Around the Lowcountry
Local stories worth knowing.
Business spotlights, new openings, what is coming soon and guides to getting the most out of Greater Charleston.
Around the LowcountryGrand Bohemian becomes Hotel Operis, and a new rooftop bar opensThe Grand Bohemian Hotel in downtown Charleston changed its name to Hotel Operis on Sept. 30. Its new fourth-floor rooftop bar and dining room, the Arden Room, opened Oct. 1.October 5, 2026 · 1 min read
Around the LowcountryJ. Crew Factory coming to Azalea Square in SummervilleJ. 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.October 5, 2026 · 1 min readAround the LowcountryNorth Charleston zoning rewrite: Oct. 7 Zoom, Oct. 16 reviewNorth Charleston is about a third of the way through writing a Unified Development Ordinance that will set building heights, street design and where businesses can locate. A virtual Q and A runs Oct. 7 from 6 to 8 p.m., and public review of Module 1, covering zoning districts and use regulations, opens Oct. 16.October 5, 2026 · 1 min readAround the LowcountryFolly Beach reopens Center Street after stormwater overhaulFolly Beach cut the ribbon on its Center Street Stormwater Infrastructure Improvements Project on Oct. 1, officially reopening Center Street. Construction began in February 2026 and ran more than five months, adding stormwater capacity, green infrastructure, streetscape work and restored parallel parking on side streets.October 5, 2026 · 1 min readAround the LowcountryCharleston tourism plan rewrite: next public session is Oct. 8Charleston is rewriting its tourism management plan, the fourth revision since the 1978 original and the first since 2015. The city held an open studio day on Oct. 1, with the next one set for Oct. 8 from 3 to 6 p.m. and a complete draft expected in November.October 5, 2026 · 1 min readAround the LowcountryCharleston burger competition results spotlight four local kitchensCharleston City Paper published the category results of its 2026 burger competition. Smash City Burgers took five of the eight categories, while Moe's Crosstown Tavern won most creative for its Fig Lebowski, with Sesame Burgers and Beer runner up and John King Grill and Dueling Piano Bar third.October 5, 2026 · 1 min readAround the LowcountryCheeky opens on Meeting Street from the Husk teamNeighborhood Dining Group has opened Cheeky at 123 Meeting Street, a seafood restaurant led by executive chef Gabriel Lindsey. It is serving dinner Wednesday through Sunday starting at 5 p.m., with lunch, daily dinner and an earlier bar opening planned for later this fall.October 5, 2026 · 1 min readAround the LowcountryBlackbaud CEO Mike Gianoni invests in Charleston geospatial firm NGSMike Gianoni, president and CEO of Charleston-based Blackbaud, has invested in NGS, a geospatial engineering and software company, and joined it as a strategic adviser. The amount was not disclosed. Jason Newmoyer founded NGS and is its CEO.October 5, 2026 · 1 min readAround the Lowcountry102 acres on Johns Island split between a nature preserve and affordable housingThe 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.October 5, 2026 · 1 min readAround the LowcountryThree women-owned downtown shops share a giveback weekend, October 2 to 4Little Bird, Ladybird Books and The Tiny Tassel, three women-owned businesses in downtown Charleston, will each donate a portion of sales from October 2 through October 4 to the South Carolina nonprofit New Morning.October 5, 2026 · 1 min readAround the LowcountryKiawah caddie launches Holdout Golf Threads, made entirely in the USHenry McGannon, a caddie at The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort and a Johns Island resident, has launched a golf apparel brand called Holdout Golf Threads. The supply chain is entirely domestic and the first collection is funding on Kickstarter.October 5, 2026 · 1 min readAround the LowcountryMount Pleasant picker launches Appraze, an AI pricing app for resellersChris Hale of Mount Pleasant launched a web app called Appraze on September 29. It appraises resale items from a photo, calculates what a deal will cost before you buy, tracks inventory and helps write listings. Hale built it through his company Cooper River Trading Co.October 5, 2026 · 1 min read