Commercial Electrician in Mount Pleasant, SC

A breakfast restaurant that comes with a dinner-time attention to food and service has opened a location in Mount Pleasant.

Julie Bumgardner and operating partner Kraig Houk, joined by members of the City Council and Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce opened Big Bad Breakfast with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Suite 101 at 2664 N. Highway 17.

At Big Bad Breakfast, the French toast is deep fried and served with strawberries, whip cream and a house blend of syrup. The Mother of All Biscuits is a crispy-fried dill chicken breast topped with cheddar cheese and much bigger than the biscuit that carries it. Huevos rancheros comes on stone-ground grits made specially for Big Bad Breakfast, along with saucy black beans, pico de gallo, sliced avocado, poached eggs, tortilla strips and cilantro oil. Shrimp N Grits includes jumbo shrimp sauteed with bacon and tomatoes with grits, red eye gravy and one egg cooked to order.

The oyster po boy hints at the restaurant’s origins.

Chef John Currence was born and raised in New Orleans. His first job after high school was cooking on a tug boat that served the oil fields in the Gulf of Mexico. College and other jobs took him to other parts of the South, including Virginia and North Carolina, before he opened his first restaurant, City Grocery, in Oxford, Miss., according to the company website.

Currence was nominated for the first time for a James Beard Award for Best Chef South in 2005 and each of the next several years before winning in 2009. He opened the first Big Bad Breakfast there in 2008. The second opened on the outskirts of Birmingham, Ala., in 2013 and that store became the laboratory where the restaurant honed its menu and the skill of its staff, according to the website.

With the Mount Pleasant opening, there are 19 locations now with two more expected to open soon, according to the website.

The name “Big Bad Breakfast” derives from the title of a book of short stories written by Currence’s friend, the late Larry Brown, Big Bad Love. “Larry was one of the most wonderful people to walk the planet and he wrote like Godzilla stomping the Garden of the Month,” Currence says in the company history. “The irony is that Larry’s writing schedule kept him up until 5 or so every morning, so while breakfast was his favorite meal of the day, he never got to eat it because he was always asleep at breakfast time.”

Big Bad Breakfast is open until daily from 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The breakfast menu is served through lunch, and lunch items, such as the ham po boy and Screamin Demon, a crispy fried chicken sandwich are available for breakfast. Cocktails are also served.

"We are so excited to be here in Mount Pleasant," Bumgardner said in an announcement through the city. "We are here making fresh biscuits every day with house-made jams, and more, so we hope you give us a try."

Can't start the morning/afternoon/life without a large cup of caffeine? Try one of these local coffee purveyors for a fix. Whether it's free wifi or a cozy atmosphere, there's a place for each need.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

A savior for the citizens of Park Circle, The Orange Spot Coffeehouse supplies caffeine to North Charleston. The setting recently expanded with a new address but maintains the same cozy atmosphere. Try the cha yen, a traditional Thai iced tea.

Not only does Owlbear make an excellent cold brew or a pumpkin spice latte (if you’re into that), but this cafe puts out filling bagel sandwiches, waffles, and fancy grilled cheeses.

The Harbinger is a whimsical space full of plants, Instagram-worthy shelves full of treasures, and cozy seating. The coffee drinks are creative, like the maple latte or the Jack Rudy espresso tonic, but do not miss the baked goods — customers are instantly hooked on creations like a take on Rice Krispy Treats with puffed brown rice, tahini, and chocolate. Check out the sister cafe Harken when visiting the heart of downtown.

In addition to expertly prepared espresso drinks, Mercantile offers free wifi, plentiful seating, and a full breakfast and lunch menu — what’s not to love. Oh, and parking. Sold.

The Daily is the place to go for a morning coffee and a breakfast sandwich or an afternoon lunch to-go — and it has recently expanded to a second larger space on Morrison Drive. Try the golden latte with turmeric-agave syrup and the fall vegetable hash.

Sightsee is a fun, hip shop with a side of coffee bar. Tucked back on Line Street, the space offers coffee to go for those exploring the Cannonborough-Elliotborough neighborhood. Try the unique iced cascara tea, which is brewed from the coffee cherry.

