Plumbers in Mount Pleasant, SC

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina women's tennis team opened up its 2023 spring slate on the road on Wednesday afternoon, as the Chanticleers fell to the College of Charleston Cougars 5-2 in non-conference play in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

With the loss, CCU fell to 0-1 to start the season. With the win, CofC improved to 2-1 on the year.

Coastal started the match with a clean sweep in doubles play, as the team of Tatum Burger and Lilie Steryous won 6-2 on court No. 3 before the No. 1 flight team of Anna Babayan and Megan Hopton secured the doubles point with a 6-4 win.

The duo of Kata Foldeak and Jesse Hollins completed the sweep by holding off the Cougars' team of Slade Coetzee and Klara Vukicevic for a 7-6, tie-breaking win on court No. 2.

However, the momentum of the match quickly shifted in singles play, as the home-standing Cougars won in straight sets on courts No. 6 and No. 2 to take a 2-1 match lead.

Coastal answered with a win of its own on court No. 4, as Burger overcame a first-set 7-5 loss to take the second set 6-1 and the third set 6-2 for a three-set win (5-7, 6-1, 6-2) over Ella Faessler to tie the match up at 2-2.

Unfortunately for the Chants, Charleston was able to hold on for three-set wins over the final three matches on courts No. 1, 3, and 5 to pull away for the 5-2 match win.

Coastal will be back in action on Sunday, Feb. 12, when the Chanticleers will host Charleston Southern at noon ET at the Stevens Tennis Complex. The match was originally scheduled for Friday, Feb. 10, but was moved due to the forecast of inclement weather on Friday.

College of Charleston 5, Coastal Carolina 2 Doubles 1. Anna Babayan/Megan Hopton (CCU) def. Ella Faessler/Halli Trinkle (CofC) – 6-4 2. Kata Foldeak/Jesse Hollins (CCU) def. Slade Coetzee/Klara Vukicevic (CofC) – 7-6 (9) 3. Tatum Burger/Lilie Steryous (CCU) def. Maja Jekauc/Nicole Stephens (CofC)) – 6-2

Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2

Singles 1. Slade Coetzee (CofC) def. Victoire De Samucewicz (CCU) – 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 2. Halli Trinkle (CofC) def. Anna Babayan (CCU) – 6-3, 7-5 3. Maja Jekauc (CofC) def. Kata Foldeak (CCU) – 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 4. Tatum Burger (CCU) def. Ella Faessler (CofC) – 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 5. Nicole Stephens (CofC) def. Megan Hopton (CCU) – 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 6. Elle Bredemann (CofC) def. Lilie Steryous (CCU) – 6-1, 6-1

Order of Finish: 6, 2, 4, 5, 1, 3

For complete coverage of Coastal Carolina Women's Tennis, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalWTennis (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUsports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.

A former Hardee’s fast-food restaurant in North Charleston has been demolished to make way for one of three shops planned across South Carolina by a Nebraska-based coffee chain.

A Scooter’s Coffee venue with a drive-thru is planned for the site at 5641 N. Rhett Ave., according to a company spokeswoman. It’s tentatively set to open in late summer.

The lot next to Food Lion supermarket is owned by an affiliate of Buck Management Corp. of Charleston, which bought the property in 2020 for $700,000, according to Charleston County land records.

Two other Scooter’s Coffee shops are planned across the Palmetto State at 2027 Wade Hampton Blvd. in Greenville and 81 Tulip Oak Drive near Killian Road in Columbia.

Founded in 1998, Scooter’s had just under 500 locations in 23 states with commitments to open in seven more states as of last August, according to franchising.com.

On the homefront

A new home furnishing and decor store is opening in a newly built structure at an East Cooper shopping center.

North Crate & Co., which offers handmade furniture and other items, will open in a 1,500-square-foot space on March 7 around the corner from Nordstrom Rack in Bowman Place Shopping Center off Bowman Road.

The retailer, which was previously at Mount Pleasant Towne Centre, will be open 10-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday. Josh and Tanya Miller are the owners.

The shop will sit next to The Gallery, a hair salon that plans to relocate from the Shops at Shelmore Village at 720 S. Shelmore Blvd. near I’On in Mount Pleasant, according to real estate agent Josh McConnell, who is handling leasing for the existing 720-square-foot Gallery site.

