CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Charleston entrepreneur and Southern Charm cast member Craig Conover is ushering in a new era for Sewing Down South with the reopening and rebrand of the company’s flagship King Street store.
After five years in its original space, the popular Charleston retailer has undergone a major refresh designed to reflect how much the company has evolved since its early days.
“We opened Sewing Down South, a company, seven years ago, and then our flagship store right here on King Street five years ago,” Conover said. “We really loved our original design, but we figured we’d give people something to look forward to if they’d been here before, or even if they haven’t visited, and it feels brand new when they walk in.”
The redesigned storefront represents more than just a cosmetic update. According to Conover, the company has grown far beyond its original identity.
“When we started, we were just kind of a small little pillow company, and now we’ve really evolved into an entire home decor brand, a lifestyle brand, and we just needed to merchandise the store a little different,” he said.
Located in the heart of Charleston’s iconic King Street shopping district, the store has become both a tourist destination and a hometown success story for Conover, who attended college in Charleston long before launching his business.
“I went to college on King Street,” Conover said. “A lot of these bar owners and restaurant owners are the same, and they’ve known me since I was like 18 years old, just as a freshman at school here, so it’s really neat to be a part of this block.”
The reopening also marks a milestone in a journey Conover says began with belief, persistence, and support from trusted partners.
“I knew we had a good idea when I started,” he said. “I just had to figure out how to show everyone else that it was a good idea.”
“Sew What” wall at reopened flagship Sewing Down South store on King Street (WCIV @EmilyDeanneTV)
Conover credited his business partners with helping turn the concept into a thriving retail brand.
“My two partners, Jerry Gaston and Amanda, are who basically gave me permission to keep moving forward,” he said. “I didn’t know how to turn it into a business.”
The company’s decision to open a storefront amid the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a defining moment.
“We were very fortunate during COVID that this store was being vacated,” Conover explained. “A lot of people thought the world was ending, and we just felt good about being like, let’s take a chance on opening a store here.”
Sewing Down South continues to lean into local production and Charleston-based craftsmanship while expanding its offerings.
“We are very excited to be evolving into this home decor company,” Conover said. “We pour our candles right here in Charleston. We print, cut, and sew our pillows here.”
The next phase of the business will introduce even more interactive and community-driven features inside the newly redesigned store.
“We’re getting heavier into the merchandise side and we’re buying our own equipment,” he said. “We have an embroidery station that’s coming to the store. We have a locals corner that’s coming to the store.”
The “locals corner” initiative is one of the projects Conover says he is most excited about. The program will allow Charleston-area entrepreneurs to showcase and sell products inside Sewing Down South at no cost.
“We’ll have every month a local entrepreneur can sell from our store free of charge,” Conover said. “And I’m really excited to start that program.”
The updated shopping experience is also designed to create more engagement for visitors walking through the doors. “The store is becoming more interactive, which I’m excited about,” he added.
For Conover, the opportunity to support other small businesses comes full circle after years spent building his own brand through pop-up shops around the country.
“I just think back to when I first started Sewing Down South and I was doing pop-ups around the country and using other people’s stores,” he said. “Having a space to sell out of was such a huge value and I now have the ability to give that to other people.”
As Sewing Down South enters its next chapter on King Street, the refreshed store reflects both the growth of the company and Conover’s continued investment in Charleston’s local business community.
