The Magic of King Street

By Susan Lucas

Charleston’s most famous street, King Street, is one of the main reasons people fall in love with the Holy City. If you are staying on the Charleston Peninsula, King Street is just a short stroll from your hotel; or hail a pedicab for the short ride to King.

If you are staying off the peninsula, drive into the city and park at the Visitors Center where you can jump on a free DASH Bus (Downtown Area Shuttle), one of the fun, green trolleys that runs every 10 minutes up King and down Meeting streets in a loop around the peninsula. It’s the best park-and-ride you’ll find anywhere. Get on, get off, shop, eat… whatever you want to do on your own schedule.

A good place to begin exploring King Street is the Fashion District on Middle King from Calhoun south to Market. King Street is one of the most unique shopping areas in the world and more than 70 percent of the stores are locally owned, offering style and fashions that come right off the runways in New York and Paris. You’ll find global brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton, but Hampden Clothing is a local fashion favorite with leading-edge women’s style. For something with an edge and extraordinary beauty, Bits of Lace offers some of the finest lingerie in the world. Just upstairs from Bits is Salon Couture, our celeb-friendly full service chic-ness stop.

For jewelry, there’s nothing finer than shopping where the locals shop at the 100-year-old, family-owned Croghan’s Jewel Box, Charleston’s favorite jeweler year after year. Further south on King there’s Oxette with Greek international jewelry designs; and the only place in America you can find Oxette is on King Street at their flagship Charleston store. You’ll be dazzled at Buckar Jewelry Architects, where fine craftsmen still create jewelry using the highest standards. Leave time for a breath of French air at Pierre Deux for lovely home décor, books and gifts.

For the finest shoes and handbags, Bob Ellis Shoes is where you can covet beauties from Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin and Stuart Weitzman plus Alan Payne, Moreschi and Santoni designs for men. And men’s fashions from casual to formal are superbly presented at M. Dumas and Sons, Grady Ervin and 319 Men.
                                             
There are many choices for casual dining in the Fashion District, but our choice is always Caviar & Bananas, 100 paces up George Street from King.  Don’t miss Christophe Artisan Chocolatier-Patissier for hand-made chocolates and pastries that are as visually stunning as they are delectable. For fine dining, I suggest Muse Restaurant & Wine Bar on Society Street, with a sumptuous Mediterranean menu and 100 wines by the glass.

Walking farther south toward Broad Street is Lower King, the antique and trendy new shopping district. Find superb ladies’ fashions at Warren on King and accessories from Lily Charleston, the neat little shop that reminds us that beauty is an everyday necessity. Speaking of necessities, stop in at Cos Bar for the finest collection of world-class cosmetics.

There is superb jewelry from Joint Venture with consigned, fine estate -collections and unique, historic gems. Also, there is Paulo Geiss’ Roberto Coin Boutique exclusively on King Street.

Only on Lower King will you find Sugar Snap Pea with incredible selections for babies to toddlers. And Matthew Bees’ Niche Interiors is a place to seriously contemplate elegant Southern design. For a fine dining selection, my favorite is Il Cortile del Re, with an Italian menu to die for.

Make your loop on King so that you head north for the Upper King Design District, the newest crown jewel of Charleston’s renowned King Street. Southern Living magazine featured the Upper King Design District in the cover article “10 Reasons to Visit Charleston Again.”

Spanning Marion Square from Calhoun north to Spring Street, find all the latest home décor, fixtures and furnishings mixed with hip boutiques, coffee and cupcakes, plus exquisite dining for an all-day shopping experience.

Start with a fabulous cupcake from, where else, Cupcake! Then, head to Pat Conroy’s favorite Charleston bookstore, Blue Bicycle Books. Stop in to see Felice Killian at Felice Designs and her beautiful hand-crafted jewelry. For the most eclectic collection of fashion and wellness you do not want to miss Seeking Indigo, an Upper King staple for more than 10 years. If you need a special day for your hair Canvas Salon is the place that will pamper you.

Barbara Lesesne’s little shop has home décor, French linens, cool paper products and original bench-crafted furniture by Neal Van Dalen. Across the street is Butterfly Consignment Boutique, which was featured in The New York Times best-seller by Lisa Birnbach, True Prep. Just across the street is the new location for Sally Bettes, Charleston’s premier resort boutique.

You can’t find more great dining choices in Charleston than in the Design District. There are plenty of casual eatiers with great menus, including Monza, which won “Best Pizza Parlor in South Carolina” in a USA Today feature; Juanita Greenberg’s (best -margaritas on earth); and Closed For Business, which is great for lunch or dinner.

For fine dining, begin with the Swamp Fox in the Francis Marion Hotel, with everyday fresh selections. If you love a French bistro, try La Fourchette, chosen one of the four best in North America by the Cooking Channel. O-Ku was recently named one of the 50 best restaurants in America by Esquire, and Fish won the cherished Master Chefs of France Designation. Last but definitely not least, you can’t beat the steaks at Halls Chophouse, aged to perfection in Chicago and cooked to order, or their fresh seafood selections.

