Charleston’s most-watched retail corner has a new steward — and a new story.
After 37 years under the same ownership, the three-story building at King and Market has been sold for $8 million to Atlanta-based men’s outfitter Onward Reserve, which will soon open its first Charleston store. The move signals a fresh chapter for one of the city’s most iconic commercial intersections — and a notable vote of confidence in brick-and-mortar retail.
“It’s an iconic piece of real estate and we’re really excited to have this opportunity,” founder and CEO TJ Callaway told the Post & Courier.
It’s hard to blame him. The 10,032-square-foot building at 220 King Street — retail below, offices and an apartment above — sits just south of The Charleston Place and hasn’t traded hands since 1988. Back then, it sold for $1.65 million. A lifetime ago in Charleston years.
A Historic Shell, Getting Its Shine Back
Renovations are already humming inside the 1800s-era structure. Callaway said the team is restoring original millwork and molding, repairing historic windows, and breathing life back into an indoor atrium the building hasn’t showcased in years. Scaffolding will stay up for a while, even after the doors officially open, as the full restoration plays out.
The former tenant — boutique retailer Christian Michi, which had occupied the space since 1988 — held a moving sale in September and has since relocated to East Bay Street.
Why Charleston — and Why Now?
Onward Reserve, founded in 2012 in Athens, Georgia, has grown steadily into a 13-store brand stretching from Texas to the Carolinas. Its sporting-lifestyle identity — equal parts hunt camp and weekend club room — has built a loyal following. The company is bullish on owning its own real estate, a strategy Callaway said requires striking fast when the right address surfaces.
“When that building (on King Street) became available, we moved pretty quickly and made it happen,” he told the Post & Courier.
The King Street corridor below Market has been reshaped in recent years as longtime local retailers and antique shops give way to newcomers buying buildings outright. Gwynn’s of Mount Pleasant acquired 154 King last year. Croghan’s Jewel Box bought 155 King the year before that. Ownership — not leases — seems to be the new currency of confidence.
A Street in Transition
Charleston has also watched the departure of familiar names in men’s retail. Orvis announced it will close its Upper King location the day after Christmas, citing tariff pressures. Local favorite 319 Men closed this fall after 36 years.
Callaway sees opportunity, not decline. “Every year I read articles about how retail is dead, but we’ve tripled the size of our company in the last five years,” he told the Post & Courier. And Charleston, he added, already felt like a natural fit: “A lot of people thought we already had a store here because it makes so much sense.”
What does he credit for the brand’s endurance? Something simple, almost old-fashioned: real people talking to real people. “People are hungry for real human interaction and we have a great team connecting with our customers,” he said.
Soon, that team will be greeting shoppers at one of Charleston’s busiest crossroads — a corner ready for its next act.
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