It’s the LAST DAY to vote for Best Of Charleston! Please please please cast a vote for me, Bill Olson, if you haven’t yet. It’s tough competition and I could use every single vote I can get. Thank you!
Around Charleston
1 - Blu Oyster Re-opens - After recently announcing their closing, Blu Oyster on Johns Island has officially reopened but now without their raw bar. MORE INFO
2 - North Charleston Design District - 150,000 sqft of design showroom spaces are planned for the Navy Yard coming this fall. PRESS RELEASE
3 - New Fiber Internet Provider - Florida-based IQ Fiber is investing $40m to bring high speed internet to West Ashley and Mount Pleasant. READ MORE
4 - West Ashley Family Festival - The West Ashley Area Chamber of Commerce is bringing music, arts, crafts, food, spirits and lots of fun for the entire family on March 30th. MORE INFO
Historic Home of the Week
34 Percy Street - Circa 1885 home that was saved from demolition in 2022 and revived over the next few years. Renovations included a pool, pool house and putting green as well!
4 Bed | 4 Bath | 2437 sqft | $2,400,000
Restaurant of the Year!
Lost Isle in Johns Island, South Carolina (about 10 miles from Charleston) has been named Southern Living's 2025 Restaurant of the Year. The key highlights include:
The restaurant is located in a small white house with dining primarily in the backyard, creating an intimate, house party atmosphere
Features a 23-foot-long outdoor kitchen where chef Josh Taylor and team cook over live fire using local oak wood
The menu blends Southern cuisine with international flavors from the owners' travels, including standout dishes like:
Smoked Tomahawk Pork Chops with ancho-cherry glaze
Curry Braised Collards inspired by Thai khao soi
Fire-roasted Sapelo Island clams with chili-chorizo butter
The restaurant opened in 2023 by Taylor, his wife Maggie MacMillan, and partners T.J. Lynch and Thomas Wilson
The casual service style includes self-seating and ordering at a register, but with attentive staff who deliver food, refill drinks, and provide blankets on cool nights
The partnership came about through a serendipitous encounter when Taylor and Lynch both toured the property at the same time
The article portrays Lost Isle as a unique dining destination that combines a relaxed backyard atmosphere with sophisticated, fire-cooked cuisine.
Papermill Demolition
A recent RFQ (Request For Qualifications) was released by the SC Ports Authority for the demolition of the old papermill to make way for an expanded port terminal.
Vision & Purpose
Objective: Clear outdated structures to expand cargo operations at North Charleston Terminal.
Facilities: Former papermill site (divided into several areas) and a breakbulk facility with a grain silo.
Location: 5600 Virginia Avenue, North Charleston, SC.
Project Scope
Demolition: Selective removal of structures down to the base slab, including safe hazardous material disposal.
Documentation: Completion of updated as-built plans and a detailed site survey.
Selection Process & Key Dates
Two-Step Process:
Step One: Submit a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ).
Step Two: Shortlisted firms receive a Request for Proposals (RFP) for detailed plans and presentations.
Proposals aren’t due until April, and with site tours, in-person presentations, negotiations, and board approval, we won’t be seeing movement on this until the end of the year or early next year. But it’s a start to bring down the old papermill.
303 Gippy Dr, Summerville, SC 29486
3 beds | 2 baths | 1306 sqft
$315,000
Located just 2.5 miles from the shops at Carnes Crossroads and 1.5 miles from the Goose Creek Walmart, this home has convenience AND value. This 3 bed 2 bath home is move-in ready with an updated kitchen featuring granite counters and stainless steel appliances, a large living room with vaulted ceiling, newer windows, a screened-in porch, a large yard with a fence, and an attached one-car garage. And best of all...you get all of this in a neighborhood with NO HOA!
Question: How do I get my home as the featured listing?
Answer: Email Bill ([email protected]) and ask!
Click the graph for more details OR to select another market.
Parting Words From Bill
Happy Pollen Season! I don’t know about you but this is my least favorite time of year. It’s time to make a run to Costco to get bulk Allegra to make it through the next few weeks. The only upside to the pollen is the flowers are blooming and summer is right around the corner. We can make it folks, I know we can. I hope you all have a fantastic weekend, the weather is also turning and you’ll see me in shorts and scandals almost exclusively starting soon and keep an eye out for me at the beach. Everyone has their favorite beach, mine is Folly, what’s yours?
Until next week,
-Bill
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