He leads Isle of Palms-based McConnell Real Estate Partners, which is expanding to serve commercial clients.

Now open

Also in the realm of home decor and furnishings, an Atlanta-based retailer is now welcoming customers to its first stand-alone store and first South Carolina location.

Ballard Designs opened Feb. 24 in the 9,077-square-foot space formerly occupied by Pier 1 Imports at 1128 Market Centre Blvd. in Mount Pleasant Towne Centre. It said it features a “uniquely curated” selection of classic and contemporary pieces.

“With its beautiful homes, active lifestyles and gorgeous coastal location, the Charleston area is the ideal choice for our first South Carolina store,” said Dominic Milanese, vice president of retail at Ballard Designs.

The shop carries indoor and outdoor furniture, performance fabrics, rugs and coastal accents.

A shopping center representative called Ballard “the perfect addition” to the mix of retailers in the complex on U.S. Highway 17 near the Isle of Palms connector.

The store will be open daily, with abbreviated hours on Sunday. Founded in 1982, Ballard Designs operates 19 retail stores across 13 states in the U.S.

On the way

A downtown Charleston dining spot plans to move its restaurant operations to a new location and transform the existing space into an events venue.

Bistro A Vin will move later this month from 40 Archdale St. to around the corner at 159 Market St., where Cafe Framboise once operated. The restaurant and cocktail bar will be rebranded as Azur and include an expanded menu of French dishes.

The Archdale Street site will become Azur Events, a private event space. It, too, will open in March.

The updated restaurant menu comes from executive chef and co-owner Dominic Chantepie. The venue also will include a curated wine list and house-made desserts.

The cocktail list will be provided by Mathis Chantepie, son of Dominic and Florence Chantepie. Joining the Chantepies as co-owner and general manager is Benjamin Boisson.

Gassing up

A convenience store and gas station is in the works in the Johns Island area.

A 4,725-square-foot store with a canopied fueling station is being proposed on Main Road at McLernon Trace near Marsh View Place Apartments. Gilligan’s Seafood Restaurant is to the south about one block.

The development is referred to as McLernon Trace Fuel Station. Site plans do not indicate the brand of fuel.

The city’s Design Review Board will consider the proposal March 6.

Brush strokes

A new fine art gallery is now operating in West Ashley.

Stono Gallery opened March 1 at 3874 Savannah Highway in Red Top Village near Rantowles Creek.

Owner Simon Schatmeyer called his new venture a “bohemian art gallery,” featuring dozens of original abstracts and art deco items.

Schatmeyer sells his own art and exhibits and sells pieces created by other local, national and international artists. The shop also carries hand-painted pottery as well as vintage and new handmade jewelry.

Gallery hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday -Saturday and noon-4 p.m. Sunday. It’s closed on Monday.

Read all about it

The Charleston Friends of the Library’s first book sale of the year is coming up in conjunction with National Reading Month.

The event will take place 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. March 3 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 4 at Charleston County Public Library’s newly renovated branch at 6325 Dorchester Road in North Charleston.

A pre-sale for host members is set for 4-7 p.m. March 2.

Outfitting the outdoors

A North Charleston-based retailer is celebrating three decades of outfitting outdoor enthusiasts.

Half-Moon Outfitters will mark its 30th anniversary with a performance by singer Justin Osborne 4-7 p.m. March 1 at 94 Folly Road in South Windermere Shopping Center in West Ashley.

Participants can enjoy prizes, libations and live music.

Beezer Molten launched Half-Moon Outfitters in 1993. The business has grown to eight locations across South Carolina and Georgia, including three in the Charleston area. Another is on the way to Summerville.

A downtown Charleston dining spot plans to move its restaurant operations to a new location and convert the existing space into an events venue.

Bistro A Vin will move in March from 40 Archdale St. to just around the corner at 159 Market St., where Cafe Framboise once operated. The restaurant and cocktail bar will be rebranded as Azur and include an expanded menu of French dishes.

The Archdale Street site will become Azur Events, a private event space. It, too, will open in March.

The updated restaurant menu comes from executive chef and co-owner Dominic Chantepie. It also will include a curated wine list and housemade desserts.

The cocktail list will be provided by Mathis Chantepie, son of Dominic and Florence Chantepie. Joining the Chantepies as co-owner and general manager is Benjamin Boisson.

