Best Moving Company in Mount Pleasant

MOUNT PLEASANT — A North Carolina-based supermarket chain plans to enter the Charleston market, stepping in after another grocery store’s plans fell through.

The Fresh Market has taken over the lease from discount grocer Lidl for a space in Bowman Place Shopping Center, according to a document filed Sept. 27 in the Charleston County land records office.

A spokeswoman for the Greensboro-based specialty grocer said the company “did not have anything to share at this time” on its open schedule.

Peter Stone of Mount Pleasant’s planning department said Fresh Market has not presented construction plans to the town, which usually considers building and facade alterations as well as signage through the Commercial Design Review Board.

German company Lidl, with its U.S. headquarters in Arlington, Va., had planned to move into a 26,000-square-foot space in the Dick’s Sporting Goods-anchored retail center near Bowman Road and Johnnie Dodds Boulevard.

Work came to a halt more than a year ago.

A Lidl representative did not respond for comment.

The Fresh Market now has the remainder of the 15-year tenant agreement Lidl signed three years ago next month. The lease also included an option for 15 more years.

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The site originally held a 20,000-square-foot kitchen store, but it closed in early 2020. Lidl wanted a larger space, so it added 6,000 square feet and a loading dock in the rear of the building.

The Fresh Market has nine stores in South Carolina. Its closest location to Charleston is about 70 miles up the coast at Pawleys Island.

The chain offers an upscale assortment of fresh produce, meat and seafood along with a deli, bakery, prepared foods and fresh-cut flowers. The store also has beer, wine, coffee and bulk nuts along with various other items.

In 2017, Fresh Market first eyed the state’s fourth-largest municipality and its 95,000 residents who have a median household income of more than $106,000, according to U.S. Census figures.

Publix eventually brought one of its small-format specialty grocery stores called GreenWise Market to the 21,535-square-foot space in Indigo Square Shopping Center off U.S. Highway 17, where Fresh Market was looking.

GreenWise Market, near Mount Pleasant Towne Centre, closed in 2020 about 16 months after it opened. It’s now the site of outdoor gear retailer REI Co-op.

Another specialty grocer also made a run in Mount Pleasant. North Carolina-based Southern Season shuttered its store off Coleman Boulevard in 2016, less than three years after it opened. It’s now the home of Gold’s Gym.

Last year, South American retailer Cencosud acquired a 67 percent stake in The Fresh Market. Existing grocery store shareholders retained a minority equity interest in the company.

The Fresh Market, with 159 stores in 22 states, was founded in 1982. The size of its stores average about 21,000 square feet.

The Bowman Place location is near a 4-mile stretch of Johnnie Dodds Boulevard between the Ravenel Bridge and Interstate 526 that’s teeming with supermarkets. They include Harris Teeter, Whole Foods, Publix, Traders Joe’s, Aldi and Walmart.

Lidl has a dozen stores in South Carolina, with two in the Charleston area in Goose Creek and North Charleston.

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. —

A popular restaurant in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, has announced its closing.

The Mustard Seed has been in business for more than 28 years.

(Video above: Morning headlines from WYFF News 4)

The owner, Sal Parco, posted Sunday on Facebook that he will retire and the restaurant will close and be taken over by a new group.

Read his full message below:

"It’s with a heavy heart and mixed emotions, I am writing to formally announce my retirement and the closing of the Mustard Seed. Please visit me as this will be my final week and it is my hope to see as many of you as possible. I opened the original Mustard Seed over 28 yrs ago, and it’s been quite a journey. Along the way I’ve had the privilege to serve the greater Mt Pleasant community, even opening up additional restaurant concepts that were frequented by my cherished customers. It has been my great honor to be a part of the restaurant community and I’ll never be able to express my appreciation toward the many customers that I now consider to be my family. I am forever grateful to have been welcomed in with such open arms and my gratitude toward you is immense. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed coming to work everyday, meeting, greeting and serving the most wonderful group of loyal customers. You have been my family for almost 30 years and I will miss each and every one of you. But it is time to pass on the baton…

"To my Mustard Seed team, thank you for your commitment and your loyalty. You have made this feel more like a passion project as opposed to work. A special thanks to my dedicated leaders that always stepped up even through the many challenges we’ve faced throughout the years. I never questioned your integrity as you added to the successes we achieved. But after much thought and careful consideration, I realize that it’s time to slow down as I’m not a youngster anymore and all good things must come to an end. I want to thank everyone for the experiences and opportunities I have been able to enjoy. The fond memories of our times together will follow me into my retirement and any future endeavors.

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"Until then, I am fully committed to assisting in the transition of the new group taking over… I know this wonderful community will embrace them just as you did me 28+ years ago. You allowed me to live out my dreams and achieve opportunities that I couldn’t even imagine were possible. I love each and everyone of you! All the best,Sal Parco"

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - A historic Mount Pleasant park was possibly going to be a dog park before nearby community members banded together against the development.

Now, the development has been put on hold and nearby residents are celebrating the victory.

At Edwards Park in historic Mount Pleasant, the park has been here since 1837, that’s why the proposed development brought together the community to maintain its historical significance.

