One of my first experiences with Charleston was walking down King Street to get breakfast — that was over 20 years ago and much has both changed and stayed the same since then. One of King Street’s shopping districts has greatly expanded by at least 10 blocks of great spots to shop. Lower King Street (closest to the harbor) is the antique district and that has largely stayed the same. Many of the antique shops have been there for a decade or more. The middle part of King Street from Wentworth up to Calhoun has seen a good bit of redevelopment and is where you see your major retailers (Pottery Barn, J. Crew, etc.) mixed with mom-an-pop stores. The variety makes for a pretty cool mix, as each shop you walk past is a different experience.
The major change in King Street has taken place from Calhoun up to Spring Street — the garment and design district has flourished in this area, as have many restaurants. You could make a great day of shopping and walking by starting near Spring on Upper King and walking down to Calhoun. From King and Calhoun, you can make the crossover to the Lower King St area and on to the Charleston Harbor.
King Street is consistently voted as the top shopping destination in the South and after you spend some time there, I think you will likely agree.
Part of what I provide is information, mostly about real estate, but I LOVE Charleston and am happy to talk about anything related to it — feel free to ask your shopping questions and use the video below as a starter guide.