Here’s your valentine!

Every February the same ritual repeats: bouquets appear in grocery carts, florists work overtime, and for about four beautiful days the house smells like romance. Then — quietly — the petals drop, the water clouds, and the Valentine is over. Don’t get us wrong, flowers are lovely. We want fresh flowers around the house every day! But when it comes to valentines, they’re temporary.

Art, on the other hand, keeps showing up.

It hangs on the wall years later.

It sits on the bedside table.

It becomes the mug they only use in the morning.

It turns into the bowl that holds keys every day for a decade.

It becomes part of a person’s routine — which is really what love is anyway.

This Valentine’s Day, give something that stays.

And in Charleston at 2nd Sunday on King Street, you don’t have to search far to find it.

Heart on My Sleeve by Tate Nation

Here’s local artist Tate Nation’s ode to love… available as a limited edition print. “Heart On My Sleeve"

7 x 9 inches

Edition is limited to 143 signed & numbered prints, printed on heavyweight, acid-free paper with archival inks, unframed

$110 includes insured shipping

SEWE at Second Sunday

The Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE) will be at 2nd Sunday on King Street in Charleston on Sunday, February 8th, offering attendees the opportunity to purchase SEWE Day Tickets and official SEWE lanyards in person. With online Day Ticket sales closed, this is a convenient way to secure your tickets ahead of the event.

SEWE representatives will be on hand to answer questions, share event details, and provide SEWE show brochures and information about what to expect during the weekend celebration of wildlife art, conservation, and sporting traditions.

Stop by the SEWE table during 2nd Sunday to grab your tickets and lanyards and get ready for SEWE the following weekend! They’ll be nearest Charleston Place, home of the permanent SEWE Gallery.

Thank a Cop

2nd Sunday on King Street is safe. It’s a way to enjoy downtown Charleston with her many cultural offerings, shared with your friends and neighbors. Security is provided by the City of Charleston’s finest, and in 15 years we’ve never had an incident to report. Why do we, 2nd Sunday’s staff, buy lunch for the cops? Pretty small thank you for the safety and protection they provide. Stop and thank those men and women who put our safety over their own.

How local artists, academic institutions, and community events like 2nd Sunday on King Street work together to shape Charleston’s cultural life

From the George Street Box Office February Newsletter

Fall in love with our exciting offerings! The George Street Box Office is thrilled to announce our February selections of music events, theatre productions, professional opportunities, and school spirit activities. For any ticketing questions, call at 843.953.GSBO (4726) or email gsbo@charleston.edu.

International Piano Series presents Drew Petersen

February 3 | College of Charleston Sottile Theatre

Tickets & More Information

College of Charleston Department of Music presents "2nd Monday Series: Jazz Faculty Showcase"

February 9 | College of Charleston Simons Center Recital Hall

Tickets & More Information

College of Charleston Department of Theatre and Dance presents "Romeo and Juliet"

February 19-26 | College of Charleston Black Box Theatre

Tickets & More Information

College of Charleston Opera presents "Hänsel und Gretel"

February 20-22 | College of Charleston Sottile Theatre

Tickets & More Information

Let’s All Enjoy Restaurant Week Downtown at 2nd Sunday!

Try someplace new, or enjoy an old favorite. It’s Charleston Restaurant Week Downtown.

A Lithophane Nightlight Christmas

What an excellent choice these Lowcountry Lithophane Nightlights were for family, friends and corporate gifting! We used fancy monograms, Finnish symbols and photographs to create custom pieces for each recipient. We included a statement with each piece and the gratitude flowed. Thank you Blane Shirley for your unique historical creations and excellent customer service.

The hit gift of our Christmas season. You are the designer, making these an especially personal gift.

The best accent light!

Coming January 11 at the Queen Street Playhouse

Sinatra!

Life is a cabaret on 2nd Sunday evening. Join us for a fun experience on Queen Street.

At the 2nd Sunday Tent…Beautiful Wood!

Michael Johnson Woodworks will display some of his beautiful pieces. Follow @michaeljohnsonwoodworks on Instagram to see some of his mastery, and ask him questions about the next project on your wish list. Look for him in front of the Apple Store and the new Ladybird Books at King Street & Liberty.

