Roof Repair in Summerville, SC

A walkup window ice cream shop with outdoor-only patio seating has opened in Summerville, offering two dozen handcrafted flavors every day.

Husband-and-wife duo Neil and Michelle Mazuranic came up with the idea to open a Bruster’s Real Ice Cream franchise, inspired by the location they frequented when they lived in Maryland.

“We wanted to do something that makes people happy and everybody who comes in to get ice cream is happy,” said Neil Mazuranic, a retired Army officer.

Bruster’s offers an oat milk-based non-dairy treat option, sherbet, sorbet, Italian ice, and ice cream cakes and pies to-go.

The Mazuranics hired 20 employees to staff the location, specifically choosing teenagers who have not previously held a job so they could learn about customer service and food service.

First started in 1989 offering small-batch ice cream, Bruster’s now has nearly 200 independently owned stores in 22 states and Guyana.

The Mazuranics were awarded the franchise for the Charleston market and plan to open additional locations.

Bruster’s is located at 143 Berkeley Circle near Azalea Square and is open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. Flavors are updated daily online.

Parker’s plans

Parker’s Kitchen has submitted its final site design approval to the Town of Mount Pleasant for what will be its first East Cooper location.

The convenience store and gas station is slated for the corner of George Browder Boulevard and U.S. Highway 17, near the intersection of Park West Boulevard.

Plans submitted to the town's Design Review Board show the Savannah-based chain’s signature Southern-style architecture with awnings and decorative lanterns.

Parker's opened its newest store on April 25 in Summerville.

Breakfast and books

Breakfast and brunch restaurant Ruby Sunshine in West Ashley will host a kids pop-up book sale May 3 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., in partnership with local nonprofit Charleston Friends of the Library.

Children will receive free bookmark-making kits and families can shop a selection of children's books with proceeds benefiting the library's programming.

Three local children’s book authors will be in attendance and sign copies of their work.

So long, Dolly

An ice cream shop and bubble and liege waffle bar has closed after just over a year.

The Dolly Llama Waffle Master, a local operator of the national franchise, went dark this spring in the Wando Crossing Shopping Center.

There was no announcement about the closing on the store’s social media pages. The space is now currently for lease.

Baked in

Grit Bakery is now open at Meeting and Huger streets selling fresh baked sweet and savory pastries, sourdough loafs and baguettes, drip coffee and cold brew.

It's open Wednesday-Friday from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m.–1 p.m. There’s free parking in the nearby Meeting Street Lofts garage.

Sip and Smoke

King's Leaf Cigars, a cigar lounge and separate beer and wine bar, will open its fifth Charleston-area location on May 3 in the Point Hope Commons shopping center off Clements Ferry Road.

The lounge features an air filtration system and a custom-built humidor. A grand opening celebration from 3-7 p.m. will feature cigar and beer pairings with Rusty Bull Brewing.

Bling Bling

A Columbia-based jewelry store that offers permanent jewelry welding services has opened at 835 Coleman Blvd in Mount Pleasant.

Sugar & Lola sells 14k and gold-filled chains, birthstones, initials and unique charms and more. It's open Monday–Friday from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. — Jason Thorpe, the Franchise Partner who opened Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar’s first franchised location in Summerville, South Carolina is celebrating a decade in the community. What started as the debut franchise unit for the brand has grown into a local favorite and flagship success story — and Thorpe is only getting started.

To commemorate the occasion, Thorpe is planning a week of specials, culminating in a 10-Year Anniversary Party on Sunday, April 27 from 2-5 p.m., featuring live music and a street celebration in front of the Shack.

Thorpe’s journey with the brand began in 2014 when he signed his franchise agreement and began developing the Summerville Shuckin’ Shack, which would open in April 2015. Since then, he has grown into a high-performing franchisee, opening a second location in West Ashley, South Carolina with plans to launch a third in the near future.

“When we opened Summerville, it really took off,” Thorpe said. “We were blessed; we got really lucky. Everything went well.”

Through his decade with the brand, Thorpe has consistently reaffirmed just how important community involvement is, noting just how impactful a hands-on, community-focused approach can be in the early days of operations.

“Jason is a shining example of what’s possible with the Shuckin’ Shack model — passionate ownership, community connection and strategic growth,” said Jonathan Weathington, CEO of Shuckin’ Shack. “Celebrating this 10-year milestone with him is a celebration of everything our franchise system is built on.”

