It’s beginning to feel like Reeves & Sons Shoe Repair and Read Bros. fabric store are the last holdouts from a bygone Upper King era. In the midst of seemingly nonstop hotel construction, these vintage retailers — founded in 1860 and 1912 respectively —are standing firm like the last remaining hurricane-battered palmetto trees still swaying in the wind. And I say, sway on, because it appears to be only a matter of time before they too get folded into this city’s ceaseless development. The latest: New Orleans-founded Revelator Coffee Company and pizza joint Benny Ravello’s will both be opening within the next year on the 500 block of King.
We first told you about the former last October. At 550 King St., Revelator will offer coffee, tea, pastries, and sandwiches and is sure to be the site of many a buggage-toting tourist thanks to its convenient location next to Hyatt Hotel. Construction crews were hard at work in the space this morning and Revelator has put a sign up in the window saying the company is now hiring.
Meanwhile, at 516 King St., in the former George’s Loan Co. pawn shop, Erin and Adam Haselkorn, owners of Mt. Pleasant’s Benny Palmetto’s, are opening Benny Ravello’s Pizza next year. The Haselkorns plan to capitalize on the late-night eats market by offering their chain’s signature jumbo slices until 3 a.m. on weekends. And unlike King Street’s beloved hot dog vendors, Benny Ravello’s will offer both take-out and dine-in seating.
And so the evolution of King Street continues. We’ll just go ahead and call it now — by 2018 Read Bros. will be a three-story night club. Just wait.
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