Hotel Richemont & Two Bit Club presents a special 2nd Sunday event… with Santa!

It’s an art event/hotel tour that will showcase/benefit Charleston Pro Bono.

There will be three rooms room open for touring, with light bites and drinks, as well as a well loved artist in the court yard. Special guests - Santa Claus on the patio and the Pink Figgy in the valet area - will be in attendance for pictures. The Two Bit Club is baking holiday Vietnamese cookies and making hot chocolate for the kids. Patrons will be given a card with the locations to visit, and if they check them all off - they can return the card to the Charleston Pro Bono table in the garden room, where they will be entered for a chance to win a stay at Hotel Richemont. It is likely there will be a few other surprises along the way as well. All of this, along with live music, will make an exciting holiday event!

Here is a list of Hotel Richemont rooms/artists and locations to visit on Sunday:

Suite 201: Gallavantor and Don't Sass Me Soy Candles

Suite 202: Christy Kinard and Lil Tuft Co

Suite 214: Matt Hanagriff/HNGRFF and Pupcountry Candles

Courtyard: Danielle Cather-Cohen

Garden room: Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services information table

Patio: Santa Valet: The Pink Figgy

Introducing Laurel: A Collective

Thoughtfully crafted by renowned architects Sottile & Sottile and LS3P, Laurel is a forthcoming apartment and townhome community that marries timeless craftsmanship with modern sophistication. Situated in the heart of historic downtown Charleston, Laurel will offer four distinct building collections featuring studio, 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom residences, including penthouses and townhomes. Its iconic King Street address, paired with curated onsite retail, will provide residents seamless access to the peninsula’s finest culinary and entertainment offerings. Pre-leasing begins early 2026, with first residences anticipated to deliver in May 2026. Look for reps from Laurel at 2nd Sunday.

2nd Sunday Holiday Happenings!

12/23/2025 Update: The team raised over $2500 for Make-A-Wish in just four hours at 2nd Sunday. Happy spirit of the holidays!

There will be helpful elves manning (elving?) 2nd Sunday’s gift wrap station at Hasell Square, (the intersection at King & Hasell). The station, sponsored by

Appreciated Asset

Kookoo Monkey

Tate Nation

Bushel of Prints

The gift wrap station will feature special, limited edition gift wrap and gift bags created by cherished local artist Tate Nation, wrapped by willing elf volunteers, children of Make-A-Wish supporters. Donations benefit Make-A-Wish, the organization whose only goal is to make special wishes come true for children who need them most.

Party of Five at 6:30

Volpe is such a lovely experience with good food served at its peak, family style, chef’s menu. The atmosphere is cozy, cosmopolitan and intimate. Reasonably priced Italian wines and all the courses.

The courses included chef’s excellent salads and burrata, Scallopine of Heritage Pork, Mushroom Marsala, Local Flounder, Torcino Style, Brown Butter Vinaigrette.

It’s that time of year when the golden hour for ambient light photography—my only and genuine style—is long past so I lifted this photo from their website. Mea culpa. The dishes were beautiful. 161 Rutledge Ave, corner of Rutledge and Doughty.

2nd Sunday on King Street November 9th

Here’s a special offer from Tate Nation on his birthday (we won’t say which one).

Best gift ever! The luminous art of lithophanes.

The Lowcountry Nosh returns.

Tomorrow is the second Sunday of the month, and you know what that means—2nd Sunday on King Street! From Queen to Calhoun—pedestrians rule the street and the whole Charleston peninsula buzzes with activity, transforming one of America’s best shopping streets into a vibrant, open-air celebration of Charleston’s rich culture.

The food scene is equally impressive, with everything from lobster rolls and pierogis to oysters, barbecue, ice cream, and fresh baked sourdough. Many restaurants offer outdoor dining, making it easy to enjoy a meal al fresco while soaking in the festive atmosphere.

Street musicians perform throughout the event, and local artists and galleries often have special demonstrations and exhibits from noon to 5:00 PM.

Join your friends and neighbors—and their dogs—for the perfect blend of shopping, dining, music, atmosphere and surprises that make Charleston special.

Shopping, culture, food, fun at 2nd Sunday on King Street.

