Terri Richardson
trichardson@thesunnews.com
A former seafood restaurant in North Myrtle Beach is getting a new life.
45th Ave Crab House, which closed its location at 4515 U.S. 17 South in October 2025, is under renovations to become a new Smoothie King.
The new location is expected to open in December, said owner Brian Leachman. Another store is set to open in Carolina Forest in the Myrtle Beach area in early 2027.
The North Myrtle Beach location will be the third Smoothie King along the Grand Strand.
Smoothie King locations in the area
Leachman and his wife, Keri, opened their first Smoothie King in Pawleys Island, and later another store in The Market Common in Myrtle Beach. The planned Carolina Forest location will make the fourth store.
The North Myrtle Beach Smoothie King will have a drive-through. The brand is known for its nutritional smoothies that fit a person’s health or weight-management lifestyle. It also offers other food items such as flatbreads and bowls.
The Leachmans began their franchise based on their son’s interest in Smoothie King. Jonathan Mayzak would often go to Smoothie King, and he told his family that he wanted to get into the business, Leachman said.
The Leachmans began looking into the business and opened their Pawleys Island location in 2019. Mayzak was supposed to operate the business, Leachman said, but tragically, the Murrells Inlet man was struck and killed by a vehicle in August 2019.
Franchising the restaurant
The Leachmans continued the franchising of the business as a tribute to their son, Leachman said.
In addition to their Grand Strand locations, the Leachmans own Smoothie Kings in Florence, four in Greenville and one in Asheville, North Carolina.
“The brand already has a great following in the Grand Strand, and we wanted to add to it and continue to grow,” Leachman said of the new North Myrtle Beach store.
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