on pick-nick tables under bright lights.
As recent as 20 years ago, the Brunswick County beaches were considered remote and largely undeveloped. Waterfront and even ICW front property was affordable. Then a growing and expanding Myrtle Beach combined with planned communities with a "plantation" theme started a growth that reached a peak in the late 90s and early 00s. Brunswick County is far from being the rural area it used to be just a few years ago.
I think the recession over the past few years has slowed down the growth in the area including Myrtle Beach. I think your "cheesy" "South of the Border feel" applies to Myrtle Beach as well. Things are just not as vibrant and new as they were. Fast growth and competition has left a lot of vacancy's in the area resulting in a somewhat "seedy" look to some areas that used to be just a "beachy" look.
Calabash has a long history of good, inexpensive seafood. In many areas of North and South Carolina you will find restaurants advertising "Calabash Style Seafood" which generally means, fresh seafood, deep fried, served on paper plates, with plastic utensils, more often than not on pick-nick tables under bright lights.
As recent as 20 years ago, the Brunswick County beaches were considered remote and largely undeveloped. Waterfront and even ICW front property was affordable. Then a growing and expanding Myrtle Beach combined with planned communities with a "plantation" theme started a growth that reached a peak in the late 90s and early 00s. Brunswick County is far from being the rural area it used to be just a few years ago.
I think the recession over the past few years has slowed down the growth in the area including Myrtle Beach. I think your "cheesy" "South of the Border feel" applies to Myrtle Beach as well. Things are just not as vibrant and new as they were. Fast growth and competition has left a lot of vacancy's in the area resulting in a somewhat "seedy" look to some areas that used to be just a "beachy" look.
"which generally means, fresh seafood, deep fried, served on paper plates, with plastic utensils, more often than not on pick-nick tables under bright lights."
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Are there places like you describe? Yes. I only know of 1. But, to say generally means... just isn't factual.
Myrtle beach suffered when the housing bubble burst just like most every other area of the country.
Myrtle Beach is recovering just as most every area of the country.
Brunswick County was and is still the fastest growing county in the state.
"
Are there places like you describe? Yes. I only know of 1. But, to say generally means... just isn't factual.
Perhaps in recent years Calabash has "gone up town" with all this fast growth, but I'm 62 and have eaten Calabash style all over the state of NC. Classic Calabash as I described was very much what you got 25-30 years ago in the county and small towns across NC and what you are apt to get in many places still. The core of Calabash is certainly fresh, deep fried seafood .... lots of it .... whatever ambiance you place it in .... and in the words of an old TV show called The Guns of Will Sonnet .... "no brag, just fact."
Perhaps in recent years Calabash has "gone up town" with all this fast growth, but I'm 62 and have eaten Calabash style all over the state of NC. Classic Calabash as I described was very much what you got 25-30 years ago in the county and small towns across NC and what you are apt to get in many places still. The core of Calabash is certainly fresh, deep fried seafood .... lots of it .... whatever ambiance you place it in .... and in the words of an old TV show called The Guns of Will Sonnet .... "no brag, just fact."
Calabash style e sea food is advertised as "lightly battered". Which is what makes it different then the normal battered types of food.
Define "gone up town"
The fact that there is not ONE national chain restaurant or fast food place is a GREAT thing.
ALL are locally owned.
Like I said I LIKE the way Calabash is and do NOT want it changed to some personalalityless strip mall where every building looks the same.
Calabash style e sea food is advertised as "lightly battered". Which is what makes it different then the normal battered types of food.
I went in search of what makes Calabash-style different. Some claim it is breaded with cornmeal. Another says the secret is soaking in buttermilk. This source says the secret is self-rising flour. At any rate, here is a good answer: Fish N Pickles: GET YOUR "CALABASH STYLE" SEAFOOD!!
I went in search of what makes Calabash-style different. Some claim it is breaded with cornmeal. Another says the secret is soaking in buttermilk. This source says the secret is self-rising flour. At any rate, here is a good answer: Fish N Pickles: GET YOUR "CALABASH STYLE" SEAFOOD!!
From your own link:
"This tiny little town prides itself on being the "seafood capital of the world." This is due to the great number of seafood restaurants located in Calabash. Most, if not all of these restaurants boast to have the freshest and best fried seafood of all. An advertising statement that brings the tourists back year after year.
This in turn, has led to the coining of the term "Calabash-Style" seafood. Several restaurants actually give a definition of calabash style (claiming to have invented it) as being "seafood prepared fresh, lightly battered, and fried to order."
"This is due to the great number of seafood restaurants located in Calabash."
I have heard a different reason. It is because Calabash was a "fishing" village and all the fishermen came to the Calabash seaport to unload their vat amount of seafood goods.
The restaurants came later.
I live in Calabsh and get my info from the people who actually live here not some chef from Wilmington which is over 40 miles away.
I went in search of what makes Calabash-style different. Some claim it is breaded with cornmeal. Another says the secret is soaking in buttermilk. This source says the secret is self-rising flour. At any rate, here is a good answer: Fish N Pickles: GET YOUR "CALABASH STYLE" SEAFOOD!!
All of the above is true according to my Southern Family, cornbread, buttermilk, key ingredients to the best fried seafood. Calabash claims it too and I must say, they do a fine job. Hushpuppies are great but I prefer to save my fried caloric intake to the fish and the dill pickles at this point in my waistline.
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