We had the good fortune of connecting with Cortney Hornyak and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cortney, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have always loved to read! My husband and I left professional careers in Pittsburgh and moved to Myrtle Beach in 2010. Unfortunately, the job/company we moved here for ended up not being a good fit for me, so I had to move on. After being at loose ends for a few years, we decided to take a chance and open The Bookworm! It took us about two years to collect enough inventory for the bookstore and find the perfect location.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I started working in restaurants when I was 16, so I have years of customer service experience! I went to college for Human Resources and ended up working in that field for almost 10 years, so that gave me really good experience in dealing with all different kinds of people calmly and professionally. I am so proud to be small business owner!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Hanging out at the beach tops my list! I also love to visit the Marsh Walk in Murrells Inlet.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband! He has been unfailingly supportive from the beginning of this journey in 2018. I had a really bad bout of Covid in 2021, so much so that I still suffer the effects almost 3 years later, and he consistently helps and picks up the slack, despite the fact that he has a full-time job. He is literally the best person I know and I’m so lucky to have him.

Website: www.thebookwormMB.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thebookworm.mb

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebookworm.mb

Other: www.etsy.com/shop/thebookwormMB

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSouthCarolina is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.