Banking on bagels and ice cream

The Ice Cream Place opened today in the Studebaker's plaza in Myrtle Beach.

Ruben Luster opened the shop right next door to his other eatery, The Bagel Factory at 2012 N. Kings Hwy., hoping to cash in on tourist traffic this summer.

"I really thought that we could feed a lot off of the bagel store. We've got such a good, steady clientele" he said. "There's a ton of foot traffic, there's a ton of car traffic."

The shop serves ice cream, shakes, smoothies and sundaes, and is running a buy one, get one free promotion for its first week in business.

Luster is looking to expand - his next move will be to open a bagel store in North Myrtle Beach, and he's looking for a site, he said. In December, he sold his Carolina Forest shop, citing management troubles. That shop still operates under the same name by a new owner.