Recent Articles from Contributing Writer
Near-term economic environment weakens
At its most recent meeting the Federal Reserve left the funds rate unchanged at 5.5%. While the Fed may not have raised the funds rate, the bond market significantly raised every other interest rate across the entire maturity spectrum. In addition to Fed action, it depends on how quickly the inflation rate subsides. Prior to the Fed’s […]
West Ashley couple’s new sodary capitalizes on mocktail trend
Danielle and Brent Sweatman understand the complicated relationship between sobriety and the food and beverage space. The couple, who have worked in the industry for years, are two years sober. “We knew how it feels to be uncomfortable with limited options and wanted to change that,” said Danielle, who with her husband Brent, opened Sweatman’s […]
How an injury turned a dentist into independent bookstore owner
When one door closes, another one opens. At least that’s the saying upon which friends generally rely to comfort one another when jobs or opportunities are lost. For one couple that familiar saying ended up being an accurate prediction when Our Next Chapter opened on Sept. 1 at 326 Main St. in Conway. Bob Martire […]
Economist: The budget problem is now
The budget problem has arrived. Budget deficits are averaging $2 trillion which means that the government must issue an equivalent amount of debt every year to pay its bills. As a result, debt in relation to GDP is expected to climb to 119% by 2033. Make no mistake the deficit problem is not a shortfall […]
Hospitality group behind Husk opens latest Charleston restaurant
The same group that has introduced the South to restaurants like Husk, Minero and Delaney Oyster House, has opened a new Charleston eatery. The James is located at 1939A Maybank Highway and opened in mid-July. Neighborhood Dining Group (NDG) President David Howard said that it only made sense to open a new spot in a […]
Builders can’t construct fast enough to solve acute housing shortage
After a promising start early in the year, existing home sales have fallen steadily in recent months to the lowest level in years. On the surface it appears that the housing sector is experiencing serious difficulty. While higher mortgage rates have taken a toll, the bigger problem is a serious shortage of available housing.
Chef fills Charleston niche with African-inspired cuisine
Bintou N’Daw is no stranger to the food industry. The French and Senegalese chef from St. Louis Senegal worked as a private chef in New York and Senegal before taking a job at Chez Nous in Charleston. “I loved the atmosphere of the French restaurant,” she said, adding that it reminded her of her grandmother’s […]
Meet the owner of Summerville’s only French-inspired restaurant
Jason Tucker reports that business is booming at the boîte known as La Cuisine du Chevalier, or La Chev, by the locals. The 40-seat restaurant, which translates to “the knight’s kitchen,” garnered rave reviews by online contributors when it opened in November at the former soup restaurant called Ladles in the Shoppes of Summerville. It […]
Follow the money – the supply remains ample
We believe that the primary cause of the run-up in inflation in 2020 and 2021 was excessive growth in the money supply. The Fed initially believed that the inflation surge was caused by temporary factors such as the dramatic increase in energy prices and supply shortages that materialized following the surprisingly robust, extremely rapid, economic […]
Global social club coming to French Quarter in downtown Charleston
Charleston creatives will soon have a new place to eat, drink, relax, work and have fun when London-based Soho House comes to town. Plans are in the works to bring the concept to the Wagener Building located at 161 E. Bay St. in Charleston’s historic French Quarter. The three-story Victorian, built in 1880 by F.W. […]
Behind the Charleston area’s latest Bohemian Bull
Richard Thomasson spent 25 years in financial services before he decided to delve into the restaurant business. “About eight years ago, I decided to become a little more entrepreneurial and take some chances, so this is just another progression in my life,” said the 58-year-old who opened Bohemian Bull at 2668 N. Highway 17 in […]
Boeing holding up North Charleston-built Dreamliner deliveries due to flaw
Boeing is holding up deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner because of yet another manufacturing problem. It’s the latest in a string of setbacks affecting the 787 and another Boeing plane, the 737 Max. Boeing said Tuesday that it is inspecting fittings on part of the tail of 787s called the horizontal stabilizer for “a nonconforming […]