Spanning 10 Levels And 35,000 Square Feet, The Nation's Largest Gift Shop Is Hiding In South Carolina
By AnneMarie|Published December 07, 2022
×
AnneMarie
Author
South Carolina has been home for AnneMarie since 2001. Her favorite part of the state is Lake Jocassee. An App State alumna, it's always the mountains; the lake bonus makes it heavenly. When not writing about the state, she may be spending time with family, relaxing by the pool, or out somewhere enjoying nature.
One of the best beach towns to visit or vacation in, Myrtle Beach was rated the 3rd most popular destination for the summer of 2021 in a TripAdvisor survey. Best known for its expansive 60-mile coastline, people also love the beachfront boardwalk, which features great restaurants, arcades, and shopping, including one of the best gift shops in South Carolina.
A Myrtle Beach landmark and community favorite since the 1940s, the Gay Dolphin Gift Cove is not just your average gift shop. It’s one of the most visited tourist attractions in Myrtle Beach, and a piece of history, family-owned, that has survived the test of time … and natural disaster. The original facility was destroyed by Hurricane Hazel in 1954. The store was built back in phases, with the oceanfront part rebuilt first, followed by the digging of the basement to add part of the stockroom. In the early 1960s, construction began to expand the store to Ocean Boulevard, and the iconic tower was built.
The founder, Justin Whitaker Plyler, a Salisbury, North Carolina native, chose the name “Gay Dolphin" when the store was renamed as a whimsical name inspired by the coastal location and at a time when the word “gay” simply meant “happy.” Its original name was Shell Craft Gift Shop.
The store calls itself "the nation’s largest gift shop," averaging 70,000 items. This is one of the larger items available, a fountain with three dolphins priced at $7,000.
Advertisement
The store is sectioned into about 50 “coves” covering 35,000 square feet of space. It’s so massive, even a gorilla can get lost here!
You can’t possibly see everything here, even in a day, but you may find something perfect for someone special in your life or that you can’t live without. A porch or patio somewhere is just waiting for this to complete the space!
