Myrtle Beach business hurting with fewer bikers coming in

By: Rusty Ray | SCNow
Published: May 13, 2009

Ted Panos, during any other bike week, would have no time to talk to a reporter.

But, clearly, this bike week is very different.

"It's obvious bike weeks aren't going to be the same anymore," said Panos, who owns the Havenwood Pancake House in Myrtle Beach. "Business has been dramatically reduced."

Panos said he can't hire the additional employees he normally takes on this time of year, because he simply isn't making enough money to pay them, thanks, he says to the Myrtle Beach anti-biker laws that were passed earlier this year.

"Why would you tell anyone you don't want them to come here?" he said.

In fact, Panos said he had customers earlier in the week who didn't want him to tell anyone they were eating at his restaurant. The out-of-town bikers said they did not support what the City of Myrtle Beach had done, but they did like Panos' food.

"The people I do have employed, they're working less hours in the kitchen. They're hourly employees," said Panos. "They're working less hours as well, and they're making half, 20%, 30% of the tips they anticipated," he said

"Ultimately, we're all going to be hurt," he said. "The tax revenue is going to decline, and who's going to pay for that? We are."