Vintage Coffee Cafe offers caffeine, eats, and wifi to the Mount Pleasant set. The kitchen puts out sophisticated breakfast items, like seasonal quiches, oven-roasted tomato tarts, acai bowls, and lox plates, among others.

The pick-up window at Brown Fox Coffee makes it a quick and easy stop to grab a morning latte or a cold brew on the way to the beach on Sullivan’s Island.

Kudu not only has a handsome outdoor patio, but an extensive coffee and craft beer program as well. It doesn't offer wifi, so this shop is for relaxation, not work.

Highfalutin Coffee Roasters really cares about its beans. Roasted in-house, the coffee at this Avondale shop is routinely touted as some of the best by local aficionados — don’t ask for a pumpkin spice latte here.

Petite shop the Rise attracts those in search of a perfect cortado or a honey lavender latte. The space is small, so most customers get their coffee to-go.

Since its located on the Market in the Emeline hotel, Clerks Coffee Company is always buzzing with visitors, but this shouldn’t deter locals. The seating area at Clerks makes for a handsome background to sip a latte and get some work done. After the laptops close, the coffee bar offers beer and wine in addition to slices of Detroit-style pizza and salads.

Sunlight-filled caffeine emporium Second State Coffee (formerly Black Tap Coffee) is the spot to get creative lattes (try the brown sugar or lavender) and kick-ass pour-over brew. It is also the meeting spot for creatives and neighborhood friends to chat about the day or upcoming projects. Check out the Second State in Mount Pleasant for a full menu of hearty breakfast and lunch options.

Entrepreneur Amy Wright has four children, and two, Bitty & Beau, were born with Down syndrome. Wright saw an opportunity to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who are among the most vulnerable in finding steady jobs. Her coffee shops Betty & Beau are staffed with a very enthusiastic crew that live with issues like autism and cerebral palsy. Stop in for a cup of joy in the morning.

Muddy Waters is an old-school coffee shop on James Island. Around since 2001, it’s a reliable spot for a latte, a macaron, and a quiet place to sit and read a book.

A savior for the citizens of Park Circle, The Orange Spot Coffeehouse supplies caffeine to North Charleston. The setting recently expanded with a new address but maintains the same cozy atmosphere. Try the cha yen, a traditional Thai iced tea.

Not only does Owlbear make an excellent cold brew or a pumpkin spice latte (if you’re into that), but this cafe puts out filling bagel sandwiches, waffles, and fancy grilled cheeses.

The Harbinger is a whimsical space full of plants, Instagram-worthy shelves full of treasures, and cozy seating. The coffee drinks are creative, like the maple latte or the Jack Rudy espresso tonic, but do not miss the baked goods — customers are instantly hooked on creations like a take on Rice Krispy Treats with puffed brown rice, tahini, and chocolate. Check out the sister cafe Harken when visiting the heart of downtown.

In addition to expertly prepared espresso drinks, Mercantile offers free wifi, plentiful seating, and a full breakfast and lunch menu — what’s not to love. Oh, and parking. Sold.

The Daily is the place to go for a morning coffee and a breakfast sandwich or an afternoon lunch to-go — and it has recently expanded to a second larger space on Morrison Drive. Try the golden latte with turmeric-agave syrup and the fall vegetable hash.

Sightsee is a fun, hip shop with a side of coffee bar. Tucked back on Line Street, the space offers coffee to go for those exploring the Cannonborough-Elliotborough neighborhood. Try the unique iced cascara tea, which is brewed from the coffee cherry.

Vintage Coffee Cafe offers caffeine, eats, and wifi to the Mount Pleasant set. The kitchen puts out sophisticated breakfast items, like seasonal quiches, oven-roasted tomato tarts, acai bowls, and lox plates, among others.

The pick-up window at Brown Fox Coffee makes it a quick and easy stop to grab a morning latte or a cold brew on the way to the beach on Sullivan’s Island.

Kudu not only has a handsome outdoor patio, but an extensive coffee and craft beer program as well. It doesn't offer wifi, so this shop is for relaxation, not work.

Highfalutin Coffee Roasters really cares about its beans. Roasted in-house, the coffee at this Avondale shop is routinely touted as some of the best by local aficionados — don’t ask for a pumpkin spice latte here.