“We are extremely excited to delve into the private event space in Charleston,” said Florence Chantepie. “With the opening of Azur and Azur Events, we will be able to cater to more people in the area and provide them with a unique and memorable experience.”

South Carolina home sales dipped to their lowest level in five years in January while prices went in the opposite direction.

Residential transactions dropped nearly 32 percent last month compared to the same month a year ago, according to preliminary data from the S.C. Realtors Association.

In January, 5,152 homes changed hands statewide, the lowest number since January 2019.

Sales have now been down for 14 consecutive months across the Palmetto State. The median price, however, continued to climb, rising 7.7 percent to $307,500. That’s about $22,000 more than January last year and $105,000 higher than in January 2019.

Rob Woodul, president of S.C. Realtors and an agent with Carolina One Real Estate in Charleston, said the lower sales reflect a normalization of the market to 2019 numbers “from the craziness of the past couple of years” brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also pointed out the December-February period is usually the slower time of year for home sales and looked to an uptick in the warmer spring-selling season, based on recent market activity of pending contracts.

For the year, Woodul predicted residential transactions will be “flat or a little above” 2019′s numbers. The higher cost of borrowing, persistent inflation and lack of available homes continue to hinder the market.

All 16 housing submarkets in the state reported double-digit sales declines, with some of the bigger metropolitan markets tumbling more than 30 percent from a year ago, just before the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates to try to tame inflation.

Charleston, the state’s largest market by volume, posted a 36 percent drop in closings. Myrtle Beach, the second-largest market in terms of sales, slipped 29 percent. Columbia saw a decline of 30 percent while Greenville was down 31 percent.

Hilton Head slid 39 percent while Rock Hill dipped nearly 32 percent.

Pricewise, every metropolitan area in South Carolina posted increases from more than 4 percent to nearly 9 percent. Myrtle Beach saw a 16 percent surge over the same month a year ago. While sales were down in January, the median price came in higher at every submarket except the Anderson-based, three-county region in the state’s northwest corner.

As for rising prices, which continue to put homes out of reach for many would-be buyers, Woodul pointed out a simple axiom of economics.

“It’s supply and demand,” he said.

Housing inventory hasn’t kept up with those wanting to buy a home during the past decade because homebuilders are reluctant to overbuild after being burned during the deep recession of 2008, Woodul noted.

Across the state, Hilton Head Island continued to post the highest median price at $500,000. Charleston ranked second at $380,000 while Rock Hill, in the growing suburbs of Charlotte, came in third at $374,500.

Beaufort wasn’t far behind at $366,000, with Myrtle Beach showing $313,000 and Greenville at $300,000.

Several areas reported median prices between $250,000 and $300,000, including Aiken, Columbia, North Augusta and Spartanburg. Those between $200,000 and $250,000 were regional offices in Anderson, Gaffney, Greenwood and Sumter. Those below $200,000 included Florence and Orangeburg.

Along with elevated home prices is the higher cost of borrowing.

Home loan financier Freddie Mac reported Feb. 23 the average rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage edged up to 6.50 percent. The average rate on a 15-year note rose slightly to 5.76 percent. Both rates were between 3 percent and 4 percent at this time last year.

“The economy continues to show strength, and interest rates are repricing to account for the stronger than expected growth, tight labor market and the threat of sticky inflation,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.

Push and pull. Ebb and flow. These are the cadences of the ocean — and the rhythms that have governed Brian Henry’s life. The boy who grew up in southern Louisiana’s Cajun country before relocating to bustling Atlanta, now lives in the heart of the “Hammock Coast” that his efforts helped nickname so appropriately.

What started as a call from a tiny rustic inn on the ocean, luring in a couple looking for something more and less at once, has now become a lifelong legacy in the making for Brian Henry and his bride, Sassy. A leap of faith has led to thriving businesses, a mayoral seat and advocacy for an unspoiled oasis along a pristine coastline.

When people meet the Henry’s now, they see success. They see a power couple with political clout, they see one of the most famous pimento cheese companies in the U.S. (Palmetto Cheese) and they see owners of a thriving beachside bed and breakfast. What they don’t see, however, is the journey past and the future ahead.

The story starts for the Henry’s when each were born with a little something extra that made the go-getters want to better the world around them. That sauce is more secret and steeped in mystery than whatever makes that famous cheese sing so well (my mouth waters thinking about it).

