While you’re in town, there are some great shopping options. Most of them are on King street. And the ones that I’m going to talk about primarily are local business owned.
Our first is our all-time favorite men’s clothing store, Jordan Lash. He has everything that you could want in a men’s clothing store. And the greatest thing about them is whether you’ve been there once or you shop there all the time, they suggest things right off the bat that will fit you. They will also ship you things, and they have an online store. If you like a certain brand and you live out of town, they’ll send it to you.
Across the street is Hampden. This is one of our favorite women’s clothing stores in town and right across the street from Jordan Lash. They’re so great about offering suggestions that you may not even think, but fit you so well. They have an eye for what would look good on specific different body types. I love that! You go in there, wanting something different, they can make that suggestion. I am always going to the usual that I know works. So when I want to get out of the box a little bit, this is the place to go.
Dress Up is down the street. This is a chain we like, especially for the teenagers. They have styles suited to them. I’m able to find things as well as a 49-year-old. The store is easy to browse, marketed and merchandised well. About six months ago, they were offering a discount to bachelorette parties. So if you come in with a larger party, they give the whole party a discount on their purchases.
Shoes on King is my favorite shoe store of all time. It has everything from On tennis shoes to black-tie event shoes. Like some of the other stores that I have mentioned, Jordan Lash and Hampden, Shoes on King has an eye for making suggestions. Tell them what you’re looking for, and they will throw some great options at you.
Goorin Brothers is not locally owned. There are a few of them in the country, but Holy cow, a fun store. I take people in there that think they don’t look good in hats and they come out with a new hat purchase. I was guilty of it. And now I have two hats from there! My husband has a couple of hats from there; my mom has a hat, my dad has a hat. It’s a fun experience. It is so fun to try on different hats and different styles. They offer suggestions, and you’ll be surprised at what you looks good on you. Before COVID, they had live music on Sundays, which was super fun. So I am sure they’ll bring that back eventually.
There is also a place called Christophe, The Artisan Chocolatier. They started their business around the same time we started our original parent company. It has been a lot of fun watching them grow. Christophe is a third-generation chocolatier and super talented. Their chocolates look like a piece of art that you don’t want to eat, but they’re so delicious that you have to. They also have macaroons, croissants, and different kinds of coffees—a fun thing to do in the middle of a shopping day for a little sugar rush.
Candlefish is not locally owned. There is only one other in Atlanta. It is such a fun place! It is based on a library of smells. You go in and tell them, “I like vanilla” or “I like bergamot”, and they can suggest different formulas. Their candles are numbered. Scent 46, Scent 32, etc. They also have samples of candles out that are in different ranges of scents. Based off which one of those you like, they can make suggestions on other ones, and they’ll give you a library card where you can circle which numbers you liked for future purchases. I have my library card in my wallet! They also have candle making classes. You can bring your own wine or cocktails in and have a group do a candle making class.
There’s a new shop in town called 843 shop. It just opened recently. The owner was in food and beverage and, has had this 843 concept with tee shirts, hats, and bags for a couple of years now. He took advantage of some of the empty spots on King street and opened his shop. He has clever tee shirts and sayings that go along with Charleston. Something that’s fun to take back from your trip. If you’re a local, sport your pride of Chucktown. Make sure to get a selfie in front of their Charleston mural!
The Preservation Society of Charleston is further down on King Street in the Antique District. They have a lot of fun, unique books, local artists as well as memorabilia about Charleston. Companies like J. Stark and Brackish. But if you love the history of Charleston, The Halsey map is a no brainer. Alfred O. Halsey’s Historic Charleston on a Map (1949) locates buildings, sites, and events significant to the peninsular city’s development. Superimposed on a City Engineers Map (1946) drawn by Jos. Needle, the Halsey Map emphasizes Charleston’s evolving waterfront, fortifications, manufacturing complexes, public buildings, and the paths of great fires. The prints are a unique gift or takeaway from our town.
Once you’re done shopping and since you are down that way, Bin 152 is a solid choice. It opens every day, seven days a week at 2:00 PM. This wine bar is super fun. Grab a glass of Rosé and take a break from the shopping.
We hope you enjoyed our Saturday afternoon shopping trip. We have a lot of other shopping ideas, reach out if you need help.