It does say ‘City’ doesn’t it? I’m sure that the first time I heard this catch phrase, I probably laughed at Swansboro being called a city. I remember far enough back that Swansboro was a town, not a city. But several years ago, Swansboro stopped being a quaint little town. I think it happened before the Walmart was opened and well before El Catrin or Bamboo House opened. So to argue that some new development should not be built because it would ruin the nature of “the Friendly City by the Sea,” seems ludricous to me.

I have a picture of me, when I was probably about six years old, and I am standing with my new bicycle on my back porch. Mom had bought this bike at the Western Auto in Swansboro. Now Swansboro was a town then. But now if you start at the Western Auto, which surprisingly is still in the same place, and head toward Hubert & Jacksonville along Hwy. 24, you are going to encounter a myriad of businesses, on both sides of the Friendly City by the Sea. You’ve got banks & two credit unions. You’ve got two new car dealerships. Two grocery stores and a bunch of restaurants, Dollar Tree, and that’s before you get to the Walmart.

I ate at the new Burger King the first day it was opened, many years ago now. And their Drive-Thru is located where our old house stood when I was growing up. I don’t think I thought of Swansboro not being a town any longer that Sunday, but as part of the mix now, it helps make Swansboro more of a city than it’s ever been. And finally finish up your tour of all those businesses when you get to the new Bojangles.

Look at all the housing from Google Maps. How many churches?

No. That bus has left a long time ago. We still may be friendly, but small town, I don’t think so.