The Weekend with Tate Nation

Mount Pleasant is the place for a running tradition, the Old Village Harbor 5K Saturday, November 8 sponsored by Tate Nation.

Followed by… “2nd Sunday falls on my birthday, November 9th, I want to celebrate by doing a special thing ‘My birthday / You get the gift!’. I’ll give a free “Crab” poster to the first 20 people who stop by my space and mention that they saw my post or 2nd Sunday’s! 🥳🎈🦀 🎉 “ 257 King Street.

Happy Birthday, Tate!

The Luminous Art of Lithophanes rescheduled for November 9th

Lithophane Nightlight

There’s something magical about holding a seemingly ordinary piece of porcelain up to the light and watching a detailed image emerge from within. This is the world of lithophanes—sculptures that reveal hidden images when backlit, transforming varying thicknesses of translucent material into gradients of light and shadow. The word “lithophane” comes from Greek, literally meaning “light in stone.” These works of art are created by carving or molding translucent porcelain into panels of varying thickness. Thicker areas appear darker when backlit, while thinner sections allow more light through, creating a grayscale image that glows from within.

Lithophanes emerged in early 19th-century Europe. The mid-to-late 1800s marked their golden age, when they adorned Victorian homes as window panels, lampshades, and fire screens—serving as affordable art for the middle class. Traditional lithophanes required exceptional skill, with artisans carefully carving molds to create varying depths. Today, 3D printing and digital tools have revived the art form, making creation accessible to modern artists while preserving the enchanting effect.

What makes lithophanes captivating after nearly two centuries? Perhaps it’s the hidden image waiting to be revealed, or the mastery required to transform solid material into ethereal light and shadow—quiet testaments to human creativity and the timeless appeal of light itself.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

At the 2nd Sunday Hospitality Tent (in front of the Apple Store): Meet Blane Shirley, Owner, Lowcountry Lithophanes and see some of his mesmerizing products.

The KKBE Nosh November

November 9th, adjacent to 2nd Sunday on King Street, on Hasell Street!

2nd Sunday Grammar for Kids

2nd Sunday on King Street: name, proper noun

second Sunday on King Street: adjective/noun, when it is, and where

Cultural Event: adjective, noun, what it is, aka cherished cultural event

Market, festival, trade show, exhibition: all nouns, all not what it is

Used in a sentence: Welcome to 2nd Sunday on King Street, held on the second Sunday of every month, year ‘round. It’s a cherished cultural event incorporating the brick and mortar boutiques, galleries and food purveyors of King Street along with a carefully curated collection of artisans and supporters who occupy the street from Queen to Calhoun, noon to 5:00.

2nd Sunday 10/12 called off. When Rain or Shine… isn’t.

To the stores, artisans, food vendors, patrons, guardians, celebrants and dogs. In order to keep everyone safe and dry, and to help the helpers clean up downtown unencumbered, we are canceling the October 12th 2nd Sunday on King Street event.

See you next month, November 9.

Photo by Biljana Martinic for Unsplash

Happy 10th Anniversary to Woof Gang!

Woof Gang knows how to celebrate, with

Westie Pawrade

Benefit Raffle

Mimosas + Cake

Free gift bags

10% off store wide.

Join us at 341 King Street.

Dial M for Monarch too

Monarch Esthetics, transformation isn’t just a service it’s a lifestyle. Founded by Charleston native Amber Lang and Dr. Shane Cole, Monarch was created to bring results-driven, cutting-edge aesthetic care to the Lowcountry with a touch of luxury, warmth, and soul.

Inspired by Amber’s late mother,  the heart behind the Monarch name, and its signature butterfly. The practice is rooted in the belief that true beauty and confidence begin from within, and that feeling your best extends far beyond the mirror. Every detail, from the serene, inviting atmosphere to the state-of-the-art technology, reflects a dedication to care, refinement, and transformation.

Monarch is more than a med spa, it’s a community. A place where clients feel seen, nurtured, and connected, and where beauty becomes a shared experience, not just a destination. Every moment is designed to leave you feeling empowered, radiant, and celebrated.

Monarch Esthetics — transformation that’s felt, inside, out, and all around. 562 King Street