Petite shop the Rise attracts those in search of a perfect cortado or a honey lavender latte. The space is small, so most customers get their coffee to-go.

Since its located on the Market in the Emeline hotel, Clerks Coffee Company is always buzzing with visitors, but this shouldn’t deter locals. The seating area at Clerks makes for a handsome background to sip a latte and get some work done. After the laptops close, the coffee bar offers beer and wine in addition to slices of Detroit-style pizza and salads.

Sunlight-filled caffeine emporium Second State Coffee (formerly Black Tap Coffee) is the spot to get creative lattes (try the brown sugar or lavender) and kick-ass pour-over brew. It is also the meeting spot for creatives and neighborhood friends to chat about the day or upcoming projects. Check out the Second State in Mount Pleasant for a full menu of hearty breakfast and lunch options.

Entrepreneur Amy Wright has four children, and two, Bitty & Beau, were born with Down syndrome. Wright saw an opportunity to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who are among the most vulnerable in finding steady jobs. Her coffee shops Betty & Beau are staffed with a very enthusiastic crew that live with issues like autism and cerebral palsy. Stop in for a cup of joy in the morning.

Muddy Waters is an old-school coffee shop on James Island. Around since 2001, it’s a reliable spot for a latte, a macaron, and a quiet place to sit and read a book.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Those living in Charleston County will vote for various municipal elections and the South Carolina Senate District 42.

Officials say Early voting gives voters more options, time, and power to make their voices heard.

Early voting opens Monday and runs through Nov. 3.

You can vote from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. each day except for Saturday and Sunday.

Charleston County residents will vote for various municipal elections such as mayors and councilors and for the South Carolina Senate District 42.

It’s important to note that to vote in the municipal election you must reside in the county for 30 days prior to the election.

Now, to ensure the security and integrity of the early voting process at the end of each voting day the ballots will be brought to the Charleston County Board of Voter Registration and Elections headquarters in a secured room under surveillance.

If you haven’t participated in early voting before it will mimic election day.

Voters will be asked to show a current and valid photo ID.

Eligible IDs include:

Isaac Cramer is the Executive Director of the Charleston County Board of Voter Registration and Elections and is encouraging everyone eligible to vote to participate in early voting.

“Municipal elections matter,” Cramer said. “They’re the issues that affect our day-to-day life, so we see a lower turnout in those elections, so my encouragement is every vote does matter. Every vote that you think, you know, oh I’m just one person it doesn’t matter well we have a lot of elections that are determined by a hand full of votes.”

The following early voting locations will be open in the Tri-County area:

Charleston County

Dorchester County

Berkeley County

Visit SCVotes.gov to find early voting locations for your county.

Those who cannot vote in person for the upcoming election have until Friday to request a mail-in ballot and would then have until 7 p.m. on Nov. 7 to return it.

Those who would prefer to vote on Election Day can do so at their precinct on Tuesday, Nov. 7 from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Seven of the eight council candidates running for four open seats on Mount Pleasant’s governing body discussed their stances on infrastructure, cultural affairs and recreation during a Thursday evening candidate’s forum at the Wando Mount Pleasant Library on Oct. 5.

The forum, hosted by the Charleston area League of Women Voters and co-sponsored by the Moultrie News, invited all eight candidates to answer questions and provide insight on their stance on top issues facing Mount Pleasant today. Council candidate Perry Rourk did not participate in the forum due to a scheduling conflict, according to a provided statement.

The candidates included current councilmembers Howard Chapman, Laura Hyatt and Jake Rambo, and hopefuls Daniel Brownstein, Mark Flannery, Shari Sebuck and Mike Tinkey. Voters will elect at least one new council member as Brenda Corley, who was elected in 2019, is not running for reelection.

Reflecting on the Highway 41 expansion and its effect on the Phillips Community

Chapman, who is eyeing a second term on Town Council, noted that the expansion of Highway 41 is not a Town of Mount Pleasant project, but belongs to Charleston County. On the project’s impact on the historic Phillips Community, that recently became the first settlement community in South Carolina to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Chapman referenced his involvement in creating the Settlement Community Task Force. He said he respects the community and the Town is working to protect them, including working with Mount Pleasant Waterworks to remove and repair failing septic tanks within these communities.