The story that affects us, the fellow coastal South Carolina residents, begins at the Seaview Inn some 20 years ago when the Henry’s decided to leave the corporate cityscape to nurture a charming inn with no air conditioning, no television and perfect ambiance.

“We took over the Seaview Inn, and it was all slamming screen doors, rocking chairs and good Southern food,” Brian Henry reminisced. “That’s where the pimento cheese started. It was served as an app there.”

What he didn’t say yet was that everything actually began at that little inn. However, as the delightful recalling of his path to becoming mayor of Pawleys Island progressed, he realized just that.

After the Seaview was sailing smooth seas and their two small children were attending school, the Henry’s found themselves looking for their next opportunity to grow. That’s when Brian Henry asked Sassy, “What are you passionate about?”

“I’m passionate about my cheese,” she answered.

Sassy Henry, who revolutionized the Southern classic pimento cheese with flavors of cayenne pepper, draws from a traditional Georgian holiday cheese and whole shreds of textured cheddar. She teamed up with her husband to market the Pawleys Island vacationer’s favorite, which now rests on shelves in 9,500 stores in 40 states.

About a decade after the commercial birth of the South’s favorite cheese, Brian Henry felt what he calls “a pull, not a push” to become mayor. A respected town business owner and family man who was known to care about the future of the island, he decided to run for the seat at the urging of other townspeople who hoped to keep Pawleys Island the wonderful hideaway it is. He won.

“I was never interested in politics,” he remembered, “I’ve just always been involved. If you care about something being better, you can’t just sit on the sidelines and watch. You have to get in there.”

So, he got in there. He now speaks with pride about the amazing Fourth of July celebration that is “true Americans,” and about the founding of organizations that can keep big box stores and over-development out of Pawleys Island.

“The goal for the island is to maintain,” Henry offered. “Like the bumper sticker on my truck says, ‘love it and leave it alone.”’

Though sameness is the path to success for the island itself, the Henry’s still strive for more growth on the business front. The two are in the process of expanding their small Pawleys Island business Get Carried Away Southern Market into Mount Pleasant, where they hope to establish a flagship store for a future franchise. The business currently focuses on scrumptious Southern catering and take-out made easy. The Henry’s aren’t sure what the future holds for this venture, but once again, they are doing it together under a sky, not a ceiling.

Reflecting on all the accomplishments, Brian Henry recounted with a nostalgic tone, “Seaview was the genesis. This all happened because we bought that inn 20 years ago.”

Perhaps the inn is the energy source, embodying the soul of Pawleys Island itself. That is a soul of humility, simplicity and staying power. Just never forget, it is a soul powered by the force of all the Atlantic, which comes in and fades back every single day.

By Lorna Hollifield

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MOUNT PLEASANT − An initial study of the legacy contaminants housed within the nooks and crannies of the Yorktown aircraft carrier at state-owned Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum is now complete, a critical step in the cleanup process.

More than 900 compartments across the ship were investigated for traces of asbestos, lead paint, contaminated fuel and water and other hazardous materials that could trigger an ecological disaster.

Heading into the study, the Patriots Point Development Authority knew from a 2013 study an estimated 1.6 million gallons of toxic substances had accumulated during the Yorktown’s days as an active warship.

Museum officials said during their last board meeting that to their knowledge there were “no surprises” from the investigation. A more complete picture is expected to be available in about a month.

Research Planning Inc. led the latest assessment, with the help T&T Salvage.

Patriots Point spokeswoman Mary Edwards said the purpose was to identify and quantify exactly what hazardous materials remain on the carrier to provide a new cost estimate for their removal.

The remediation work has been put off for a number of years because of funding. The previous cost estimate was $4.4 million.

Gov. Henry McMaster signed an executive order July 11 directing the S.C. Office of Resilience to study how to remove the contaminants to prevent them from leaking into Charleston Harbor, saying at the time that “the chance of an environmental disaster only increases with each passing year.”

Carissa Cochrane, spokeswoman for the resilience agency, said the salt water the ship sits in is corroding the ship’s starboard hull in some areas. Before repairs can be made, the state needs to know the scope of work required to remove the contaminants.

The full environmental study, which includes the remediation plan and final cost estimates, is expected by the end of this year.