“I heard about the dog park that the town was proposing an idea to divide and fence half of the park, and the community spoke out and said we don’t want this, and the town council responded,” Sarah Mitchell who lives near Edwards Park says. “And as I know, it is off the table for now. So, which is wonderful, but in the future, we’d like to do a historical designation of the park.”

Turning Edwards Park into a dog park was an idea shared with the community a few weeks ago, but the town decided to stop pursuing the project after over 700 Mount Pleasant residents signed a petition against it.

Eric LaFontanie with Mount Pleasant said after hearing feedback and considerations from the community, the town will not be pursuing this Edwards Park concept at the moment.

The park currently sits in the middle of a neighborhood with homes surrounding it on all sides with homeowners concerned about the potential impact on traffic and noise it would have on residents.

“It’s important just for traffic, noise, and other reasons, that we don’t ever make it an official dog park. Like I said, folks can use it now as it is: you could still come with your dog, but we also want it open for everyone,” Mitchell says.

Edwards Park is used by many members of the public to picnic, host group gatherings, go for walks, and more, which is why the community wanted it to be open to all.

“When you turn something into a dog park, it really limits it to just one use,” Park Preservation Advocate Daniel Brownstein says. “I mean, nobody’s going to go have a picnic at a dog park, so it just made sense, I think, to keep the status quo and make sure that it’s open to people and dogs and not exclusive to one or the other.”

Turing Edwards Park into a dog park was part of Mount Pleasant’s plan to improve Alhambra Hall, grounds and playground, the other improvements are all still set to begin next summer.

“I think if anything, the park could use a little TLC with its landscaping,” Brownstein adds. “It would also be an ideal spot to build a gazebo, and to really just sort of enhance it into the community gathering spot that it could be.”

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MOUNT PLEASANT — Downtown Charleston’s Revealed Gallery has teamed up with Mount Pleasant’s White Gallery for an upcoming rock ‘n’ roll exhibit.

Scott Parsons, owner of Revealed Gallery, is one of the two artists being featured in the show, which will include portraits of famed classic rockers across a variety of media. The second participant is one of Parsons’ featured artists and friend Mauricio Sánchez Rengifo, who goes by Masáre.

Both will showcase their large-scale works at White Gallery, 709 Coleman Blvd., for the “TripLineDrop” art show from 7-10 p.m. Aug. 25. There will be food and drink vendors, as well as music by Paul Harris, Graham Whorley and DJ Moldybrain, on-site during the show.

Parsons grew up with a brother eight years older than him who loved comic books. He experienced art from an early age and started to attempt drawing his favorite characters at age 7. In middle school, he gravitated toward graffiti and was hired for his first mural in Washington, D.C., in 1997. He moved to Charleston in 2000 and started doing murals again after a hiatus. In 2010, he transferred from spray can to brush and canvas. He also experiments with acrylic pouring.

“My subject matter isn’t easily defined,” said Parsons. “I paint images that strike me when doing figurative work. ... The pouring paintings I do are experimenting with color and are very organic. I direct the paint to a certain extent, but then it’s kind of out of my control, which is very fun for me and I hope for the viewer as well.”

Parsons said he will be bringing a “whole lot of color” to this show, as well as new pour experimentations. This is the first time he has shown at White Gallery.

Masáre studied and graduated as an architect in Colombia in 2005. He spent six months locked in his studio painting some of the works that will be on display at this exhibit, including portraits of Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin.

His portraits are created from layered textures on rigid surfaces; he uses glass, fabric, wood, beads, plastic, metal, glitter, paper, petals and more. The materials used often coalesce with the story of his subject matter.

Poetry and community go hand-in-hand. Sometimes lacking a defined form but always full of heart, they create a space for discussing, relating, exploring, expressing, healing.

This year’s Free Verse Poetry Festival, returning for its seventh year from Oct. 18-22, is doing just that.

Events at this year’s rendition of Charleston’s poetry festival include readings from locals on Ohm Radio 96.3 FM, two writing workshops, a film night, and a combination yoga and live music event focused on relaxation, said festival founder Marcus Amaker. All events are free.

Charleston Scene

A key theme in curating this year’s festival has been conveying how poetry shouldn’t be a passive experience, said Amaker, former poet laureate of the city. Free Verse, outside of its October festival, looks to use poetry as public art and make participation accessible with regular open mic nights across venues in the Charleston area.

Programming outside of October has been key to the festival’s success so far, with open mic nights gaining a steady following, he said. The artist collective strives to put poetry front and center in daily life, showcasing and exploring its ability to process the big issues of today’s world.

Poetry isn’t limited to the page, but words have been strewn across Lowcountry sidewalks and billboards. Teaching and sharing at libraries and schools has also been a focus.

“This year’s poetry community has grown immensely from last year,” said Amaker.

What has made it successful, even through the tumultuous years of the pandemic, is its focus on staying grounded to supporting and providing a platform for the people and poets of Charleston, steering away from the book-talk model of many conferences and festivals. Amaker looks for regular new voices — those often overlooked by conferences, academia and public forums. Then, he amplifies them.

