Shopping Charleston

by Jamee Gregory

Charleston Cooks! Also carries the famous series of Charleston Junior League recipe cookbooks, the ultimate guides to Southern cooking.

Charleston shopping is great fun! Of course, there are all the usual suspects, from Gucci to Saks and to Gap and in between, but there are some unique shops, well worth a visit. Our favorite was Ben Silver, a wonderful emporium for men, like my husband, who favor classic style and hate shopping. Suddenly he was attracted to button-down cotton shirts in the same fabrics as Turnbull and Asser, khaki pants with pleats, so retro that WWD now says they are trendy, woven belts with stripes, and ably assisted by the charming owner and some adorable Southern belles. The service was terrific and the firm has a great catalogue.

Another special shop was Christian Michi with unique table top displays, unusual clothing, candles, travel bags, jewelry and much more. The buyer of this shop has great taste.

The Historic Charleston Foundation had beautiful merchandise based on historical designs. I left with a blue and white Canton platter, a tea holder, a porcelain flower pot and a tea bag holder. Visit www.HistoricCharleston.org to see their stylish offerings.

The scene at the cooking school inside Charleston Cooks! A fabulous cook store.

Shoppers flock to buy the local spices and kitchen utensils in the cook shop.

Bob Ellis is a great shoe store, loaded with Manolo’s, Louboutin’s, and men’s’ white bucks. I noticed Ellis shopping bags in many tourists’ hands.

The Boutique had wonderful cotton pajamas and night gowns from England as well as many china patterns from Anna Weatherly as well as Herend, along with baby clothes and porcelain vegetables from Katherine Houston. I left with a pink and green lettuce that looks good enough to eat. Next door, on Broad Street, Cabbage Row Shoppe had beautiful botanical patterns for needlepoint lovers.

Elegant gifts, china and chic lounge wear are displayed in the Boutique.

Delicate porcelains in the shape of vegetables by Katherine Houston at the Boutique.

The windows of Ben Silver, a Charleston institution featuring classic style for men.

Charleston Cooks! is a great find for all things related to cooking. There are herbs and spices, colorful cooking tools, salt shakers, servers and a great selection of cook books, especially a collection of Junior League recipes from 1950 that has been a best seller ever-since, called “Charleston Receipts.” I ordered one to discover the secrets of Low Country cuisine. The shop even offers a cooking school with a series of special classes. Wish they had a branch in New York!

We stopped for brunch at High Cotton, where we heard jazz as giant straw fans turned above us. I gained strength from fresh shrimp cocktails with spicy sauce while Peter opted for waffles and Buttermilk fried chicken, no dieter’s dream!

Silver’s displays.

Men love the wonderful quality of the trousers, the fine cottons used in the shirts, the colorful selections of belts and cufflinks.

A view of King Street, Charleston’s best place for shopping.

Charleston Place, a spiffy modern hotel, has a Louis Vuitton, an Anne Fontaine, a Gucci, and other trendy shops. King Street has everything from Starbucks to Ralph Lauren. This sophisticated city supports all of the above as visitors from all over the world take time to stroll historic King Street.

Scattered throughout the markets and the streets weavers also sell beautiful baskets, trays and boxes, woven by hand in patterns that have been followed over the ages. Pralines are popular here, as well as spicy sugared pecans. I confess to devouring two bags full since last week. They are highly recommended.