Charleston is one of the oldest cities in America, and it’s thriving. A few keys to its success — are the resilience of its residents + the businesses they built from the ground up.
Throughout the 18th century, Charleston’s population boomed, and with the influx of newcomers came new businesses as locals searched for ways to support their families. During this time, the Charleston City Market was built in the heart of the city for meat, vegetable + fish vendors — while other merchants sought property in the surrounding area to sell their products as well.
From apparel to pharmaceuticals, the Lowcountry has multiple family-owned businesses that have been around for more than a century.
Berlin’s for Men + Berlin’s for Women
- Est. 1883
- Products + services: Custom clothing, formal wear, alterations, jewelry, shoes, handbags, and accessories
- Brief history: The clothing store, opened at the corner of King and Broad streets on Sept. 20, 1883, was founded by Henry Berlin, who came to the US from Eastern Europe with $1.38 in his pocket.
- Est. 1907
- Products + services: Jewelry, appraisals, gifts, custom jewelry, engraving, and repairs
- Brief history: William Joseph Croghan, a jeweler and engraver, opened his business on the porch of a Charleston home on King Street. Eventually, he expanded to take over the entire building. It is the oldest family-owned jewelry store in Charleston.
- Est. 1850
- Services: Insurance agency offering personal, business, and life insurance
- Brief history: Founded by Charles Tidyman Lowndes in 1850, it is the oldest fire insurance agency in the southeast. Now, the company is a full-service agency with several locations throughout the state. It is still owned and operated by a member of the Lowndes family.
- Est. 1870
- Products + services: Grocer
- Brief history: August Doscher opened the family’s first grocery store at 171 Spring St. in 1886. Today, the family operates one IGA store in Hanahan.
Guerin’s Pharmacy is the oldest in the state and has operated as an independent pharmacy since 1871.
Photo by @mnswick
- Est. 1871
- Products + services: Gifts, pharmaceuticals, and snacks
- Brief history: The oldest pharmacy in South Carolina, founded by Dr. Schwettman during the Civil War. Fun fact: Guerin’s received a historical South Carolina marker.
- Est. 1864
- Services: Locksmiths
- Brief history: A family-run business for 150+ years, Jantzen Lock and Safe Co. is known for the sculpture outside its building at 276 Meeting St. Look closely to see hundreds of keys embedded in the front sidewalk.
- Est. 1917
- Products: Men’s apparel
- Brief history: In 1917, Mendel Dumas purchased a pawnshop + converted it into a men’s clothing store. At that time, the store was the sole provider of naval uniforms in town. In 1947, Dumas’ twin sons, Abe and Joe, took over the business, relocating it to its current location on King Street. in 1973, and expanding its offerings. Fun fact: They were the first location in SC to carry Levi’s jeans. In 2015, the store underwent a $2 million renovation.
- Est. 1844
- Products + services: Prepress and graphic designs, printing, bindery, and shipping products
- Brief history: In the early 1900s, the company began under the name Southern Printing, publishing a German-language newspaper, “Deutsche Zeitung,” in Charleston + Savannah for folks from Germany. After World War I, Louis A.R. Nelson began working for the company, eventually taking it over and changing the name to Nelson’s Southern Printing and Publishing Company.
- Est.1865
- Services: Funeral services and embalming
- Brief history: The business was founded by Henry D. Stuhr as Stuhr and Bruning Cabinet Makers and Undertakers in 1865. In 1894, Henry D. Stuhr and John A. Stuhr, sons of Henry D. Stuhr, took over the operation of the business. The firm became a corporation in 1923.
