Lifestyle

Lowcountry

Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening of Shanty Shoppe, new female owned business in Mount Pleasant, SC

February 16, 2023 by 0 Comments
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Mount Pleasant, S.C. – Owners Brittany Hanlon and Stephanie Gannon with staff, joined by Mayor Will Haynie and Councilmembers John Iacofano, Howard Chapman, P.E., and Gary Santos, partnering with Mount Pleasant Chamber of CommerceDirector Rebecca Imholz and other Chamber Members, celebrated the grand opening of Shanty Shoppe with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The new business is located at 3530 Park Avenue Blvd., Suite 105. 

Shanty Shoppe is a retail concept offering coastal-themed lifestyle items and decor for kitchen and dining, outdoor entertaining, lighting, bags and bling, and more. An accompanying design studio has opened with the retail store. Brittany and Stephanie keep the local community in mind by including local art pieces in their collections, having events that assist local teachers, holding collaborative small business block parties, and other fun initiatives. 

The woman-led duo has carefully curated a collection of favorites for you to create your own beautiful spaces. Learn more about Shanty Shoppe by visiting their website. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to stay up to date on their latest offers and collections. Call (843) 352-2584 to speak with a staff member directly. 

Lowcountry

Malika Canteen, South Carolina’s only Pakistani restaurant opening second location at the Charleston Pour House in March, 2023

February 16, 2023 by 0 Comments
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Malika Canteen, the first and only Pakistani restaurant in South Carolina, is thrilled to take over The Pour House container walk-up kitchen starting Tuesday, March 7.

Guests can expect some of the same food and drinks they have come to love at Malika’s location in Mount Pleasant Towne Centre, like their famed Masala fries, Chicken Tikka Masala and Dhamaka Burger, alongside sips like their signature Chai and refreshing Mango Lassi. Unique to James Island will be bites like Naan One One, buttery naan bites served with two delicious dips, perfect for sharing while enjoying The Pour House’s incredible performances. The venue is gearing up for an action-packed couple months of shows, with a full schedule HERE.

Malika at The Pour House will be open Tuesday-Saturday from 5-10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Please visit malikacanteen.com for their full menu.

Lowcountry

The Don’ts of Visiting Charleston, South Carolina – New Video

February 15, 2023 by 5 Comments
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About this video

Historic Charleston, South Carolina, the Holy City has more church steeples than you can shake a stick at. From historic homes to incredible restaurants to history that makes your head spin Charleston has a lot of tourists and travelers to enjoy.

Here we go through the best eats, drinks, sights, and things to do and not do when you visit Charleston, South Carolina. Tourism information on Charleston, South Carolina Filmed in Charleston, South Carolina

Lowcountry

What’s Old is New Again | Downtown Charleston, SC Development Bridges Historic Past with Modern Sensibilities

February 14, 2023 by 0 Comments
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Following a series of successful collaborations, a Los Angeles developer tapped Bittoni Architects to lead an 11th project outside of California  – 25,000 miles away in the historic city of Charleston, South Carolina. Excited to explore new terrain, the LA-based design team was challenged to capture the identity of the city’s streets in the design of what will be one of downtown Charleston’s largest buildings. Bittoni Architects designed the combined 187,797 square-foot mixed-use development – an apartment complex with retail space and a hotel/restaurant – with a contemporary twist that both honors and enriches the architectural context of Charleston. 

Bittoni Architects began planning the development of the two mixed-use buildings in November 2020. With the support of local architectural firm Goff D’Antonio Associates, Bittoni Architects researched Charleston’s history and architectural landscape to evoke the city’s charm with a novel approach. The design team references existing architectural elements in the arched windowed facade, ornamental detailing, and iconic porch fronts. Locally quarried stone was meticulously sourced to honor the existing landscape with a modern minimalist yet bold palette. The traditional and contemporary elements work together to introduce a fresh take on Charleston’s rich, historical architecture.

The Charleston project builds on and expands the portfolio of Bittoni Architects’ work outside of California and affords the multifaceted design studio a rewarding opportunity to enhance the culture within such a lively urban fabric.

