Veterans Cafe in Myrtle Beach Saved After Near Closure; organizes a celebration for the community

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — A popular veteran-inspired coffee shop in Myrtle Beach that almost went out of business a few months ago hosted a special Veterans Day celebration.

A home away from home for local veterans was forced to close its doors almost permanently in August due to a drastic rent increase, but luckily Scott Dulebohn and the Veterans Welcome Home Resource Center saved the day and worked with the owners to keep it open.

The Veterans Café and Grill was packed over the holidays with over 300 guests dining. The restaurant was so full that it had to close early because it ran out of food.

Scott Dulebohn, partner and CEO of the Veterans Welcome Home Resource Center, said he was relieved everything worked out because the cafe is extremely important to the community.

“We have over 30,000 veterans in Horry County, which is absolutely incredible. One in ten people here is a veteran. It's huge, but there are just memorabilia everywhere. “There’s some incredible stuff in here,” Dulebohn said.

Dulebohn said the cafe is also a museum and many of the items on display were donated by local veterans.

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Dulebohn explained, “This restaurant has a piece of the Berlin Wall that was donated by other veterans.”

While the Veterans Café and Grill is a place where people can eat and view interesting war artifacts, Dulebohn says it is so much more.

He said, “People come in and enjoy a good meal, talk to other veterans, tell war stories, tell stories about today and just have a good time.”

Cassie Goldsmith is the manager of the cafe and also a veteran.

She said it was great to work in a restaurant where she could be with other men and women who also served their country.

Goldsmith said: “It's really nice to just share the experiences they've had and listen to any stories they want to tell.”

The café is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and it is hoped to expand the program to include additional days in the future.