Charleston Restaurant Report April 2012
April 2012 - Issue 12
Charleston Restaurant Report
On The Menu
1. Green Scene – Incubator Farm Plans to Grow Local Farmers
2. Local Restaurant News – April is Eat Local Month
3. Restaurant Openings, Closings and Coming Soon!
4. National Restaurant Trends – Use Twitter as a Conversation Starter
______________________________________
Green Scene– Incubator Farm Plans to Grow Local Farmers
The Lowcountry Local First sustainable agriculture program will step up their game a notch this fall at a 10-acre agricultural plot on the outskirts of town. LLF is partnering with Clemson University’s Experimental Farm to foster six new apprentice farming operations on 1-2 acre plots. The good news for local restaurants and consumers is that these efforts should lead to more local farmers, more local food production and more seasonal food availability in the local marketplace. Demand for local food product is evident in the throngs of customers attending area farmers markets. Restaurants that serve locally-sourced food are not only making their customers happy, but also reducing their carbon footprint while supporting the local economy.
______________________________________
Local Restaurant News– April is Eat Local Month
Lowcountry Local First is sponsoring the area's first Eat Local Month in April. The idea is to showcase our local foods and encourage diners to learn about and enjoy eating foods harvested fresh in-season right here in the lowcountry. Several local restaurants are participating in the month-long event. Unique showcase events are also scheduled for each weekend in April. Funds raised at the events will support Lowcountry Local First's sustainable agriculture programs.
______________________________________
Restaurant Openings/Closings/Coming Soon in the Charleston area
The following list reflects market activity since January, 2012.
Openings --
Cajun Kountry Café (N. Charleston)
Carter’s Kitchen (Mt. P – former Jacob’s Kitchen)
Golden Dragon (Ladson)
Granville’s Grocery (Downtown – former Biggie’s)
Hello My Name is BBQ (Downtown)
Jimmy John’s (N. Charleston + Mt. P)
Jon’s Mixed Drinks (Mt. P – former Village Tavern)
Los Compadres (Mt. P)
Normandy Farms Artisan Bakery (Downtown)
Odyssey (James Island)
Papa Murphy’s (Summerville)
Sesame (Mt. P – former Yo Burrito)
Whisk (Downtown – former Sam’s Corner)
Closings --
Aunt Bea’s (N. Charleston)
Biggie’s Southern Gastropub (Downtown)
Billy Dee’s (John’s Island)
Chai’s Lounge (Downtown)
China Dragon (Mt. P)
Grindz Burgers & Brew (W. Ashley)
Jacob’s Kitchen (Mt. P)
Koi Asian Café (Summerville)
Rev’s Smokehouse (N. Charleston)
Sam’s Corner (Downtown)
Sushi Hiro (Downtown)
Coming Soon --
Bahn Mi (Downwtown – former Remedy Market)
Baroni’s New York Pizza (Mt. P – former Do Re Mi)
Burwell’s (Downtown – former Gilligan’s)
Cesca Ristorante (Downtown – former Buccaneer)
Cha Cha’s Tequila Bar (J. Island – former Buffalo South)
Cracker Barrel (Mt. P)
Craftsmen Kitchen and Tap House (Downtown -- former Johnson's Pub)
Eggs Up Grill (Mt. P)
Fratello’s (N. Charleston – former Aunt Bea’s)
Grimaldi’s Pizzeria (Mt. P – former Benito’s)
Guadelupe Grill (Mt P – former China Dragon)
Harbor Breeze (Mt. P – former Point Grill)
Izakaya Hiro (Downtown -- former Sushi Hiro)
J Paulz (Mt. P)
LB's Lowcountry Bistro (Downtown – former Garibaldi’s)
Mama Kim’s (Downtown – former WOK)
Proof (Downtown -- former Pita King)
Santi’s (Mt. P – former Momma Brown’s BBQ)
Yobe Yogurt (Summerville)
______________________________________
National Restaurant Trends – Use Twitter as a Conversation Starter
Social media has made a major impact, both positive and negative, in restaurant brand marketing. One national chain in particular, Cracker Barrel, is excelling by inviting customer interaction and fostering brand loyalty through Twitter. Cracker Barrel not only pushes special promotions via Twitter, linking their offerings with other online outlets, but also uses Twitter as a customer-service platform to deal with both good and bad customer feedback. The company is successfully engaging their customers while attracting new followers using this very inexpensive marketing + public relations tool.