About the Project

Construction began at the onset of 2023 with the development of two structures connected in their site plan yet distinctive in their identities. At 84-88 Society Street, a 90,959 square foot hotel and restaurant offer accommodation for tourists along with 22 condos for local residents. The building’s original 1950s facade was further aged to transport visitors back to early twentieth-century Charleston. A courtyard and adjoined restaurant will welcome visitors with Southern grandeur while a rooftop pool and bar will offer a convenient refuge under an extended glass atrium. 

At 29-35 George Street, the second building introduces 112 co-living units and a ground-level conservatory with retail storefronts. A two-level garage provides nearly one hundred and fifty parking stalls to support the new infrastructure. Together, the mixed-use developments will provide a hub for emerging companies and fulfill lodging shortages to house an influx of tourists and residents alike. 

Lowcountry

4th Annual College Of Charleston Day Raises $6.7 Million

February 13, 2023 by 0 Comments
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20 CofC Clubs hosted parties with more than 750 alumni, parents and friends in attendance.

On Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023, the College of Charleston held its fourth annual CofC Day, celebrating gifts totaling $6.7 million. During the 24 hours of giving, nearly 2,300 donors stepped forward, including more than 580 current CofC students and almost 400 faculty and staff.

“CofC Day was such a wonderful opportunity for our entire campus community to come together and celebrate the College of Charleston, both through their gifts and their participation in events on campus and at our CofC Clubs across the country and in London” says President Andrew T. Hsu. “This institution is truly a special place because of our people — our students, faculty, staff, alumni and community partners — all rallying around our unique educational experience and ensuring that the College’s light stays strong for another quarter of a millennium.”

On CofC Day, the College and the Lowcountry CofC Club co-hosted a “Big Birthday Bash” in the Cistern Yard with food trucks, the Chucktown Sound pep band, CofC cheerleaders, the Cougarettes dance team, Clyde the Cougar, “Ping Pong with President Hsu,” maroon velvet birthday cupcakes, a hat contest and prizes. In the door prize drawing, three lucky students received $500 scholarships and one student received a CofC ring.

In addition, from London to the Lowcountry and Boston to Austin, 20 CofC Clubs hosted parties with more than 750 alumni, parents and friends in attendance.

Thanks to the generosity of the College community, CofC Day raised much-needed funds in support of the university’s students, programs and infrastructure.

Lowcountry

Folly Beach Favorite Taco Boy Taqueria Coming to Laurens Road in Greenville, South Carolina, Summer 2023

February 11, 2023 by 0 Comments
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ASHEVILLE, NC – Founded on South Carolina’s Folly Beach in 2006, Taco Boy serves scratch-made signature tacos and other Mexican-inspired eats and drinks. The family of neighborhood taquerias has four distinct locations: the flagship restaurant on Folly and others in downtown Charleston (2009), Summerville, SC (2019), and West Asheville, NC (Dec. 2022). The new Asheville location also marks the taqueria’s first in-house tortilleria, producing heirloom corn tortillas using traditional volcanic milling equipment and the ancient process of nixtamalization, transforming corn into masa.

This summer, Taco Boy will open in Greenville, SC, at 1813 Laurens Road, in the former Farmhouse Tacos. Though nearly a turnkey opportunity, big changes are afoot. The opening will follow a complete transformation of the interior and exterior spaces, including the hardscaping. Steering the project is Greenville-based builder David Caldwell of Caldwell Constructors Inc., who’s working with the design team, global architecture firm Gensler, and Greenville-based civil engineering firm Isomer Project Group.

“We’re really focusing on curb appeal,” says Taco Boy founder and co-owner Karalee Nielsen Fallert. “We love the stretch of Lauren’s Road and proximity to Swamp Rabbit Trail. The location has served as a catalyst to improve that whole space. We’re expanding the outdoor patio for gathering and dining. And while the shell of the building will remain, the interior won’t be so recognizable.”

