For about six weeks this summer, a cookie cart stood outside a house in Cherry Grove. Owner Jon Allen described the scene in a Facebook post that WMBF summarized in October. Neighbors came by on evening walks and golf cart rides. One visiting family said it had vacationed in Cherry Grove instead of Myrtle Beach specifically to be near the cart.
The cart went up at the end of July. The city shut it down the Tuesday after Labor Day, following an anonymous complaint. Allen told The Sun News that losing it would cost Cherry Grove Cookie Co. an estimated $4,000 a month. That's a lot of revenue for a cart that ran barely more than a month, in a business that started baking on February 1.
A lot of the talk since then has tied the cart to North Myrtle Beach's food-truck debate. The city has said on record that a different rule closed it, and that's the rule it isn't planning to change. Right now, the cookies come from storefronts on Sea Mountain Highway, Main Street and Highway 17, plus a Friday market on 1st Avenue South, and that's likely to stay true for the near future.
The Rule That Actually Closed the Cart
Early coverage pointed at the city's Mobile Food Vending Ordinance. The Sun News reported that Allen held a business license, but that the existing ordinance didn't allow his cart. The city described the problem differently in a statement to WMBF on September 14. It said the case involved the business's home-occupation license. On that application, the business activity was listed as "Home Bakery Making Cookies / Not Selling From Home."
A month later, WMBF's follow-up on the state cottage food law quoted the city's rule in plain terms:
"A home-based business may obtain a business license, but customers cannot come to the residence, products cannot be sold from the yard, and the business cannot be advertised at the residence."
Allen has argued that the city should align its rules with South Carolina's cottage food law. He has also said he didn't know about the local ordinance until the city told him the cart had to stop. The city's statement to WMBF said the state law "does not override the City's zoning requirements or automatically authorize a food stand at a residence." WMBF cited guidance from Clemson Cooperative Extension that says the same thing.
The same article covered a second case. Crunchy Mom Sourdough lost its roadside stand on September 21 after a complaint. The city said the two enforcement actions were separate and weren't part of any broader review of home-based food businesses. The city also told WMBF it has no plans for now to change its home-occupation zoning rules.
This is a summary of public reporting on local rules. It's general information, not legal advice. Anyone thinking about selling from a home in city limits should confirm their own situation with the city or a qualified professional.
What the Food-Truck Rewrite Would Change
The food-truck ordinance is on a separate track. At an August 5 council workshop, staff walked council through options for updating the city's Mobile Food Vending Ordinance. The city's recap says the old ordinance was adopted years ago and is being reviewed to reflect the growing popularity of mobile food vendors. No draft was proposed or voted on.
According to WMBF's report from the workshop, Planning and Development Director Jim Wood presented a draft with these terms:
| Draft term discussed Aug. 5, 2026 | Figure |
|---|---|
| Permits available citywide | 20 |
| Minimum distance from a brick-and-mortar restaurant | 200 feet |
| Permit fee, one approved location | $250 |
| Each additional location | $50 |
| Most trucks allowed on one property | 2 |
Under that draft, trucks could set up only on private or city-owned property with the owner's approval. The voices at the workshop included people Cherry Grove residents will know. Councilman Hank Thomas questioned whether one site should host a truck year-round. Cherry Grove Pier partner Ed Prince said food trucks should meet the same standards as brick-and-mortar businesses, including parking and bathrooms. Tommy Festa, owner of the Clever Cleaver food truck, said trucks and restaurants serve different needs and can bring food to places that have none.
Allen told WMBF that his business already uses a trailer for special events. If the ordinance changes, he said, he might apply for one of the approved spots. Even then, the cookies would be sold from an approved site, and the city's home-occupation rules would still apply at his house. So far nothing is scheduled. The council's published agendas for September 21, October 5 and October 19 had no food-vending item. WMBF's October 14 report called the discussion preliminary, with no ordinance introduced and no timeline set for a vote.
The Cookies Moved Onto Sea Mountain Highway
Local shops were carrying the cookies before the cart existed. By the end of February, Allen had his first account, Be Known Coffee Company on Sea Mountain Highway. By September, The Sun News counted 10 retail locations. Those accounts are now the main way to buy in person. Allen told WMBF he plans to keep going through preorders, pop-ups, deliveries and partnerships with local businesses.
The company's own location list mostly follows three roads that Cherry Grove residents already drive. The page isn't dated, so call ahead if you're going for a specific flavor.
| Corridor | Shop | Address | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea Mountain Highway | SeaSide SunRise Cafe | 201 Sea Mountain Hwy | |
| Sea Mountain Highway | Old South BBQ | 1020 Sea Mountain Hwy | |
| Sea Mountain Highway | Be Known Coffee | 4207 Sea Mountain Hwy | First retail account |
| Main Street | Naturally Healthy | 649 Main St. | |
| Main Street | Bookends | 753 Main St. | Seasonal |
| Highway 17 | Spuds-N-Subs | 865 Hwy 17 S | |
| Highway 17 | Carolina Quench | 1614 US-17 S | Seasonal |
| Highway 17 | Coop's General Store | 1530 US 17, Little River |
The Sea Mountain Highway stops are the closest to the old cart. SeaSide SunRise Cafe sits at the Cherry Grove end of the road, and Be Known Coffee sits at the Little River end. Two of the eight shops are marked seasonal. The company also takes online orders and delivers. Its menu names include Snickerdudes, Vanilla Thunder and The Cherry Grove.
Fridays on 1st Avenue South, Through December 18
The North Myrtle Beach Farmers Market at 925 1st Ave. S. is the one place to buy in person on a regular schedule. The company lists it for Fridays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or until sold out. The market is run by Waccamaw Market Cooperative, and its 2026 season runs through December 18. The hours are about to change.
- Friday, October 30: regular hours, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Friday, November 6 through Friday, December 18: the cooperative switches to its holiday weekly market at the same address, with hours cut to 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- After December 18: the North Myrtle Beach market's 2026 season ends. That leaves the shops, online orders and delivery until the market returns.
In November, plan on arriving before 2 p.m. instead of mid-afternoon.
The Storefront Question
The open question for spring is whether Cherry Grove Cookie Co. gets a counter of its own. In September, Allen told The Sun News that the cart's popularity had him thinking about a brick-and-mortar shop. He gave WMBF a narrower version. "It would have to be the right spot, and it would have to be close by, I guess," he said. "I don't wanna go outside of this area to set up a brick and mortar."
No site has been announced. Until one is, a Cherry Grove cookie run means a stop on Sea Mountain Highway, Main Street or Highway 17, or a Friday at 925 1st Ave. S. before the market closes for the season on December 18.
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