VA loan in Park Circle, SC

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — A new inclusive space aimed at supporting people with intellectual disabilities and special needs has opened in Park Circle, bringing several Lowcountry nonprofits together under one roof.

The Alcove held its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday.

The building is now home to Be the Change Charleston, Building Independence Together, Beyond Employment Initiative and Heart, an inclusive art program. Together, the organizations provide spaces for children with autism to play and socialize, offer financial and job placement assistance to adults, and create opportunities for people to express themselves artistically.

“The Alcove has been a labor of love,” said Kerianne Krause, a co-founder of The Alcove.

Krause said the goal is to create a central location for services and support across a wide age range, including after students leave high school. “Typically, when you leave high school, there's a drop off of services,” Krause said. “We are here through the lifespan.”

She said bringing multiple organizations together also helps families connect with resources and with one another. “Having like-minded people around you and meeting all these people, you realize, 'oh, there are a lot of people in the community who are trying to help, who will provide services and provide support,” Krause said.

Participants with Heart said they were excited about the new space.

“It's pretty awesome, to say the least,” said Bryce Itzkowitz, a 'Heartist' with Heart Inclusive Arts Community. “I'm feeling very great about the new building, I'm very impressed about it,” he said.

Donnie Driggers, also a 'Heartist' with Heart Inclusive Arts Community, said, “I loved it, and I enjoyed it,” and added he was “happy that its open. The first building we've seen.”

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Staff members also want The Alcove to build community. “I think the younger kids are going to feel a sense of a peer mentorship or something they could strive to be,” Krause said. “I hope that those families can see that it's nothing to be scared of, that there are so many people in this community who are going to support you and love your child and they'll be able to grow up in a very inclusive community.”

12-year-old Minos Ikomomidis of Building Independence Together said, “I'm really happy that all these people get to come together and just enjoy each other with the help that they need.”

Demand for services remains high, particularly for adults.

“We have a wait list of over a hundred people,” said Krause. “The services for adults are even more a need because there are not enough people doing the services. We are trying to fill a gap, but even us being here will not be enough to fill the gap of what is needed for the population.”

Broader community support and a shift in how society treats people with disabilities are needed.

“The confidence that comes with just being treated like an independent adult is indescribable,” Krauss explained. “Every person with a disability is different just like all of us. And they need to be treated like adults, that they're independent and capable just like the rest of they're autonomous, they have their own thoughts, they have their own opinions, and they should be valued just like everybody else's.”

Community members are encouraged to support the organizations working inside the building.

“I think the community just needs to get involved,” Krause said. “Like these nonprofits are, are doing it, they're helping the community and they need support. You should support these nonprofits because they're doing the work that no one else is doing.”

A West Ashley restaurant that unexpectedly closed in July has found a new home in North Charleston’s Park Circle neighborhood.

No Bull is slipping into the spot formerly occupied by Southern Roots at 1033 E. Montague Ave.

The restaurant first opened in 2023 at 2447 Ashley River Road by Travis Glen of Lucky 17 Restaurant Group as a reimagination of its Tex-Mex predecessor 3 Matadors.

Over the summer, the owners said it was the end of the chapter, but not the book for the burger joint, promising to pop up again.

No Bull serves a menu of freshly ground burgers, hand-cut french fries and breaded chicken tenders. A favorite burger includes the Southern Charm with two 4 oz. signature blend smash patties, fried pimento cheese, bacon jam and Bull sauce on a toasted brioche bun.

Every Wednesday is half-price burger night while Tuesday is buy-one-get-one for sit-down orders.

No Bull is open seven days a week and offers dine-in, take out and delivery.

Lucky 17 also owns Southern Roots locations in Charleston and Sportsbook in Nexton and Tanger Outlets.

Burn, baby, burn

If you’re looking for a new way to stay in shape, Burn Boot Camp is coming to Mount Pleasant.

Franchise owner Kari Bailey signed a lease with Continental Realty Corp., the owner of the Sweetgrass Corner shopping center, for a 3,424-square-foot space at 1909 Highway 17.

The fitness club is relocating from Oyster Point in Mount Pleasant to the more centralized high-traffic spot that’s anchored by Trader Joe’s, the area’s first HomeSense and the recently opened Golf Galaxy Performance Center.

Bailey anticipates opening by March.

Burn Boot Camp offers 45-minute classes focused on strength, conditioning and high-intensity interval training in a group setting. The fitness studio also puts an emphasis on nutrition guidance and has the added benefit of complimentary child care while parents workout.

There are more than than 375 Burn Boot Camps operating throughout 43 states.