The city of Charleston helps Free Verse secure funding and support through grants and other national programs. Scott Watson, director of the Office of Cultural Affairs, said Amaker’s practice of making spaces of “radical inclusion” keep Free Verse focused on the people who call Charleston home.

Shrimp boats, kayaking outfitters, and lively bars and restaurants line the commercial side of Shem Creek, the gem of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina's Old Village Historic District. But north of the Shem Creek bridge, the waterway winds through quiet neighborhoods where children roam on bikes and go crabbing off backyard docks. "My husband dreamed of being on the water, and we fell in love with this lot. We're drawn to older areas where kids can run around," says owner Maggie Bullwinkel. She and husband George, a Charleston native, had two young children when they began renovating this 3,200-square-foot house that was built in the 1970s. Their third child was 9 months old when they moved in. Maggie refers to her then-infant sidekick as "my design assistant."

While the Bullwinkels had renovated and sold houses before, this one would be a keeper. "It had great bones. We loved the back porch and knew this could be our forever home," Maggie says. Working with architect Hunter Kennedy and designer Sidney Wagner, they spearheaded family-friendly changes to the four-bedroom abode that have definitely paid off. Today, the Bullwinkels have four kids under age 10 and plenty of yard, a great porch, and a frequently used outdoor kitchen to accommodate their active lifestyle.

"Overall, the footprint didn't change much," says Sidney, who squared off the kitchen to make it more functional. As the home's command center, it now opens up to a bright eating nook, which is one of Maggie's favorite spots. "Family dinners are a priority," she says. What was previously a formal dining room, adjacent to the kitchen, became the kids' playroom. They removed an attached garage to make way for a new mudroom/laundry area off the kitchen. "It's basically where I live," quips Maggie. They also elevated and enlarged the back porch to be a seamless open-air extension of the family room, ground zero for entertaining during Clemson University football season. "I love that we really do live in each space," Maggie says. "We use it all."

Brighten It Up

A monochrome kitchen keeps Maggie happy. "It helps to have a clean look in a busy room," she says. Streamlined light fixtures by Cedar & Moss and vintage Lucite barstools scooped up at a local antiques mall add to the airy feel in the room.

Remember That Simplicity Rules

"With four kids, there is plenty of chaos," says Maggie. Namibia marble countertops and Benjamin Moore's Simply White (OC-117) paint make her kitchen a calming space. Plus, they allow the Hampton Faucet by Waterstone to shine as the statement piece.

Let the Landscape Lead

Reorienting the kitchen to open into a family dining area was Maggie's top priority. Hunter bumped out the eating nook to add windows on all sides, inviting in sunlight and creek views. A mid-century modern table and slipcovered chairs keep lines simple, and Roost's whimsical light fixture "softens all the hard surfaces," says Sidney. The fabric used for the curtains (Katana by Kelly Wearstler) is also on the barstools, where it's laminated to be indestructible.

Choose Flexible Design

"We needed comfortable pieces that are easy to rearrange," says Sidney, who was mindful of not blocking the French doors that open to the porch. "I love how the vintage-reproduction chairs are movable and sculpturally interesting from whatever angle." A sofa slipcovered in Crypton fabric is ultrapractical, and bare windows keep things light and airy while connecting well with the porch, she says.

Lean On A Natural Palette

Sidney painted the porch floor in Benjamin Moore's Kennebunkport Green (HC-123), the same color that's used on the exterior trim, and added soothing blue accents to complement the surrounding outdoor hues. "We didn't want to distract from the view," she says. Wicker chairs from CB2 add natural texture, and a fun Annie Selke rug anchors the blue tones. Floor-to-ceiling screens and a vaulted ceiling help the porch feel cool in summer.

Prioritize All-Purpose, All-Season

Two years after moving in, the Bullwinkels worked with architect Chris Heinlen of Heinlen Design to add a backyard shed with a full attic to supplement the home's limited storage. Adjacent to that, they created an outdoor kitchen and entertaining area. "This is our favorite spot for birthday parties, neighborhood suppers, or sometimes sunset sips after the kids have gone to bed," says Maggie. A metal roof, green trim, and white siding tie the shed to the main house.

Stretch Family Space

"I love the playroom right off the kitchen. It's our cuddle area," says Maggie. A big barn door can be closed to contain toys and messes. Commissioned pieces by local artist Michelle Owenby add grown-up flair to the room, designed to one day transform into a family hangout space.

Control Clutter

Maggie believes that tidiness is key, even in the playroom. Each child has (and uses!) a designated toy-and-book basket, and a rotating gallery helps solve the what-to-do-with-endless-kids'-art dilemma.

Invite Some Drama

" 'Are you sure about going this showy?' my husband asked about the paint color, and I was—including covering the ceiling," says Maggie of the vibrant Benjamin Moore Slate Teal (2088-20) she chose for the laundry room. "I love how the boldness brings you in." Custom cabinets add extra pantry space.

Be Bold And Functional

Next to the laundry room, the bold color continues in the mudroom with an added touch of graphic wallpaper. Each kid has their own space for coats and bags in the blue storage wall.