A Sneak Peek
Charleston Through Their Eyes-Coming Together
When I first started developing Charleston Through Their Eyes, I had a pretty simple idea:
I wanted to meet the people who make Charleston home and hear their stories.
Not just the famous people. Not just historians, politicians, chefs, or business leaders. And not another series telling you where to eat, what to see, or which Charleston attraction should be on your list.
I wanted to sit down with people whose lives, passions, businesses, experiences and stories reveal something about this place.
Now that some of our first conversations are taking shape, I’m getting even more excited about what Charleston Through Their Eyes can become.
So I thought I would give you a little sneak peek at some of the people you'll be meeting.
The Southern Belle Who Takes Care of Charleston's Four-Legged Family Members
One of our early guests is a true South Carolina Southern belle who has built a business around something near and dear to a lot of Charleston families: their pets.
She's a professional dog sitter, but the conversation goes well beyond dogs.
We'll talk about growing up in South Carolina, Southern culture, Charleston, running a business built on trust, and what our pets can tell us about the people who live here.
And, yes, we'll talk about some dogs.
Probably a lot of dogs.
The Jersey Guy Living His Lifelong Dream
Another guest took a very different road to Charleston.
He's a transplant from New Jersey who dreamed for years of owning his own gym. Today, he's doing exactly that, right here in the Charleston area. It was voted best in Charleston.
I want to know what makes someone leave the familiar behind and build a new life hundreds of miles away.
Why Charleston?
What did he find here that made this the place to pursue that dream?
And what happens when the thing you've imagined doing for years finally becomes your everyday life?
His story is one version of a story being written all over the Lowcountry: people who weren't born here, but deliberately chose to make this place home.
A Children's Book With a Much Bigger Story Behind It
We'll also meet a children's book author.
At first glance, that might sound like a conversation about writing, illustrating and publishing a book for kids.
It isn't.
Or, more accurately, it isn't just that.
Behind this particular children's book is a much deeper purpose and a story that gives the book an entirely different meaning once you understand why it was created.
That's exactly the kind of conversation I hope to have on Charleston Through Their Eyes.
Sometimes the most interesting part of someone's story isn't the thing you can see. It's the reason behind it.
The Man Capturing Charleston One Scene at a Time
Another upcoming guest is an extraordinarily accomplished man who has developed a large and enthusiastic following for something many of us probably do every day without thinking much about it:
Looking at Charleston.
Except he doesn't just look.
He notices.
Through his photography, social media posts and book of Charleston scenes, he captures moments that remind us why this city is so visually remarkable.
But I'm interested in what happens before the shutter clicks.
What catches his eye?
What does he see that the rest of us walk past?
Has photographing Charleston changed the way he understands it?
And after capturing so many images of this city, what places and scenes still stop him in his tracks?
I have a feeling I'll never look at Charleston quite the same way after that conversation.
A Taste of Home, Fresh From the Oven
Then there's the bakery owner.
His Italian-style baked goods have become popular enough that people line up to get them.
But what interests me most isn't simply what's coming out of the oven.
It's what those pastries and baked goods represent.
Food has an extraordinary ability to transport us. A smell, a flavor or a bite of something familiar can suddenly put us back in a kitchen, a neighborhood or a family gathering hundreds of miles away.
For people who have moved to Charleston and miss the foods they grew up with, this bakery is providing something more than dessert.
It's providing a little piece of home.
We'll talk about food, tradition, Charleston and what it's like to build a business that can create that kind of emotional connection.
I suspect this interview may also require some serious taste-testing. Strictly for journalistic purposes, of course.
From Kentucky to Charleston, One Extraordinary Hat at a Time
And then there are the hats.
One of our guests came to the Charleston area from Kentucky and creates extraordinary hats designed to be noticed.
These aren't "throw it on before you run to the grocery store" hats.
These are hats people proudly wear to the Kentucky Derby, church, special occasions and anywhere else that calls for making an entrance.
I want to hear about the artistry behind them, the tradition surrounding them, and how a Kentucky transplant brought that tradition and creativity to the Charleston area.
Because Charleston isn't shaped only by the traditions that originated here.
It's also shaped by the traditions people bring with them.
And That's the Point
Look at those six people.
A South Carolina dog sitter.
A New Jersey gym owner.
A children's book author with a deeper purpose.
A photographer documenting Charleston through his own lens.
An Italian bakery owner giving people a taste of the home they left behind.
A Kentucky transplant creating spectacular hats.
On paper, they don't have much in common.
And that's precisely why I'm excited.
Charleston Through Their Eyes isn't about finding one Charleston story.
It's about discovering that there are thousands of them.
Some people were born here. Some arrived last year. Some are preserving traditions that have existed for generations. Others brought traditions with them and added something new to the cultural stew.
They build businesses. They create art. They make food. They write books. They care for animals. They pursue dreams.
And every one of them experiences Charleston differently.
That's what I want to explore.
When you listen to these conversations, I hope you'll discover people you didn't know, businesses you haven't visited, stories you haven't heard and maybe even parts of Charleston you've never really noticed.
Most of all, I hope you'll occasionally find yourself thinking:
"I never knew that about the people who live here."
Because buildings, beaches, restaurants and historic landmarks may help define Charleston.
But people give it a heartbeat.
And soon, you're going to meet some of them.
Welcome to Charleston Through Their Eyes.