Flannery, a Charleston County School District teacher, said it’s important that a council engage with its community before a project begins. The educator said that if elected, he’d like to create a text message system in which those interested in attending council meetings can sign up for reminders and be alerted when a meeting is scheduled, what items are on the agenda and how to make a public comment.

Hyatt, a lifelong Mount Pleasant resident and current council member, expressed sympathy for the Phillips Community. The councilmember said the overdevelopment of the area is partly to blame for the issues the longstanding community is facing.

“With that project, they should have always considered whatever is the least impactful to the environment and to the community,” Hyatt said.

Rambo opposed the current plans for the Highway 41 expansion, called the “Road to Compromise,” which expands most of Highway 41 to four lanes, with a new two-lane road alongside Laurel Hill County Park and three lanes through the Phillips Community. The council member said the Town should continue to monitor the project and consider revoking municipal consent if necessary.

Sebuck raised concerns about flooding and loss of green space in Mount Pleasant associated with the expansion, which in its current configuration will likely remove 12 acres of wetlands.

Tinkey, who is an owner/partner of Tinkey Timberlands, a multigenerational sustainable forestry business, said that because the project now is in the hands of the Army Corps of Engineers for review, there’s likely not much that can be altered. The highway expansion has been revised and altered for several years, Tinkey said, and the compromise is favorable to no expansion at all.

Brownstein voiced his opposition to the compromise plan. He said that infrastructure for the area that’s seen increased development over the last two decades should have been invested in far earlier.

“I think it’s as simple as that. You need to plan for growth and put the infrastructure in place before or during but certainly not 20 years later,” Brownstein said.

On raising taxes to fund recreation projects

All candidates said they supported the $50 million referendum that raised Mount Pleasant property taxes to fund a handful of projects, such as the Rifle Range Road Park.

Rambo, who chairs the Town’s Finance Committee, said that he supported the referendum to give priority to projects that are typically underfunded or not considered urgent.

Hyatt, who chairs the Health, Recreation and Events Committee, said she voted to place the referendum on the November 2022 ballot to let residents decide on the issue.

Voters narrowly passed the referendum. Hyatt said voters should be more proactive in understanding what they are voting on, as many residents have shared they felt the projects funded by the tax increase were misrepresented.

Brownstein, who headed the Vote for Parks campaign in 2022, said that voters knew what they were voting on. “It was right there, black and white on the election ballot,” he said.

Brownstein said it was time to build more parks in Mount Pleasant, also noting that the projected increase for resident’s tax bills was less than initially expected.

Tinkey said if he were elected to council he’d work to implement the projects in the best way, but said because the vote for the referendum was so close — decided by roughly 700 votes — that the Town should have done more to educate the community on the specifics of the referendum. He also said he’d like to see more green space in the area.

Renewing Building Permit Allocation System, limiting growth

All of the candidates supported renewing the Building Permit Allocation System at least one more time. The BPAS is a system that limits the number of building permits available and is eligible for renewal in January 2024.

Many candidates said Mount Pleasant grew too big, too fast, and the system is a way to prevent further strain on infrastructure. Hyatt noted her support in renewing the multifamily moratorium that halted construction of apartments and condos in town to slow development in Mount Pleasant.

Sebuck said she’d support renewing the BPAS just once more. Renewing the system for five years would allow current projects and roads designed to mitigate growth and congestion to be funded completely. After five years, she would not opt to renew again.

“After that with the growth rate lowered and the infrastructure catching up. I would not because I do not believe in interfering with individual property rights and owner’s property rights,” Sebuck said.

Focusing on cultural affairs

When asked if they would support forming a Department of Cultural Affairs, similar to departments operated by the Cities of Charleston and North Charleston, the question was met with a lukewarm reception.

Rambo said the Town’s Recreation Department handles Mount Pleasant’s cultural affairs just fine, and there’s no need for a separate department.

Sebuck said she’d be open to the discussion, but there’s not enough information available. She said she supports the arts and wants to support the arts community in town, referencing the planned civic/senior center on Faison Road as a possible opportunity to do so.

