There are a lot of things we don’t take for granted anymore, after 2020. No matter what our own experience of that eventful year, it is hard to imagine coming through it without some change in our perspective.
Big things such as holidays and weddings had to take a different form for many of us and our families, with the result that we see their importance more clearly than ever. In addition, there’s a kind of appreciation for everyday things, too.
Special Every Day
The Shops at Sea Pines Center were designed to make even everyday things special – a little more colorful, a little brighter, a bit surprising, and a little more fun. The first thing most people notice here is that what’s for sale is not the ordinary. From the generations-long relationships of a family jeweler, to a clothing store that only orders so much of a single item and no more, to a source of downhome delicacies that are as authentic as the Lowcountry itself, an espresso with the taste of the Champs-Élysées, or a gallery of art photography unlike any other in the world – it might be easy to conclude that this is a kind of shopping and dining that people reserve for special occasions.
But look closer, and you’ll see that the founders put a gas station here, and a post office, and a pizzeria. Once there was a bank, too, which our gourmet grocery uses to store fine wines in a steel vault. Clearly convenience is part of the deal in The Shops at Sea Pines Center, meant to be a feature of everyday life.
The Best is Within
The open-air gathering spot built into The Shops at Sea Pines Center, our lovely plaza, has proven to be more valuable than ever in a time of sensible health precautions, offering residents and visitors the ability to gather, but not to crowd. Residents, seasonal visitors, and guests alike still come here to get a feel for what’s going on. Connection is an idea that clearly was in the mind of Sea Pines founder Charles Fraser, when he placed us right here, in the middle of “the Miracle Mile.”
The reminder we get when we visit The Shops at Sea Pines Center – whether for an occasion, a special gift, or an everyday errand – is finding that we are among friends. More than ever, we are grateful for that. And some kinds of magic seem to happen then.
Ever notice how more good things follow when we’re happy about what we’ve got? People who give a lot of thought to that kind of thing say that gratitude and grace are linked together – speaking of connections – and by grace we mean good things coming from beyond our own reach. The Shops at Sea Pines Center are wishing you a year that gets brighter every day.