As in Asheville, the new Greenville location will also include an in-house tortilleria, which is currently being guided by Asheville-based chef/consultant Luis Martinez, founder/owner of Tequio Foods, which supports indigenous Mexican farmers.

Diners can expect a citrus- and salsa-infused feast for the senses. Taco Boy offers scratch-made tacos, quesadillas, and sides including rice and beans, chipotle slaw, Mexican street corn, guacamole with surprising optional toppings and other satisfying starters, plus a bevy of from-scratch margaritas and Mexican-inspired craft cocktails, and a weekend brunch menu that delivers breakfast tacos, huevos rancheros, churros French toast, and other Mexican flavors to the table. The restaurant is diet sensitive, offering vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Taco Boy is committed to using responsibly sourced, high-quality ingredients. Find the menu and more details at tacoboy.net.

Hiring Soon: Taco Boy will soon begin hiring for management and senior leadership positions in the Greenville market. Upcoming senior leadership jobs include Culinary Director, Beverage Director, Distiller, Staff Accountant, and VP of Construction. Jobs will be posted at tacoboy.net/jobs, or interested candidates may email their resume to info@tacoboy.net.

Taco Boy is also seeking local artisans and craftspeople to contribute to the new Laurens Road location. Interested Greenville-based painters, muralists, ceramists, and sculptors should email info@tacoboy.net.

ABOUT TACO BOY

Longing for the ocean-side fish tacos of her youth, Taco Boy was created in 2006 by Charleston restauranteur Karalee Nielsen Fallert, a founding partner and co-owner of a dozen restaurant ventures in the Holy City and a leading advocate for community projects and women-led initiatives. She’s been recognized for her contributions to Charleston’s culinary community and for revitalizing Charleston neighborhoods. She’s also the founder of hospitality management group All Good Industries.

In addition to Taco Boy’s current and future location in Greenville, SC, the restaurant has plans to open two other locations in 2023: one in South Asheville’s Biltmore Park and another in a soon-to-be- announced Carolina location. Though expansion is underway, the taqueria will remain independently owned, with a long-term goal of being an employee-owned business.

“The impetus for our growth is to create a positive impact for our team members and the communities we call home,” says Fallert.

A TAQUERIA FOR THE SOUL – COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Taco Boy’s purpose is to use the power of tacos to cultivate people and build community, which is the driving force for creating growth opportunities for team members and also for supporting local charitable initiatives within in each market.

As part of a commitment to create positive impact and growth opportunities for team members, Taco Boy offers generous benefits for full- and part-time employees, as well as an emergency financial assistance program, all of which supports long-term career growth and upward financial mobility.

When it comes to building community, in Charleston, Taco Boy has supported The Green Heart Project, a garden-based experiential learning nonprofit. In addition to nutrition and hunger initiatives, Taco Boy also supports education, sustainability, equality, mental health, and other efforts that improve the world around us. Other Charleston-area organizations Taco Boy has supported include Charleston Pride, Surfers Healing (autism advocacy), Waves for Women, SC Sea Grant Consortium, Pay it Forward Charleston, Berkley County School District, and The Trevor Project (LGBTQ suicide prevention). Taco Boy’s first community partner in Asheville was bike advocacy nonprofit Asheville on Bikes, which was the beneficiary for the VIP Preview Party.

At the new Greenville store, Taco Boy will continue the restaurant’s charitable mission and will be partnering with local Greenville nonprofits for a variety of fun and fundraising initiatives.

*****

For updates and to stay abreast of our progress, follow us on social media:

Instagram: @TacoBoyEats Facebook: Taco Boy

Photo Credit: Savannah Copeland

Lowcountry

How Lillie’s of Charleston built a successful family business while honoring her Gullah heritage

February 11, 2023 by 0 Comments
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How this Amazon seller built a successful family business while honoring her Gullah heritage

CEO and co-founder Tracey Richardson shares the “secret sauce” behind the success of her Black-owned small business, Lillie’s of Charleston.

“May you never feel unwanted, unloved, or hungry.” That’s the motto of Lillie’s of Charleston, a family- and Black-owned business that makes barbecue sauces, hot sauces, and spice mixes with flavors that date back generations to home cooks and ancestors in the coastal South.

