Local news from Greater Charleston

Local Guide

11 Things To Do Around Charleston This Weekend: October 16–18

Festivals, markets, live music and more across the Lowcountry, October 16–18.

Local Guide

12 Things To Do Around Charleston This Weekend: October 16–18

Festivals, markets, live music and more across the Lowcountry, October 16–18.

Around the Lowcountry

Husk Operator Takes Over the Ira Road Building That Frank and Jack's Never Opened

Neighborhood Dining Group, which runs Husk and Marbled & Fin, will manage a new restaurant at 1434 Ira Road in Mount Pleasant. The 4,600-square-foot building was developed for Frank & Jack's, which never opened. Blackbaud founder Tony Bakker's company bought it for $5 million, closing Sept. 8. Target opening is summer 2027 and the concept has not been disclosed.

Around the Lowcountry

Charleston's tourism plan rewrite: last public input session is Thursday

Charleston is updating its tourism management plan for the first time since 2015, the fourth revision since 1978, and the city's last open input session runs Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Charleston Civic Design Center. Residents who cannot attend can submit comments through an online survey until then. Director of Livability and Tourism Amy Southerland said the update is built around five pillars with data tracking as a priority, and gives more attention to West Ashley and Daniel Island.

Around the Lowcountry

J. Crew Factory coming to Azalea Square in Summerville

J. Crew Factory is opening at Azalea Square shopping center, 214 Azalea Square Blvd. in Summerville. The center's website lists the store as coming soon. No opening date has been announced.

Around the Lowcountry

102 acres on Johns Island split between a nature preserve and affordable housing

The Lowcountry Land Trust has purchased Humbert Woods, a 102-acre property on northern Johns Island. Ninety-seven acres become a nature preserve. The remaining five acres go to Sea Island Habitat for Humanity for affordable housing.

Around the Lowcountry

SNOB runs a guest bartender series every Saturday in October

SNOB has launched Bar Wars, bringing bartenders from across Hall Management Group behind its bar on Saturdays through October, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with drink specials alongside the regular lunch menu.

New & Noteworthy

Meta launches free AI assistant aimed at small businesses

Meta announced Muse for Small Business on September 29, an AI agent owners can use to analyze sales, manage cash flow and inventory, draft communications and create marketing content. Axios reports it integrates with Shopify, Slack, Asana, Canva and other tools, is free for most uses, and has optional $20 and $100 monthly tiers as usage grows.

Around the Lowcountry

Portable mortgage bill could unstick Charleston's housing market

A bill in Congress would let homeowners carry an existing conventional mortgage rate, term and balance to a new house if they close within 90 days of selling. Rep. Tom Kean Jr. introduced H.R. 10028 on August 3 and it is stalled in the House Financial Services Committee. Charleston listings have fallen from 2,612 homes in 2018 to 1,507 in August 2026.

Around the Lowcountry

495 King Street's rooftop gets a green light

Charleston's Board of Architectural Review voted unanimously on September 24 to approve a rebuilt rooftop at 495 King St., the longtime home of Stars Rooftop & Grill Room. New owner Andrew Baumgartner bought the 1948 building in March for $6.95 million, and architect Steve Ramos's plan adds a sloped standing-seam metal roof, a stage, restrooms and a new ground floor storefront.

Around the Lowcountry

Two North Charleston hotels change hands

The 93-room Staybridge Suites at 7329 Mazyck Dr. in North Charleston sold for $10 million to Mountain View Hotels LLC of Wytheville, Virginia, its first sale in more than 20 years. A North Charleston Hyatt Place also sold in August for $7.5 million as part of an $18 million three-hotel portfolio deal.

Around the Lowcountry

Meta releases a free AI assistant aimed at small businesses

On September 29 Meta launched Muse for Small Business, an AI agent that connects to tools owners already use including QuickBooks, Shopify, Canva, Slack, Stripe and Meta's own Facebook and Instagram business tools. It can draft content, flag urgent email and analyze performance, and Meta says nothing publishes, sends or spends without the owner's approval.

New & Noteworthy

Granado, an 1870 Rio apothecary brand, is coming to 370 King Street

Granado, founded in Rio de Janeiro in 1870, is opening at 370 King Street in a 539.6 square foot space. It will be the brand's third standalone US boutique and its first outside New York.

Around the Lowcountry

Huntington Bank opens first standalone Mount Pleasant branch

Huntington Bank held a ribbon cutting on the morning of September 28 at 3149 N. Highway 17 in Mount Pleasant, its first freestanding branch in the town. The branch has actually been serving customers since August 31. Trent Holland, regional president for the Carolinas, and Jennifer Schuchart, Charleston marketing president, attended.

New & Noteworthy

New Lowcountry Impact Fund puts $250,000 into the Harbor Entrepreneur Center

The Lowcountry Impact Fund launched with an initial $250,000 investment in The Harbor Entrepreneur Center. The fund was created by co-founders Alex Opoulos and Pete Sniderman and is sponsored by Abundance Capital, a nonprofit donor advised fund sponsor. The money is structured as a repayable investment rather than a grant, so it returns to the fund and gets redeployed. The Harbor will use it to expand programming and affordable office space for the more than 130 companies it works with.

