News

Increasingly, companies are being asked by their employees, customers, and regulators to demonstratetheir commitment to sustainability, and most companies want to show their commitment but simplydon’t know how, or what to measure. That’s why Lowcountry Local First is proud to partner... Continue Reading

Local Level: Johns Island, It's Your Turn to Engage in the City of Charleston Zoning Code Rewrite: The City of Charleston is undertaking an update to its Zoning Code called Setting New Standards. The purpose is to modernize the regulations that govern development in the City, to make them... Continue Reading

2024 James Beard Media Award winner KJ Kearney and 2022 Community Business Academy Graduate, will launch his event series titled Bite the Power on Monday, July 29, in Charleston. Billed as “the world’s first traveling Black food storytelling event,” Bite the Power invites... Continue Reading

We recently rotated in the third round of Community Business Academy graduates at our Retail Residency Program hosted at The Station Park Circle. From July through September 2024 you’ll find handmade art from MagikBeanShop, gold plated gems from Amelie Jewelry, empowering,... Continue Reading

The Town of Mount Pleasant, in collaboration with Lowcountry Local First, is proud to announce the launch of the Small Business Success Series. This innovative workshop series aims to equip local entrepreneurs and small business owners with essential knowledge and practical tools to thrive in... Continue Reading

At Lowcountry Local First, we believe local ownership matters. Our goal is to support the local business community and tailor our programs to help our community gain access to every chance at success. That’s why we work with businesses, community members, and policymakers to build support... Continue Reading

New Data: We recently wrapped up our 2024 Member Survey, with more than 60 responses captured. These results help inform our team of what kinds of programming and advocacy efforts matter most to you, and what the community needs at large in order to fulfill our mission. View the summary and key... Continue Reading

Lowcountry Local First has been advocating for stronger, enforced and tracked local preference policies with our local municipalities for more than a decade. In the realm of municipal governance, few policies hold as much potential for catalyzing local economic growth as robust local preference... Continue Reading

What is Independents Month? Independents Month (July), part of AMIBA’s Choose Indie Local program, is a time to recognize our locally owned and independent businesses and the community values they embody: Their spirit of entrepreneurship, individuality, uniqueness, and character. How... Continue Reading

En medio del vibrante tapiz de apoyo comunitario y espíritu emprendedor, la Academia Empresarial de Lowcountry Local First (“La Academia”) celebró otro logro notable el 13 de junio. Un total de 17 personas dedicadas, representando tanto a las cohortes de inglés... Continue Reading

En medio del vibrante tapiz de apoyo comunitario y espíritu emprendedor, la Academia Empresarial de Lowcountry Local First ("La Academia") celebró otro logro notable el 13 de junio. Un total de 17 personas dedicadas, representando tanto a las cohortes de inglés como de... Continue Reading

Local Level Worth celebrating: The Lowcountry Rapid Transit (LCRT) project recently received a $1.2 million grant from the FTA to advance TOD planning by focusing on the implementation of affordable housing strategies in the project corridor. This grant moves LCRT into Phase 3 of its TOD... Continue Reading