ST. HELENA ISLAND, S.C. — The doors of a local Beaufort County business have permanently shut following a shooting incident that occurred on October 12.

On Wednesday, Willie Turral, the proprietor of Willie’s Bar and Grill, disclosed that the establishment would be closing for good. This decision came after a judge’s ruling to suspend Turral’s business licenses.

“Despite the affection, dedication, and resources invested in Willie’s, it’s apparent that the venue can no longer operate as it once did—not safely, sustainably, or in alignment with the values we cherish for St. Helena,” Turral expressed.

In the wake of the bar’s closure, Turral has unveiled plans for “SHEDWorks: The St. Helena Economic Development & Digital Corridor,” a community hub aimed at fostering education, cultural enrichment, economic development, and youth empowerment.

Turral described this initiative as “precisely what St. Helena needs right now” and is encouraging community involvement through sponsorships, volunteer efforts, and partnerships. The center is set to provide training in digital skills and technology, leadership development for young people, tech support for seniors, and digital literacy, among other services.

“If we do not build something better in the space where something tragic occurred, we risk letting that tragedy define us,” he said in the statement.

This is an effort from Turral to address safety and opportunity in the community. The former bar owner has previously addressed systemic problems in St. Helena, where he named hope and resources as the biggest needs in his community:

“People gotta be educated. There has to be hope, there has to be resources in the community,” he told after the shooting.

“The closing of Willie’s may feel like an ending, but it is actually an evolution—an upgrade from a single restaurant to a community engine that can lift an entire island,” said the SHEDWorks Founder Willie Turral.