VIGNETTES OF CHARLESTON (Mark)

Founded in 1670 and named to honor King Charles II, Charleston sits on the confluence of three rivers and the Atlantic Ocean.  It has been very significant historically from its inception.  As we were visiting just days after Hurricane Ian passed through we were not sure what we might see.

We parked near the downtown market center and put our feet to work for a while.  The photographs were little pieces of the City that caught my eye.  We definitely will be coming back and spending more time here; today we just got a little feel for the downtown.

I actually walked past this window, then had to backtrack to get a photo.  Can you see what drew me to the window, other than that I love windows, or why I felt I was being watched?

This is still one of the highest rated stores in Charleston.  They must be doing something right . . . in business for 139 years!

This sign might appear to be old, until you compare it to a few others.

In 2016, the Morris Sokol business closed after 94 years in operation.

The owner at the time of closing was the son of the man who started the business.  At 83 years of age Joe Sokol was ready to retire.  The closing of the store took some time as he did wanted to sell as much inventory as possible and move as little as possible.  He was 83 years of age after all.

The patina on the roof really caught my attention.   The building underneath is crumbling.  This is also part of the Sokol property.

Tellis Pharmacy Building has an interesting story.  C.F. Fetterman opened a pharmacy in Summerville, SC during the civil war.  In 1871 he relocated to Charleston.  His original building was destroyed in the devastating earthquake of 1886.  He rebuilt in 1887.  The business went through ownership changes until it was closed in 2011.  The family still owns the building, which now has an antique shop as a tenant.