That’s King Street. Visit kingstreetcharleston.com for an ever-growing list of people, services, shopping and meals in this special place.

…and beyond

Even with everything King Street has to offer the most avid shoppers, it is certainly not the only retail game in town. The Old City Market, located in the heart of Charleston between Meeting Street and the Cooper River waterfront, has been a primary shopping district in the city for more than 200 years, drawing millions of tourists annually with its colorful variety of wares and dining options. To the west just a block beyond bustling Meeting Street, the home of T-shirts and souvenir stores, restaurants and one of the city's upscale consignment shops, the flavor of Market Street shopping changes, taking on a more upscale flavor. It's a place where King Street's Antiques District has spilled over, and the many retail offerings include a shop that caters to pet lovers… a local favorite.

Located at the west end of the historic Old City Market, East Bay Street has been the hub of commerce in Charleston since the late 1600s. Specialty shops and restaurants now occupy the refurbished buildings and warehouses that line the waterfront street.

Just off of East Bay is Aquarium Wharf, one of Charleston's newest shopping and entertainment hubs. Aquarium Wharf is home to the South Carolina Aquarium and the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center, where visitors can catch a tour boat to Fort Sumter. After a day of learning and exploration, visitors can enjoy the many shops and restaurants now open in Fountain Walk, an exciting commercial and retail center adjacent to the Aquarium. A walk down Queen Street is like stepping back in time. Charming boutiques and galleries featuring the works of many nationally and internationally renowned artists stand amid homes and professional businesses for a picture of life from a bygone era. Peek into the manicured gardens behind the ironwork, or stop for a meal or refreshment along the way.

A venture down Broad Street is one of the most charming experiences visitors to the city can enjoy. Continuing its traditional role as Charleston's economic hub, Broad Street is home to a number of interesting shops, drawing passers-by in with their unique offerings of clothing, fashion accessories, home décor items, gifts and collectibles. The beauty and character of this street also provides the perfect backdrop for Gallery Row, the city's most diverse collection of fine art galleries. "The Row" spotlights the works of many of the city's treasured local emerging and nationally recognized artists, who offer art connoisseurs originals and prints in a variety of media, including oils, clay, stone, pastels, art glass, sculpture, acrylics, pottery, watercolors, mixed media and photography. Gallery Row has helped propel Charleston onto the national stage, earning the city the designation as one of the top art destination in America.

Of course, there's no shortage of dining establishments to assuage the hungry shopping adventurer. Everything from a cup of coffee and a snack, to a casual lunch among the locals, to a full evening dining experience is available on historic Broad Street.

Consignment Shopping

Everyone is doing it! Consignment shopping is one of the hottest trends sweeping the nation… from fashionable Hollywood superstars who seem to adore their vintage clothing to the financially constrained college kids who love saving a few bucks—and everyone in between. More and more visitors to Charleston are getting a handle on local consignment establishments before they arrive so they can hit the ground running for a day or two of bargain shopping while in town.

The Trunk Show, located at 281 Meeting St., has been a shopping staple for Charleston visitors for several years, offering designer dresses, handbags and shoes, and vintage apparel. This high-end consignment shop is also known for its estate and other jewelry, and features a "back room" that's all about interior design.

Other entrepreneurs have taken notice of the popularity in consignment shopping and jumped in to meet the rising demand. The high-fashion consignment trend has even hit King St., with the opening of Butterfly Women's Consignment Boutique at 482 King. The shop offers authentic brand-label, like-new, in-season, in-style women's fashionable clothing and accessories. Butterfly also has two locations in Mount Pleasant.

Read more about the growing trend in consignment shopping.

View our guide to shopping in Charleston.

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Coleman Fine Art Fine art gallery, framemakers and restoration studio. Coleman Fine Art has been representing regional and national artists for over 30 years. The gallery specializes in Contemporary American paintings of both the American Impressionist and Realist schools. Currently representing John Cosby, Marc R. Hanson, George Strickland, Kevin MacPherson, Mary Whyte, Gregory Packard, W. Jason Situ and Galust Berberian. Located in historic downtown Charleston and within walking distance of all major hotels. Located on Church Street.

Mt. Pleasant Towne Centre Conveniently close to Charleston, Mount Pleasant Towne Centre is upscale shopping with a classic southern style. Find over 65 national brands and unique local shops, including: Caché, Men's Wearhouse, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Gap, Bath & Body Works, J.Jill, Coldwater Creek and Francesca's. Home-made crafts, mouth-watering dining and tree lined streets to stroll. Take a movie break at the luxurious Palmetto Grande 16-screen theatre. Spend an hour or spend the entire day! Check website for coupons and special events.