“The study will provide an overview of the contaminants that remain aboard the ... Yorktown, and will prioritize a remediation plan based on the potential risk,” Cochrane said. “The information provided by this study, and the eventual removal of any identified hazardous materials, will help to ensure ecological health of the nearby waters, the safety of visitors, and the longevity of the USS Yorktown as a museum.”

The environmental assessment and associated remediation cost estimates will be used to identify potential funding sources, Cochrane said.

While there’s no known immediate danger, continued exposure to saltwater and the elements will lead to further corrosion of the outer hull over time. If the hull is structurally compromised, the deterioration and failure of the tanks storing these contaminants is inevitable.

The 2013 study found that 428 tanks and compartments on the ship contain about 160,000 gallons of petroleum residue and 1.7 million gallons of polluted water and toxic compounds. Since the last study, Patriots Point removed about 20,000 gallons of fuel.

“A release of existing contaminants could impact not only marine and other wildlife ... but could also impact the health of residents in the immediate area and have significant impacts on the economy, tourism, and the environment for the entire state and beyond,” Cochrane said.

The Navy donated the decommissioned World War II Essex-class carrier in “as is” condition to the state for use as a museum and waterfront tourist attraction in June 1975. It has been anchored along the Mount Pleasant waterfront ever since and draws about 300,000 visitors a year.

The homeowners association for the upscale I’On section of Mount Pleasant has prevailed in a marathon back-and-forth legal battle with the developer of the mixed-use neighborhood patterned after Charleston’s Historic District.

The S.C. Supreme Court on Feb. 8 reinstated a 2014 jury award of $1.75 million to the I’On Assembly Inc. and two of its members from the I’On Co. LLC.

“It’s been a long haul,” said Mount Pleasant attorney Justin O’Toole Lucey, who represents the plaintiffs.

The 21-page Supreme Court decision contained a warning, noting that “the facts of this case are complicated, and ... ‘not for the weary.’” Justice Kaye Hearn, who recently retired, wrote in one of her last opinions that the dispute “involves promises made and broken to homeowners by a developer and its affiliated entities.”

The lengthy legal skirmish broke out after a business with ties to the I’On Co. and principals Tom Graham and Vince Graham sold the community docks, boat landing and adjacent Creek Club event space in 2009. Previously, they had promised would-be buyers and others that the waterfront amenities would be transferred to the homeowners association.

I’On resident Brad Walbeck filed a lawsuit about a year after the $1.4 million sale to 143 Civitas LLC went through. He was later joined by another property owner, Lea Ann Adkins.

The Grahams, who are father and son, were dropped from the case before it went to trial — twice — in 2014. The judge declared the first proceeding a mistrial after the I’On Assembly, which originally supported the developers, switched sides at the last minute.

After the second trial, a Charleston County jury awarded the homeowners group $1.75 million to compensate them for buying the boat ramp and docks and for making other financial concessions under a settlement with the seller. Walbeck was to receive an additional $20,000.

The I’On Co. challenged the outcome. The S.C. Court of Appeals ruled against the firm in 2018 but then abruptly reversed itself the next year, “this time practically nullifying the jury’s verdicts,” according to Wednesday’s ruling.

“They took everything away from us,” Lucey said.

The case then went before the Supreme Court, which heard arguments in mid-December. It overturned most of the 2019 decisions in an opinion signed by Justice John Kittredge, who said the developer “breached the fiduciary duties” it owed to I’On homeowners, among other findings.

“This is one of the quickest opinions I’ve ever seen them issue,” Lucey said.

Vince Graham said he was “disappointed and a bit frustrated” by the decision. He added that the I’On Co. “delivered far more than promised” in terms of waterfront amenities

“We and the plaintiffs have different perspectives on the issues in the suit,” Graham said. “We’ll weigh our options over whether or not to ask for reconsideration. My main concern is that if the court’s decision stands, it will place yet another chilling effect on the ability to develop innovative neighborhoods that seek to advance urban principles of South Carolina’s most beautiful towns and cities.”

I’On was one of the region’s most novel — and contentious — real estate deals when Graham first proposed it in the 1990s. Situated on about 240 acres between Mathis Ferry Road and Hobcaw Creek, the mixed-use development was conceived as a dense “new urbanist” or “neotraditional” neighborhood inspired by downtown Charleston and other cities, with narrow roads, open space, businesses and hundreds of homes with varying architectural styles.

“I will continue to work with those who desire to build beautiful neighborhoods,” Graham said.