The Charleston Briefing — Week of August 24 — Charleston Briefing, Week of August 24, 2026

01

Peninsula Grill to Close as Planters Inn Begins Renovations

Peninsula Grill, the white-tablecloth institution inside the Planters Inn on Market Street, is closing as the hotel prepares for a renovation. Chef John Ondo, a Charleston native who has anchored Lowcountry fine dining there for decades, has been a central figure in the restaurant's identity.

Why it matters · If you haven't made it to Peninsula Grill's coconut cake or Ondo's tasting menu, the window to do so is closing fast.

via Post & Courier · Aug 20, 2026

02

Food & Drink↳ babas on meeting

babas on Meeting Takes Over Rodney Scott's King Street Space

Rodney Scott's BBQ has confirmed it will not reopen at 1011 King Street, and babas on meeting — the cafe known for its location on Meeting Street — has signed a lease to move into the address. The closure comes amid co-founder Nick Pihakis's personal bankruptcy filing listing $44 million in debts, a collapse that has defined the chain's unraveling.

Why it matters · Watch for babas to bring its daytime cafe format to one of the more prominent restaurant storefronts on upper King.

via Post & Courier · Aug 21, 2026

03

Opening↳ Two Blokes Brewing

Two Blokes Brewing Opens on Cannon Street in Downtown Charleston

A new brewery from operators already familiar to the local bar scene has opened on Cannon Street. The Post & Courier describes the project as coming from recognizable local hands, positioning it squarely in the increasingly dense hospitality corridor on the lower peninsula.

Why it matters · Worth a visit if you're in the Cannonborough-Elliotborough area — a neighborhood that now has a legitimate local brewery anchor.

via Post & Courier · Aug 24, 2026

04

Opening

Frances Valentine, Kate Spade Co-Founder's Brand, to Open First SC Store on King Street

Elyce Aarons, who co-founded Kate Spade New York, is bringing her label Frances Valentine to Charleston's King Street — the brand's first store in South Carolina. The shop will carry dresses, jewelry, bags, and accessories in the label's characteristically colorful, playful register.

Why it matters · Another national-brand-with-local-pedigree addition to King Street's retail corridor; worth knowing before the opening crowds arrive.

via Post & Courier · Aug 24, 2026

05

Event↳ Charleston Music Hall

Gin Blossoms Play Charleston Music Hall on August 31

The Gin Blossoms, touring in support of continued activity that never really ceased, will play the Charleston Music Hall on Aug. 31. Lead singer and songwriter Robin Wilson spoke with the Post & Courier ahead of the show, reflecting on the band's persistence outside the nostalgia circuit.

Why it matters · The Music Hall remains one of the better rooms in the Southeast for this scale of act — tickets are worth securing before the week's end.

via Post & Courier · Aug 24, 2026

06

City Hall

Archaeologists Uncover Artifacts Beneath Future Four Seasons Site Before Groundbreaking

Before the Four Seasons hotel breaks ground on the Charleston peninsula, archaeologists have been excavating the site and uncovering evidence of the city's buried past. The Post & Courier reports that the dig has surfaced material that adds to the historical record of the area.

Why it matters · A rare moment of public archaeology before a major development reshapes one of the last significant parcels on the peninsula.

via Post & Courier · Aug 23, 2026

07

Business↳ Mount Pleasant Towne Centre

LL Bean and Crate & Barrel to Fill Long-Vacant Bed Bath & Beyond Space at Mount Pleasant Towne Centre

A Charleston firm has submitted plans to divide the former Bed Bath & Beyond space at Mount Pleasant Towne Centre — vacant since 2023 — between LL Bean and Crate & Barrel, both making their South Carolina debuts at the location.

Why it matters · Two brands Mount Pleasant residents have been driving to Savannah or ordering online to get will have a local address by next year.

via Post & Courier · Aug 20, 2026

What mattered this week

Peninsula Grill to Close as Planters Inn Begins Renovations

babas on Meeting Takes Over Rodney Scott's King Street Space

Two Blokes Brewing Opens on Cannon Street in Downtown Charleston

Frances Valentine, Kate Spade Co-Founder's Brand, to Open First SC Store on King Street

Gin Blossoms Play Charleston Music Hall on August 31

Archaeologists Uncover Artifacts Beneath Future Four Seasons Site Before Groundbreaking

LL Bean and Crate & Barrel to Fill Long-Vacant Bed Bath & Beyond Space at Mount Pleasant Towne Centre