Local Level We're proud to welcome the Town of Mount Pleasant and their Mount Pleasant Made Initiative as a Local Economic Ambassador Member of our organization, reinforcing the Town’s commitment to supporting and elevating local, independent businesses. Read more! Eat Local!... Continue Reading
The Town of Mount Pleasant is proud to announce a new partnership with Lowcountry Local First (LLF) as part of its Local Economic Ambassador program, reinforcing the Town’s commitment to supporting and elevating local, independent businesses. This collaboration launches in July and will be... Continue Reading
We see you, small business owner. You are busy. And you’re up against a lot. Understanding how local land use policies and zoning regulations impact your business isn't just bureaucratic jargon – it's crucial for your bottom line and the very fabric of our beloved cities and... Continue Reading
Lowcountry Local First participated in a Historic Charleston Foundation + Bloomberg Philanthropies-hosted forum on responsible tourism held on May 20, 2025. A full room at The Charleston Museum officially launched a months-long process to support the City of Charleston as it works to draft a new... Continue Reading
Welcome, arts enthusiasts, to our beautiful Charleston! While you're here soaking in the incredible talent of the Spoleto Festival, we encourage you to truly experience the heart of our city – its local businesses. Step away from the well-trodden tourist paths and discover the unique... Continue Reading
Update from May 13: The City of Charleston’s Hospitality Parking Pilot Program has reached capacity, and the permit application window is now closed. On May 8, 2025, the City of Charleston announced the launch of a Hospitality Worker Parking Pilot Program, a new initiative designed to... Continue Reading
This week is nationally recognized as "Small Business Week," and we're often tapped to respond and contribute to the noise. If you know our organization, you know we love a campaign, and we love any reason to celebrate and call-out the many reasons we should all be supporting our small... Continue Reading
Worth a read: Many of you read and shared the Medium article, "The Downtown Death Spiral: Charleston's Best Businesses Are Closing and It's Not Their Fault," by Peyton Steele. It resonated far and wide and echoed a lot of the concerns we've raised over the last decade+. We're still advocating... Continue Reading
Local Updates A special election has been set for May 27 to fill three vacant seats on the North Charleston City Council after federal corruption charges were announced against three council members. - via Charleston City Paper Take the 5-minute King Street Business Improvement... Continue Reading
Are the headlines about tariffs making you dizzy? On again, off again. Anxiety, then relief. For local business owners, the relief is nowhere in sight.Yesterday was Lowcountry Local First’s 12th annual Good Business Summit – a gathering for those who believe in business as a force for... Continue Reading
Don't miss: Our Good Business Summit is held Thursday, March 6 at the Charleston Music Hall, including a session just for those curious about what advocacy looks like as a small business leader. Come join the conversation with expert panelists! Learn more and register here. Advocacy in Action:... Continue Reading
TICKET POLICY: This event is rain or shine and tickets are non-refundable. A one-time ticket transfer is permissible. HEALTH POLICY: Due to the nature of this event, we cannot address individual allergy concerns. Each participating chef is asked to prepare at least one vegetarian dish. We... Continue Reading
