Trader Joe's confirms new location while Poogan's Porch group shutters Midlands restaurant (2024)

The second LowcountryTrader Joe's location has been confirmed.

The California-based, German-owned chainfiled a notice May 15 for a state permit to sell beer and wine at 1909 U.S. Highway 17 in Mount Pleasant.

In January, the company acknowledgeda new location was coming to the fast-growing East Cooper suburb, but a spokesperson declined to comment on a specific address or timeline.

The second Charleston-area store comes 13 years after Trader Joe's opened its original location a few miles south at 401 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., an often-overcrowded and parking-limited spot.

"We are grateful to be a part of this community and think this new location will be a great fit," spokesperson Nakia Rohde said in an email "We genuinely look forward to providing our customers with the best food and beverage values and a great customer experience in this new store."

Before landing on the Mount Pleasant site, Trader Joe's had been scouting multiple locations across the Lowcountry for several months to relieve pressure before landing part of the former Bi-Lo supermarket in Sweetgrass Corner Shopping Center. The site is near the Isle of Palms connector and Mount Pleasant Towne Centre, about 4 miles from the existing store.

An opening date has not been publicly released, but Rohde the date will be shared on the Mount Pleasant store's dedicated website, which is already live, once it's been finalized.

"At Trader Joe's in Mt. Pleasant, we see ourselves as your neighborhood grocery store," the site reads. "Step inside and you'll find unconventional and interesting products in the Trader Joe's label like Mandarin Orange Chicken and Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate, as well as everyday basics like milk, eggs and fresh produce."

The company served its last brunch at its Poogan's Southern Kitchen location in Forest Acres in Columbia on May 19. The restaurant, which serves Southern comfort food like shrimp and grits, biscuits and fried chicken, opened in the Cardinal Crossing development in August 2022.

The original Poogan's Porch, which opened in 1976 at 72 Queen St. in downtown Charleston, and Poogan's Southern Kitchen in Summerville's Nexton development both remain open. The group also runs Poogan's Smokehouse at 188 East Bay St. and thePoogan's Courtyardevent space at 12 Cumberland St., both on the lower peninsula.

Reserve a spot

A new Meeting Street restaurant and bar is now accepting reservations just ahead of the Fourth of July festivities.

The Selectis expected to open in June on the first floor of the Greystar headquarters. It will be owner Dave Green's second location and his first dining venture in Charleston.

Green opened the original Select in Atlanta in 2019, inspired by a 1920s "brasserie known for being a free-spirited meeting place where artists and literary figures such as Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Chagall, Picasso and Gertrude Stein" would get together.

The downtown Charleston restaurant is in the process of hiring staff, but reservations are open now on Resy starting July 1 at 5 p.m.

Dress up

Two women's clothing shops have opened their doors in Summerville.

Collaboration, a clothing and lifestyle store, opened at 113 West 2nd S. St.

Also new to town, Louise of Summerville, at 103 South Main St, offers women's clothing, accessories and home decor. Louise customers can also book private shopping parties.

New gym

In addition to an upcoming thrift shop and KOR4 Elite Physical Fitness, the Aldi-anchored shopping center in Mount Pleasant is welcoming another gym. Owner Zoher Alimohamed has opened Prestige Therapeutic Fitness at 629 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. within The Plaza at East Cooper.

One in a million

Since 2020, Publix has donated more than 100 million pounds of produce to Feeding America partner food banks.

The Florida-based grocery chain started purchasing produce at the height of the pandemic to help struggling farmers and provide additional fresh fruits and vegetables to its food bank partners.

Two South Carolina food banks in particular have received 4,631,474 pounds of donated produce. Publix has donated 4,237,940 pounds of produce to the Lowcountry Food Bank in North Charleston and another 393,534 to Harvest Hope Food Bank in Columbia.

“Their contribution of 100 million pounds of fresh produce makes a meaningful difference to people facing food insecurity," said Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot.