Explorin’ With Loren: Georgetown is the city where ‘local is everything’

GEORGETOWN S.C. (WMBF) - We explored Georgetown this week, a city that proudly shows off its history, charming shops, and top-notch food.

Folks can spend the day in downtown historic Georgetown, where each local shop and restaurant has a story to tell.

The first stop was Whimsy Roost.

“Named it Whimsy Roost because I’m pretty eclectic and whimsy and I love just taking things that just make people laugh or smile or inspire, and I just wanted to bring it all together and roost it here,” said owner Sabrina Query.

Query celebrates small businesses by showcasing their products in her home and goods gift store. She sells items for men, women, and children. The store also has jewelry, tableware, and a variety of neat gifts.

There are also novelties like warm blankets that are made in the Pee Dee. According to Query, Covered in Cotton is a Darlington-based company started by her friend.

It’s been four years since Query opened Whimsy Roost and she hopes to continue bringing smiles to her customers’ faces for years to come.

“That’s where our joy comes from. It’s just having a moment for people to enjoy shopping, enjoy laughing, enjoying the whimsy,” said Query.

Check out Whimsy Roost

Visitors can step back in time at the South Carolina Maritime Museum. Curator and maritime historian Justin McIntyre walked us through the two-story museum and highlighted the history and heritage that goes back centuries.

McIntyre said visitors can see Civil War exhibits, “which maritime-wise was very significant for us.” There are also a number of models such as the Henrietta, which is the largest wooden sailing ship built in S.C., according to curator.

Visitors can also explore dozens of artifacts and read the walls about the Port of Georgetown and the trials and tribulations for those who were at sea.

“Ships are a lot like people. They’re conceived, they’re planned, they’re born, they’re launched. They live their lives; they have their career out on the water and then they pass,” McIntyre said.

The museum is free.

Check out South Carolina Maritime Museum

Finish your day at Root, an American restaurant that serves its name on a platter.

“Root, we wanted to be the root of the city. We like to use a lot of local root vegetables. We got filets on the menu, shrimp. We got burgers; we have short ribs,” said owner Jimmy Hildebrandt.

The restaurant’s calendar is busy with daily happy hours and food events, with the chef cooking up unique twists on traditional favorites like chicken stir fry.

“It’s submerged in duck fat, so we’re doing chicken and vegetables and of course peppers and onions; the trinity we have going on in there,” said Hildebrandt.

Hildebrandt also served up a crispy brussels sprouts appetizer and a Chilean seabass with parmesan risotto.

Root opened in 2018, but the owner sold it to Hildebrandt once the pandemic hit. He said it’s been a tough eight months. but his passion for food and feeding a community he loves is what keeps him going.

“We treat you as our family. You are helping our livelihood; we’re helping you the best that we can,” he said. “Local is everything, community is key.”

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