Delectable dessert

Mount Pleasant is getting a taste of something sweet, yet healthy.

Marion’s Gelato recently opened at 901 Warrior Way, next to Crafthouse North, near Wando High School. What started as a business of sharing sweets at farmers markets became a storefront for owner Marion Kempf Manderville.

Her gelato recipe was born out of her determination to find a healthier alternative to her son’s favorite mint chocolate chip ice cream. Kempf Manderville told the story on her website, sharing she “was thinking there must be a healthier choice of a frozen dessert.” And that’s when she discovered how to make gelato with natural ingredients.

The shop sells gelato by the container and offers an array of desserts like gelato cakes and coffee.

Keeping it in the family

Charleston boutique Beau & Ro is opening a new concept called Sister Shop beside its King Street flagship store.

When it opens March 1, it will be an “elevated extension” of the original brand offering apparel, home décor, accessories and “one-of-a-kind finds,” according to the retailer.

It will carry labels like Natalie Martin, Fanm Mon, Carolina K, Hannah Artwear and De Castro.

The new shop is part of a “Designer in Residence” program, which offers a dedicated 250-square-foot space to showcase products from a rotating roster of designers. First up is a selection from Sue Sartor, from March through May.

The company wants Sister Shop to be a way to engage customers with the makers behind the products. It will also be the introduction to the brand’s in-house blockprint line of handcrafted garments and textiles produced using traditional blockprinting techniques.

Founded by Sara Rossi, Beau & Ro has boutiques in Charleston and Nantucket, Mass.

“The opening of Sister Shop marks a natural evolution of Beau & Ro’s presence on King Street, creating a seamless shopping experience between the original Beau & Ro boutique and its sister concept next door,” the brand said in a statement.

Work at Walmart

Walmart is sprucing up two more of its local stores.

A Columbia-based contractor for the retail behemoth filed notices last month that it is set to remodel a 170-,000-square-foot Supercenter in the Market at Oakland shopping center in Mount Pleasant and a small-format Neighborhood Market in Ladson.

Work begins at the two sites on Feb. 22 and March 1, respectively.

Walmart, the largest private-sector employer in South Carolina, announced last April that it would be refreshing nearly three dozen stores across the state, including three in the Charleston area. The Mount Pleasant and Ladson outposts weren’t on the list.

The Market at Oakland store was completed in 2007. The 40,000-square-foot Neighborhood Market outlet at 3685 Ladson Road opened in August 2015.

Walmart did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Feb. 18.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (Palmetto Life) — The Lowcountry Parrothead Club will host its 21st annual Mardi Gras celebration this weekend in Park Circle, marking the first time the event has moved to the North Charleston location.

Club President Debbie Graf said the move from Shem Creek to Park Circle provides more venues, free parking and additional space for festivities.

“We have more venues, we have free parking, and we just have more room to have more parties,” Graf said. “That’s why we moved it to Park Circle.”

The celebration will feature the first annual Tri-County Steel Drum competition, with 12 schools from the tri-county area participating. Graf said the club pays schools to participate and provides additional prize money to winners through sponsor funding.

“There are 12 schools in the tri-county area that have steel drum programs, and we are having a steel drummer for Jimmy Buffett,” Graf said. “We are having those schools come and compete against each other.”

The competition serves both cultural and charitable purposes, with proceeds supporting the schools’ music programs.

The celebration begins Friday night with a pre-party at Dig in the Park, featuring local trop rock performer John Santos. Saturday’s main event runs from 1 to 6 p.m. as a crawl through 10 participating restaurants in Park Circle.

Participants receive crawl cards with questions to answer at each venue before returning to Common House Ale for the after party featuring Dave Lando and the Soul Beats.

Graf highlighted Jimmy Buffett’s strong ties to the Lowcountry, noting his wife Jane is originally from Johns Island. The late musician frequently visited the area, surfing at Folly Beach and paddleboarding down the Stono River.

“Jimmy spent a lot of time here,” Graf said. “He had a boat here, so he enjoyed the low country.”

Graf said Buffett used the North Charleston Coliseum for tour rehearsals in the venue’s early days.

Sissy Bar and Park Circle created two signature cocktails for the celebration. The “Luscious Lou” features reposado tequila, chili liqueur, passion fruit syrup, and citrus with a Tajin rim. The Key Lime Mai-Tai includes graham cracker-infused rum, key lime juice, vanilla liqueur, orange liqueur and almond orgeat.

All proceeds from registration support seven local charities. Online registration continues through Wednesday to avoid lines, with walk-up registration available during the event.

Registration information is available at www.lowcountryparrotheadclub.com.

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