With a crowd of eager customers lined up awaiting its 10 a.m. opening and strong sales throughout the day, Coastal Carolina University’s second Teal Nation retail store welcomed its first shoppers during a grand opening celebration on Monday, Oct. 9, at 324 N. Main St. in downtown Conway.

The store concept was born after Chanticleer fans requested that merchandise be more widely available in Horry County.

“About a year ago, I started getting messages on Twitter, on Instagram, ‘We want more places, more venues where [CCU] merchandise could be sold and purchased,’ from folks who couldn’t make it to campus,” said CCU president Michael T. Benson. “So, of course, we opened our Teal Nation store at Broadway at the Beach, which is doing extraordinarily well, and we knew we wanted a store here. What better venue than right here on Main Street… to be right in the heart of our hometown, Conway.”

The grand opening, held in partnership with the Conway Chamber of Commerce and Conway Downtown Alive, garnered enthusiastic community support from University students, faculty, staff, and administration, Conway representatives, CCU alumni and fans, and future students. The first 154 Horry County high school students who visited the store on Oct. 9 received a free CCU T-shirt. High school seniors who visited the store on opening day received a voucher that will waive the application fee when applying to CCU.

“Today marks the fusion of education and community as Teal Nation opens its doors not only to students and alumni but to all of Conway and beyond,” said Justin Jordan, Conway’s mayor pro tem and a member of Conway City Council. “I want to express our gratitude to all who made this moment possible, from the visionaries who saw the potential of this venture to the incredible team who worked tirelessly to bring it to fruition. Although many of us never experienced CCU as college students, we cannot contain the pride that we feel as the home of Coastal Carolina University. We are delighted to welcome you to the University’s downtown. Chants Up!”

The Teal Nation store in Conway will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. This location offers CCU branded home goods and tailgating items. Similar to its sister location in Myrtle Beach, the new store also features a range of high-quality, officially licensed CCU merchandise, including clothing, accessories, home décor, and gift items. The location offers visitors a place to learn more about enrolling at the University, purchase tickets for cultural arts and athletic events, and arrange tee times at CCU’s General James Hackler Golf Course, located adjacent to the institution’s campus.

All customers will receive 15% off select apparel and accessories at the Conway store through Nov. 1.

CCU’s first Teal Nation store, located at Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach, opened on March 1 and has experienced robust foot traffic and sales. The location is open daily and follows Broadway at the Beach’s hours of operation. Teal Nation stores offer a 30% discount to CCU students, faculty, and staff as well as Alumni Association and Chanticleer Athletic Foundation members with valid CINO or membership cards. All police, fire, and military service members receive 15% at both Teal Nation locations. A Teal Nation online store will be launching soon.