Around the Lowcountry

Huntington Bank taking the old TGI Fridays space at Mount Pleasant Towne Centre

Huntington Bank will open a full service branch at 1835 North Highway 17 in Mount Pleasant Towne Centre this fall, in the former TGI Fridays building. The branch includes a Wealth Hub for wealth management services. It will be Huntington's seventh full service branch in South Carolina and its fifth in the Lowcountry, following openings on King Street in 2025, Summerville in July 2026, North Mount Pleasant in August 2026 and West Ashley in September 2026.

Now Open

Revolving Sushi Kingdom is now open at Mount Pleasant Towne Centre

Revolving Sushi Kingdom opened at Mount Pleasant Towne Centre with a soft opening on September 21 and a grand opening on September 28. The restaurant runs a conveyor belt of small plates alongside iPad ordering for larger dishes, with food delivered on animal shaped trains. The menu lists more than 100 items including sashimi, tempura, ramen, nigiri, hand rolled sushi and dumplings. Regular hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Around the Lowcountry

Judge signs off on settlement that sends the 657 King Street hotel back to the drawing board

Circuit Court Judge Dale Van Slambrook approved a mediated settlement resolving Historic Charleston Foundation's challenge to the city's approval of a hotel at 657 King Street that exceeded height limits on a split zoned property. Under the settlement the hotel will be redesigned, with a new architectural firm brought in to lead the work. The project moves forward in modified form rather than being blocked.

Around the Lowcountry

You get four days to reject a stranger's edit to your Google Business Profile

Google updated its help documentation to spell out the window business owners have on user suggested edits. Once notified, an owner has four days to accept or reject the suggestion. If nobody responds in that window, Google may publish the edit automatically when other public information, such as the business website, supports it. Google may also apply some edits with no notification at all when they comply with its guidelines.

Local Guide

6 Things To Do Around Charleston This Weekend: September 25–27

Festivals, markets, live music and more across the Lowcountry, September 25–27.

Around the Lowcountry

Charleston Is the Number One New Construction Market in America

The Charleston-North Charleston metro just took the top spot nationally, and for once the new houses are cheaper than the old ones.

Community Business Spotlight

A slice on Dorchester Road, twenty years in the making

Around the Lowcountry

Moncks Corner Is Getting Its Second Wave

Nine businesses are landing in Berkeley County's fastest-growing town, and the community development director says the interesting part is just starting.

Around the Lowcountry

Two Closings That Say Something About This Market

Silver Dollar lasted 26 years. Easton Barbecue lasted two. Both closed in the same week, and the reasons are worth sitting with.

Community Business Spotlight

Five Lowcountry Owners Worth Knowing

Local reporters spent August profiling the people behind small businesses out in Berkeley and Dorchester counties. These five are worth your time.

Around the Lowcountry

The Port Report: Six Stories in Three Weeks

SC Ports had an unusually busy August. Here is what happened and what it means for businesses that never touch a shipping container.

Around the Lowcountry

After 12 Years on Ashley River Road, The Mason Jar by Fatboys Will Close September 27

Owners Laura Black and Charles Lee are closing the West Ashley comfort food spot to spend more time with family.

Local Guide

Your Charleston Fall Calendar: 25 Events Between Now and New Year's

Every date below is confirmed on an official source. If you run a business anywhere near one of these, these are the days your neighborhood fills up.

New & Noteworthy

Avondale is getting two restaurants in one room

Restaurateur Howard Greenstone is putting two concepts into 835 Savannah Hwy. in Avondale, the former Ruby Sunshine space.

Now Open

Recently opened

Quick look at recently opened businesses.

Around the Lowcountry

Summerville Just Made Its Downtown a Lot More Walkable

Town Council approved an outdoor entertainment district in August. Here is exactly how it works and who it helps.

Around the Lowcountry

Charleston International Is Spending $448 Million

A new concourse, a 7,200-space garage, and international arrival capability, all landing in 2027.

Coming Soon

What's Opening Around Charleston This Fall

A running list of confirmed new restaurants and shops, with addresses, from downtown out to Moncks Corner.

New & Noteworthy

Good Things That Happened to Local Businesses in August

Awards, anniversaries and one barbershop doing something worth copying.

Around the Lowcountry

The Charleston Metro Chamber launched a tri-county business poll

Lowcountry Pulse is a 40 question annual survey of tri-county residents, and it is free data most small businesses could never fund themselves.

Coming Soon

Eggs Up Grill is bringing a fifth Lowcountry location to Goose Creek

Owner Marc Cotone is opening on South Goose Creek Boulevard later this year with about 30 hires, while renovating the ten-year-old Cane Bay original.

Coming Soon

Palmetto Moon is opening a King Street store this fall

The Lowcountry brand that started as a Citadel Mall kiosk in 2002 is taking a downtown Charleston storefront, with a target of late fall.

Community Business Spotlight

Grand Opening - S&S Discount Flooring

Local Guide

3 Things To Do Around Charleston This Weekend: August 14–16

Festivals, markets, live music and more across the Lowcountry, August 14–16.

Community Business Spotlight

Mozzo to open 4th location in December!

Mozzo coming to Brighton Park Boulevard in Nexton!