Tinkey said the Town shouldn’t rush to form a cultural affairs department without studying the issue, but that Mount Pleasant’s history and culture should be celebrated.

“This takes our ability to look at the fact that a unique character of our town that involves the natural environment, the built environment of the culture and the history that culture and history is very, very deep,” Tinkey said.

Brownstein said he hasn’t heard much demand for a cultural affairs department but recognized the need for a performing arts center in Mount Pleasant. Instead of forming a new department, Brownstein said the town could offer seed money to organizations to create a self-sustaining performing arts center.

Chapman, who worked at the City of Charleston for 28 years, said the responsibilities of the Recreation Department are very similar to those of the Department of Cultural Affairs in Charleston.

Flannery also opposed forming another department for the issue.

“We don’t need another government agency to do something that a local community can do. I would like to see the town council provide opportunities that would enable the local community to contribute to the cultural affairs and the culture of Mount Pleasant,” Flannery said.

Hyatt said the town is currently in the process of creating a community arts center, guided by the Culture, Arts and Pride Commission.

“I don’t believe we need an entire department to handle that for us. We have a lot of people that do it for us just for the love of it,” Hyatt said.

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MOUNT PLEASANT — A North Carolina-based supermarket chain plans to enter the Charleston market, stepping in after another grocery store’s plans fell through.

The Fresh Market has taken over the lease from discount grocer Lidl for a space in Bowman Place Shopping Center, according to a document filed Sept. 27 in the Charleston County land records office.

A spokeswoman for the Greensboro-based specialty grocer said the company “did not have anything to share at this time” on its open schedule.

Peter Stone of Mount Pleasant’s planning department said Fresh Market has not presented construction plans to the town, which usually considers building and facade alterations as well as signage through the Commercial Design Review Board.

German company Lidl, with its U.S. headquarters in Arlington, Va., had planned to move into a 26,000-square-foot space in the Dick’s Sporting Goods-anchored retail center near Bowman Road and Johnnie Dodds Boulevard.

Work came to a halt more than a year ago.

A Lidl representative did not respond for comment.

The Fresh Market now has the remainder of the 15-year tenant agreement Lidl signed three years ago next month. The lease also included an option for 15 more years.

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The site originally held a 20,000-square-foot kitchen store, but it closed in early 2020. Lidl wanted a larger space, so it added 6,000 square feet and a loading dock in the rear of the building.

The Fresh Market has nine stores in South Carolina. Its closest location to Charleston is about 70 miles up the coast at Pawleys Island.

The chain offers an upscale assortment of fresh produce, meat and seafood along with a deli, bakery, prepared foods and fresh-cut flowers. The store also has beer, wine, coffee and bulk nuts along with various other items.

In 2017, Fresh Market first eyed the state’s fourth-largest municipality and its 95,000 residents who have a median household income of more than $106,000, according to U.S. Census figures.

Publix eventually brought one of its small-format specialty grocery stores called GreenWise Market to the 21,535-square-foot space in Indigo Square Shopping Center off U.S. Highway 17, where Fresh Market was looking.

GreenWise Market, near Mount Pleasant Towne Centre, closed in 2020 about 16 months after it opened. It’s now the site of outdoor gear retailer REI Co-op.

Another specialty grocer also made a run in Mount Pleasant. North Carolina-based Southern Season shuttered its store off Coleman Boulevard in 2016, less than three years after it opened. It’s now the home of Gold’s Gym.

Last year, South American retailer Cencosud acquired a 67 percent stake in The Fresh Market. Existing grocery store shareholders retained a minority equity interest in the company.

The Fresh Market, with 159 stores in 22 states, was founded in 1982. The size of its stores average about 21,000 square feet.

The Bowman Place location is near a 4-mile stretch of Johnnie Dodds Boulevard between the Ravenel Bridge and Interstate 526 that’s teeming with supermarkets. They include Harris Teeter, Whole Foods, Publix, Traders Joe’s, Aldi and Walmart.

Lidl has a dozen stores in South Carolina, with two in the Charleston area in Goose Creek and North Charleston.

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