Charleston Restaurant Report JANUARY 2022
ON THE MENU
1. Local Restaurant Scene -- 2021 ENDS WITH A FLURRY OF RESTAURANT OPENINGS
2. Restaurant Openings, Closings + Coming Soon!
3. National Restaurant Scene – RESTAURANT TECH TAKES BIG STEPS FORWARD
4. COVID: Measuring The Damage -- RESTAURANT JOB GROWTH SLOWS DOWN
LOCAL RESTAURANT SCENE
2021 ENDS WITH A FLURRY OF RESTAURANT OPENINGS
The local restaurant scene finished 2021 with a strong push of 30+ restaurant openings in the fourth quarter versus very few closings. Meanwhile existing restaurants are limiting hours and service in the face of staffing shortages, higher wages, and higher food costs. Finding some level of stability in the mix of staff + service is the most challenging piece of the puzzle for operators right now. Where will this shake out when the pandemic comes to an end?
RESTAURANT OPENINGS, CLOSINGS + COMING SOON!
Openings + Closings list reflects 4th Quarter 2021 market activity (October - December):
OPENINGS --
Babas on Meeting (Downtown)
Beyond Distilling (North Charleston)
Blu Oyster (Johns Island)
Charleston Sports Pub (James Island)
Creek City Grill & Brewery (Goose Creek)
Dill’s & Camp Sundries (James Island – former Smoky Oak Taproom)
El Jalapeno Mexican Grill (Goose Creek)
Famulari’s Pizza (Hanahan)
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers (Ladson)
Grit Counter (North Charleston)
Hustleduck Coffee (Ladson)
Island Cabana Bar (Downtown)
Kings Sushi (North Charleston)
Little Line Kitchen (Downtown – former Nana’s)
Lucky Luchador Irish Cantina (Downtown — former Palace Hotel)
Nippitaty Distillery (North Charleston - relocated)
Off World Brewery (Summerville — former Homegrown Brewhouse)
Paddock & Whisky (North Charleston)
Poke Burri (West Ashley)
Port of Call (Downtown – former Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.)
Rise & Shine Breakfast Place (North Charleston — former Applebee’s)
Ruby Sunshine (Downtown – former Blossom)
Second State Coffee (Mount Pleasant)
Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar (West Ashley)
The Bloom Room (North Charleston)
The Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar (Mount Pleasant)
The Roost (James Island – former Charleston Sports Pub)
Three Sirens (North Charleston – former YoBo)
Ti-Ney Bangkok (Goose Creek)
Tippling House (Downtown)
Viva Chicken (Summerville)
Vivi Bubble Tea (Downtown)
Whiskey Run Sports Bar & Grill (North Charleston)
Zeppelin Pizza (James Island – former Kickin Chicken)
CLOSINGS --
Food Fight (James Island)
McCann's Irish Pub (Seabrook)
COMING SOON --
There are 75 restaurant projects on the Coming Soon list! Nice to see so much optimism about the Charleston marketplace....The ongoing pandemic and general staffing shortage will be a real challenge for these new restaurants coming online in 2022...
NATIONAL RESTAURANT SCENE
RESTAURANT TECH TAKES BIG STEPS FORWARD
There is no doubt that technology plays a huge role in creating change in the restaurant business. According to Restaurant Business Magazine, four main areas of restaurant tech to watch in 2022 include ghost kitchens, robots, consolidating tech companies, and the metaverse. Dig into their analysis of exciting tech advances to come.
CORONAVIRUS: MEASURING THE DAMAGE
RESTAURANT JOB GROWTH SLOWS DOWN
Despite the huge need for F&B employees (1.6 million job openings nationwide in the hospitality sector), the U.S. is still 800,000 jobs below the Feb '20 employment number for Eating & Drinking Places. Only around 11,000 F&B jobs were filled in November. Read more analysis here from the National Restaurant Association's chief economist Bruce Grindy.