Local bars and restaurants need our help.
You’ve seen the headlines: Area favorites continue to close.
Ever the optimist (and I’d like to think, realist), I recently wrote about Charleston’s recent closures and openings. It’s easy to get caught up in the clickbait that is “we’ve got all your doom and gloom right here!” but the reality is that Charleston’s restaurant scene is as vibrant — and mercurial — as it has always been, at least in recent memory.
Quite simply: With every closure there are more openings.
But openings and closings don’t tell the whole story of the Charleston food scene. Far from it.
It’s everything that we don’t see that defines this city’s internationally celebrated food and beverage industry.
It’s the back-of-house hirings that keep a kitchen afloat.
It’s the hustler behind the pop-up who is eyeing a brick and mortar.
It’s the chef who is also a mom who is, somehow, juggling both full-time roles.
There are exceptional local organizations that support and celebrate folks in food and bev, from nonprofit Ben’s Friends to hospitality workshop FAB. There’s even a new organization, the Responsible Hospitality Reform Alliance, that hopes to reform laws around the state’s liquor liability insurance market.
As local diners, there’s something we can do to help, too: We can spend more money at local bars and restaurants.
I talk to chefs and restaurant owners every week. While everyone is different, they all have a couple of things in common. For one, they’re passionate. You don’t work in food and bev
— and you sure as hell don’t open your own restaurant — if you don’t love it.
The other thing about these chefs and restaurateurs is that they aren’t ever totally satisfied. They’re often striving to be better, sure, but they’re also hoping and praying their businesses continue to thrive or even just survive. They don’t want people to forget they’re there.
Catch yourself next time you see a restaurant closing and instead of asking, “Why?” ask, “When was the last time I ate there?”
Check out new restaurants as they open, but be sure to continue to frequent your favorites, too.
I’m as guilty as the next person when it comes to not spending as much time and money at area establishments as I should.
As the mother of a 4-year-old with another kid slated to arrive in just a few months, I am, like pretty much every other adult I know — constantly tired, busy and a little bit broke. (Also, my son is the biggest fan of “old Mcdonald’s” you’ll ever find, and I still haven’t found a local joint that can match that kid’s meal energy.)
But we can always try to spend our money at local spots. Swap your Starbucks run for a local coffee spot (Lodi and Metto have drive-thrus if you’re looking for convenience). Drive your car to a nearby spot to pick up takeout instead of using Uber Eats. Resolve to eat lunch or dinner out at a restaurant once a month.
Sure, you could skip those steps and save (some) time and money. But if you like living in a charming coastal city that isn’t defined by box stores and chain restaurants, then I’d advise you to start dropping dollars at a much faster and more frequent rate than you’ve been doing.
If we don’t all start spending more money locally, Charleston won’t be the foodie destination we’ve come to know and love for much longer.
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