Shortly after The George opened, the Charleston-based Indigo Road Hospitality Group opened The Independent, a seafood restaurant, inside the hotel. It’s the group’s first restaurant in Georgetown.

Indigo Road Hospitality Group has a strong presence in Charleston, along with Atlanta, Washington D.C., Raleigh and Charlotte.

Main Street Director Al Joseph said there's been a trend of business owners expanding into Georgetown. Five Pawleys Island businesses have opened second locations there over the past two years, he noted.

“It’s very significant,” he said.

Deanna Benston is the owner of Sea Gypsy Boutique in Pawleys. Her husband Scott owns Surf the Earth, a surf shop that offers camps, kayak tours and surf lessons.

Benston recently opened a second boutique on Front Street called Revival. The boutique offers a similar style of clothing to Sea Gypsy, with some additional brands. Benston said she has a focus on items made from natural materials such as cashmere, linen and cotton.

Deanna Benston opened a new boutique called Revival on Front Street in April 2025. Provided by Deanna Benston

At first, she was unsure about the vision for the boutique. Then, as she began revitalizing the building that would hold her business, the idea for Revival bloomed.

She said she’s drawn to Georgetown — which has been undergoing its own kind of revival — because of its hometown feel and the ability to walk Front Street and duck in and out of mom-and-pop shops.

“I feel like we need more of that in society. We need to be supporting our friends and our neighbors that have been able to establish small businesses over the big box stores,” Benston said.

She said Georgetown also offers a tight-knit community feel, which appeals to her as a business owner. In the future, she said she'd like to partner with local organizations and host events to bring people together. 

Sawczuk said operating a Georgetown location will likely be different than running a business in the bustling Market Common area.