Market Common’s Peace, Love and Little Donuts closing after passing of beloved owner

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - Market Common’s Peace, Love and Little Donuts is closing its doors after the passing of the beloved owner, Clayton Matthews.

The community is remembering Matthews for the positive person he was. He called everyone sweetie, was a big supporter of Coastal Carolina baseball and was friends with nearly everyone in the Market Common community.

“He had great friends that he met here,” said Kay Matthews, the co-owner of Peace, Love and Little Donuts. “He did anything and everything with them. He wanted to do something, they just picked him up and carried him and put him on a bus or put him in a van or put him in something and carried him out to the beach and, you know, I think the first part of his life, I think he was a little bit intimidated by that, but as time went on he said, ‘You know what, if they’re game to pick me up and take me because I don’t want to miss anything.’

Clayton could strike up a conversation with nearly anyone who walked into the donut shop and he always recommended a hot, cinnamon donut to customers.

“He would just talk and talk and talk to people and he would roll around and come out here to the middle and just always had a welcome smile for anyone and always kind words to say,” said Kay.

Clayton grew up an all-star athlete and went on to play college football at James Madison University. In his junior year, he was in a car accident that left him in a wheelchair, but he never let that stop him.

He went on to coach football at multiple colleges, including JMU and Coastal Carolina before getting into the donut business.

“We never saw the wheelchair, said Matthews’ friend Tyler Vaught. “We never saw that. He was always just Clayton. Uncle Clayton. Donut daddy. He was just everything to everyone.”

On June 19, Matthews unexpectedly passed away due to a hemorrhagic stroke.

His friends and family were devasted by the news but found comfort knowing he was an organ donor, and that he has been able to save others’ lives.

“You know once he donated his organs, he got an escorted trip to the airport and flew out on a private jet and only Clayton would find a way to do that,” said Jason O’Brien, a friend of Matthews. “So that’s kind of a silver lining that he got to go out that way and help people because that’s what he was all about.”

Peace, Love and Little Donuts will close its door on Sunday, August 21.

“We are planning to close the shop at the end of August,” said Kay. “Our last day will be August 21, and that’s mostly because I just can’t do it without him. The administration part is very much and it’s just hard and so we’re going forward. were going to do some other things and close the shop.”

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