CEO and co-founder Tracey Richardson said it began in the early 1950s in Charleston, South Carolina, where her father spent his summers in the kitchen with his grandma and Aunt Lillie. No matter who came to visit, the women never let guests leave feeling unwanted, unloved, or hungry. 

Channeling the mantra, Richardson’s dad went on to own The Rib Shack in downtown Charleston, where he introduced his sauces in 1985. This was the genesis for the family bottling the sauces named after their beloved aunt, who represented a generation that taught their kin how to cook with love.

But the “special sauce” behind Lillie’s of Charleston goes further than that. What some people don’t know is these flavors date back to the local Gullah culture. “Gullah” is the name for the people, a language, and a culture of the coastal regions of South Carolina, Georgia, and the surrounding Sea Islands. Derived from English dialects and African roots, the language has been spoken for generations, dating back to the first slaves in the region. Due to the isolation of many plantation communities, the Gullah language perpetuated and is still alive in the coastal South. 

“In honor of an American heritage that has yet to be thoroughly discovered and is begging to be preserved, we named many of our products using Gullah expressions,” said Richardson. The family recipe for “Hab Mussy” hot mustard barbecue sauce is a two-time award winner, a huge accomplishment in the barbecue circuit, in part because South Carolina is iconic for its mustard-based sauces.

According to Richardson, the biggest contributors to Lillie’s of Charleston’s success have been joining Amazon’s Black Business Accelerator and using Fulfillment by Amazon. In the last year, with Amazon’s partnership, the company’s sales have increased by 156%.

“Our goal has always been to increase consumer awareness of our brand and products nationally, and Amazon provides us with the ability to accomplish this goal. Being able to use the Fulfillment by Amazon system as our backend logistics system has allowed us to distribute product and offer Prime delivery to customers. With the task of fulfillment taken off our plates, we can concentrate on marketing, innovation, and driving topline sales,” said Richardson. “Being a part of Amazon’s Black Business Accelerator has also opened so many wonderful doors and exposed our business to opportunities that a small business such as ours could never afford.”

When asked for her advice for aspiring business owners, Richardson shared three key tips:

  1. Have a compelling story that brings your brand to life: Richardson differentiated her brand with a compelling story that honors her local roots and family. She suggests developing key visuals and brand logos that represent your personal story, identifying unique brand cues like textures, colors, and a tag line, and answering the question, “Why is this the right brand and/or product for me?” 
  2. Develop strong marketing and business plans: Richardson built a following for her company by initially focusing on local buyers and stores. Along with being in almost all grocery stores and markets in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, a region along state’s coast, Lillie’s of Charleston has customers around the nation who love the ease of ordering directly from the company’s website and through ecommerce platforms like Amazon.com. Richardson believes that business owners should extensively research their market and competitors, identify their demographic and target consumer, know what differentiates them in the market, and develop appropriate pricing strategies. From there, business owners can build the perfect go-to-market campaign for how, when, and why they should launch their products.
  3. Create and protect your brand elements with trademarks: Richardson emphasizes the importance of trademarks. Protecting them, she noted, will keep other companies from infringing on your ideas, reduce the potential for others to counterfeit your product line, and provide proof of legal ownership should any legal issues come up.  

Richardson and her family are continuing to grow their small business, with plans to introduce several new products to customers, including a popcorn line seasoned with their beloved spice mixes. 

“Every day is different and, as an entrepreneur, we get to be in the driver’s seat every step of the way. There’s no better reward than creating good food and happiness for families that buy our products,” said Richardson.

To shop Lillie’s of Charleston and discover more Black-owned businesses, visit Amazon’s Buy Black Storefront during Black History Month and Amazon’s Black-Owned Businesses Storefront all year long, and look out for the Black-Owned Business badge.

Amazon’s Black Business Accelerator (BBA) is dedicated to helping build sustainable equity and growth for Black-owned businesses, backed by a $150 million commitment over four years.