Island Bikes and Outfitters opened its doors in June of 2001, but first a little history that brought us to this place:

     Tony Spainhour was born in Morganton, N.C. His mom moved him and his siblings to Edisto Beach when he was six. His grandfather was superintendent of the Edisto Beach State Park at that time. His mom married Henry Collins (of the Collins Pavilion). Tony grew up in the first house on Jungle Road (which is next door to our shop and better known now as Fish or Cut Bait Gallery). He spent many summer days working at the arcade and snack bar of the Collins Pavilion. He rented fishing tackle and surf boards from the pier. He ran the Blue Marlin Bar which was located at the Collins Pavilion.

     In 1990, Tony began renting bikes from the gas station owned by his family. In 1992, Island Rentals and the shack was born and he extended his rental fleet on the grassy area and the parking lot of the gas station. From the shack, he rented bikes, 4 wheel bikes, kayaks, golf carts, chairs and umbrellas, tubes & rafts, surfboards & boogie boards, and fishing tackle. Gee, how’d he do all that from such a small shack anyway? While doing business at the shack, he expanded to include Parasailing, Jet ski rentals, charters and Big Banana rides at the Edisto Marina. Island Rentals operated from May until September.

    Sonya Bennett Spainhour was born in Walterboro and always grew up coming to Edisto Beach during the summer. In 1983, Sonya moved to Edisto Beach and began working at the Planters Oak Restaurant inside Fairfield Ocean Ridge. In September of 1989, we made it through Hurricane Hugo, enjoyed a white Christmas, but a fire destroyed the Planters Oak Restaurant. Sonya reopened the Blue Marlin Bar in 1990 for the Collins’.

 

     Tony and Sonya married in 1994. Sonya began working with Martha Whetstone of Interiors by the Partridge Shop. Their son, Sean, was born in May 1995, and spent a lot of his first year at work with his mom at Interiors. 

     Then in the year 2000, Tony’s parents, Mary and Henry Collins, decided to leave the “city life” for down on the farm. They sold the house on Jungle Road to Fish and Cut Bait, made us an offer we couldn’t refuse on the empty lot next door and construction began in the fall of 2000. Tony was instrumental in the design of the building and very active in the construction of it. In June 2001, we opened our doors for business. Since then, we’ve added many extras to expand our business. We offer a full gift shop stocked with many fun items and souvenirs, jewelry and clothing, bait and tackle, biking and kayaking accessories. So be sure and stop by and browse on your next visit to Edisto cause

WE GOT STUFF!!