Cornerstones of the Coast: How Three Local Markets Define Charleston’s Small-Town Spirit

By Mark A Leon

In the Charleston area, where church steeples rise above cobblestone streets and marsh grasses sway with the tide, small neighborhood markets remain essential threads in the fabric of coastal life. Long before big-box stores and delivery apps, these corner groceries were gathering places — part pantry, part front porch. Today, three beloved markets — Burbage’s Grocery, Bert’s Market, and Charlie’s Grocery — continue to capture the easygoing, community-centered spirit that defines small coastal living.

On Broad Street in downtown Charleston, Burbage’s Grocery has quietly served neighbors since 1946. Located at 157 Broad Street, the narrow shop feels frozen in time, its shelves packed tight and its counter still turning out beloved sandwiches and house-made staples. Founded by Robert Burbage in the years following World War II, the store became a lunchtime mainstay for lawyers, students, and downtown workers. Robert’s son, Al Burbage, later carried the family business forward for decades, preserving its no-frills charm and reputation for friendly service.

When Al retired in 2013, longtime Charleston grocers George and Lisa Bowen stepped in to keep the tradition alive. Rather than modernizing it beyond recognition, they maintained the store’s historic feel — proof that in Charleston, preservation isn’t limited to grand homes. Sometimes it lives in a corner grocery where regulars are greeted by name and the daily rhythm moves at a neighborly pace.

Twenty minutes away on Folly Beach, Bert’s Market stands as a different but equally iconic symbol of coastal culture. Situated at 202 East Ashley Avenue, the market opened in 1993 and has operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week ever since — an anomaly in an age of shortened hours. Founded by Bert Hastings, the store quickly became the island’s unofficial community center, serving everyone from surfers grabbing coffee at sunrise to late-night beachgoers in search of snacks.

Since 2010, Bert’s daughter Julia Colon and her husband, Omar Colon, have owned and operated the market. They have preserved its eclectic personality while expanding its offerings, including a popular deli counter. On an island where flip-flops are year-round attire, Bert’s embodies Folly’s free-spirited ethos — practical, welcoming, and always open.

Back on the peninsula at 1 Jasper Street, Charlie’s Grocery offers yet another take on the neighborhood market. Established in 1996 by Charlie Dabit, the Radcliffeborough corner store blends convenience shop staples with a New York-style deli sensibility. Today, Charlie’s sons continue running the family business, carrying forward a legacy built on hearty sandwiches, cold drinks, and a strong sense of community.

In each of these markets, the details differ — historic downtown, laid-back barrier island, bustling neighborhood corner — but the essence remains the same. They are places where errands turn into conversations, where owners know their customers, and where the spirit of small coastal living endures one transaction at a time.

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