ABOUT SHUCKIN’ SHACK:

Offering a “lifestyle experience,” Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar creates an environment that encourages guests to grab a seat, relax and take their taste buds on a trip to the coast; after all, life is too short for bland drinks and boring bars! The original Carolina Beach, NC Shack, which was just 900-square-feet, was launched in 2007 with a plan to become the go-to local hangout for people of all ages. A place where friends and family can enjoy fresh, delicious meals, cold beer, and craft cocktails in an environment that exudes fun and relaxation, Shuckin’ Shack offers exceptional seafood and creative drinks that will make guests question why they ever settled for ordinary bar offerings.

Thanks to its bold flavors and impeccable vibes, Shuckin’ Shack has continued to grow. In 2014, the brand began franchising and has since expanded to 17 units across six states. To learn more about Shuckin’ Shack, visit http://www.theshuckinshack.com.

The cost to open a Shuckin’ Shack franchise ranges from $472,000 to $1,416,420. For more information visit: www.theshuckinshack.com.

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - Downtown Summerville was painted with bustling crowds, food trucks, vendors, live music and local artists on Sunday for the final day of the Flowertown Arts and Crafts Festival.

Flowertown was in full bloom this past weekend as the three-day festival planted smiles, sprouted community connections, and blossomed with creativity, everything the non-profit Beyond BASIC Lifeskills strives to cultivate.

Joanna Goncalez is a volunteer for Beyond BASIC and said the organization is breaking barriers through art.

“Most of those individuals that have an intellectual disability, they will age out. And so, there was this cliff of nothingness, as we like to call it, where there aren’t enough resources available for those that are not going off to college. And so, we decided that we needed to make that bridge of a gap for the community,” she said.

Goncalez said Beyond BASIC empowers its teammates to thrive independently through skill-building, nurturing creativity, and encouraging community engagement, which is why she said pottery fits so well with their mission.

“So, our teammates, through Beyond Handcrafted, our social enterprise, create this lovely pottery with Norah, who is our ceramics manager. And she has created these systems in place to make them adaptable for our teammates so that they can create this pottery with us, and it continues to support our programming,” she said.

Each unique piece of pottery on display at their Flowertown booth was handcrafted by Beyond BASIC teammates.

“I think one of the ways that we continue to make consistently beautiful work is through some really cool adaptive features of the pottery. So, we work together with our teammates a lot to see what works, what doesn’t work. A lot of mobility issues and things like that can hinder how we make,” Norah Clements, Ceramics Manager for Beyond Handcrafted, said.

Both Clements and Goncalez said Beyond BASIC is breaking barriers and shifting perceptions, one partnership, one conversation, and one piece of pottery at a time.

“So, in partnership with the YMCA, just being here with other friends, it opens up a lot of doors. And that conversation that we can have with the general public that our teammates are able; an intellectual disability doesn’t set them back or set them in a place where it puts them in a different box. We’re all the same,” Goncalez said.

She said the non-profit is redefining independence for adults with intellectual disabilities through creativity, connection, and inclusion, proving that everyone is capable.

“Our teammates get to go to the YMCA, make friends, but they also allow us to volunteer, which helps us proactively be in tune with the community and practice those job skills, but also create inclusion in the City of Summerville. It’s our mission; Inclusion is what we do,” Goncalez said.

Proceeds from Flowertown will go towards YMCA programs that promote youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - Thousands are expected to head to the 52nd annual Summerville Family YMCA Flowertown Festival.

Historic downtown Summerville will be filled with bustling crowds, vendors and local artisans for the three-day festival. Visitors are getting the chance to see the flowers in Flowertown as the seasonal bloom of Azalea flowers hits its peak.

Blooming flowers are not the only sight to see.

Organizers with the Summerville YMCA are hosting the largest numbers of vendors this year with over 400 stalls. A new pickleball bar is also available for visitors this year. The estimated 250,000 festival goers can expect gem mining and kangaroo photos by Crosswind Farm and a Plinko board game by Publix. The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile will be hanging around Saturday.

The Summerville YMCA is showing off their newest “Y on the Fly” van. The van comes from $50,000 in grant funding from Boeing.

Plans for the van include traveling to communities for community health programs and recreational sports. The Lowcountry Food Bank will partner with the YMCA to distribute food boxes to local rural communities. Families can also sign up for volunteer opportunities on the van.

The weekend-long event is the biggest fundraiser for the YMCA location.

The funds go toward those health and wellness programs and other causes, including the community health program, allowing children to participate in recreational sports and family memberships.

The event’s fundraising efforts date back to 1973 with the first ever festival when a small group of women fundraised for the original YMCA with a small arts and crafts event.

Summerville locals and tourists visiting the weekend-long event are not allowed to smoke, bring pets or use drones.

Parking is available in the surrounding vicinity and side roads as well as in free and pay-to-park lots.

Maps, vendors, parking and restroom information are on the Summerville Family YMCA website.

The festival will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Saturday. Visitors can enjoy the festival from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.