Laney Vallancey (above) is a prominent restaurateur and businesswoman on the Grand Strand, with two flourishing eateries in North Myrtle Beach — Rockefellers Raw Bar and Brisket. She’s owned and operated Rockefellers since 2004, nurturing its progress from a small bar to the fast-paced, popular dining establishment it is today.
“Customers love sitting around the bar in one of the captains chairs and watching their food cooked in one of the kettles by their bartender,” she notes. They love the laid-back feel while enjoying their favorite drink and food!”
She and her late husband Jeff opened Brisket in 2016.
“It was designed with Texas and West Virginia in mind. My family lives in WVa. and my husband was from Texas. I wanted this restaurant to have that country feel. I had a fellow build a backbar to look like it was from the 1800’s,” she continues. Jeff, she explains, was “an extraordinary pit master” and knew exactly how to smoke the meat to get the best flavor. “The sides and desserts are my recipes from my years cooking for my family from scratch. I was a picky eater myself, so cooking country dishes was my way of learning to eat more things because I knew what I wanted to put into each dish.”
Both restaurants offer full service dining along with a large variety of beer, wine and liquor and “at Brisket we have a very large selection of bourbons to pair well with your smoked meat choice, along with a nice selection of craft beers.”
She is quick to attribute the success of the restaurants to her great staff. “Owning Rockefellers for 20 years, I know what sets us apart from others and that is my staff. I feel I have the best staff anyone could ask for. I have a few that have been with me from the beginning. We all have a very special bond. We’ve gone through everything together from death (my husband passed in 2018) to marriages to having babies that grow up and now they work for me. Brisket is in its eighth year and the staff there is very special also, along with the fact that it’s so cozy and warm inside … I am proud to have two successful restaurants in this great community. I love North Myrtle Beach!”
Community involvement is also important to her, she states, and both restaurants offer free food to all first responders on duty. Brisket has also participated in the annual Macaroni Mania cookoff, which benefits the Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach. And, offering advice to those starting off in business, she suggests: “Be strong and don’t let that first no or second no make you stop fighting for your dreams!”
Rockefellers Raw Bar
3613 Highway 17 South
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 361-9677
rockefellersrawbar.com
Brisket
1501 Highway 17 South
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
(843) 273-4423
brisketnmb.com
