Meet My Neighborhood: Old Village District, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

After nearly a decade in Louisiana, the move to South Carolina was a pleasant surprise. The last few minutes of my 12-hour drive from New Orleans to Charleston ended with an unforgettable sunset as I crossed the Ravenel Bridge. I had never heard of Mount Pleasant before and rented a studio apartment site unseen. My time living in Mount Pleasant has certainly lived up to its name.

“Mount P,” as locals call it, is one of the fastest growing cities in the Charleston area. It’s also huge. There are too many neighborhoods to name, but I live in what’s known as the Old Village District, or the Coleman Boulevard area. 

I’m not one to sugar coat—it’s expensive to live here. The average home sale price is $604,428 and the median household income is $77,638 according to the Town of Mount Pleasant’s 2017 annual demographics report.

But it’s young, fun, clean, manicured, and super family-friendly. There is a somewhat accurate stereotype for some of the residents; they’re known as “Mount Pleasant moms.” Mount Pleasant moms are easy to spot: Think luxury SUVs, yoga pants, Starbucks, oversized Louis Vuitton bags. It’s really become a tongue-in-cheek term of endearment, but it’s a thing.

However, Mount Pleasant—and the Old Village District—is rich in many other ways.

Shem Creek

True story: During a job interview in 2015, my potential boss took me to lunch at a restaurant on Shem Creek. Smart move. We sat outside and within minutes, a school of dolphins surfaced just a few feet away. In that moment, I decided I was moving to Charleston, whether he offered me the job or not.

Shem Creek continues to be my spot, and it’s apparently everyone else’s too. It’s always buzzing. 

Saltwater Cowboys is the newest creekside restaurant and bar. Sure, it can feel like Spring Break ’06 at times, but what’s not to love about not one, but two bars nestled outside the enormous back deck? And the sunset never disappoints, making this the perfect spot to wind down with a glass of bubbly.

Decades ago, Shem Creek was the designated dock spot for the shrimp fleets. Growth has pushed much of the industry out, but there’s still a handful of shrimpers who lease dock space and sell fresh shrimp daily. My favorite thing to do is ride my bike down to one of the docks and buy brown shrimp directly from the captain. The price is right and nothing compares.

Pitt Street

Quaint. Quiet. The Old Village is one of those neighborhoods with all kinds of hidden nooks and crannies.

Pitt Street is the main artery of the Old Village. It’s easy to kill a few hours just looking at all the houses along Pitt Street. There are also several parks with basketball and tennis courts open to the public.

There are a couple small shops worth checking out, and Pitt Street Pharmacy is one of them. It looks antiquated from the outside, but it’s still a full-functioning compounding pharmacy. There’s also an old school deli inside serving up milkshakes and sandwiches. It really gives you that homemade feel.

The shelves are stocked with old-fashioned candy, like something you’d find in a general store of a small mountain town. Browsing alone makes picking up a prescription worth the wait. Nostalgia for days.

My favorite part is checking out all the homemade artwork the store proudly displays on the walls. Each one depicts the same subject—the store’s outside facade. Some of the artists are children, but each is crafted by loyal customers and gifted to the store for all to see. And each one is proudly hung in its own spot. Some are really impressive, others are hilariously bad. It’s all part of the charm. 

The Pitt Street Bridge is a hidden oasis only locals are privy to. The bridge isn’t in operation anymore (pedestrians and bikes only), but hands down, it’s the best spot to watch 4th of July fireworks. It’s situated in such a way that you get almost a 360-degree view of all the neighboring towns’ fireworks shows. You can easily see the fireworks blasting off from the U.S.S. Yorktown, Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island, Folly Beach, Downtown Charleston, and North Charleston. Expect to see anyone and everyone (and their dogs too).

Red Drum

Every good neighborhood has a beloved watering hole, and Red Drum is a charming Old Village haunt. The menu is a cornucopia of eats: There’s tortilla soup, chicken enchiladas, and daily taco specials, but there’s also pan seared scallops and fresh whole fish—at market price, of course.

I would be remiss not to give credit to the bartending staff as well. They’re the reason I’m a regular. There’s hardly any turnover behind the bar, and they remember so many names and so many faces. It’s such a great place to meet new people.

Salt Life

My favorite part of living in the Old Village is the access to water and all the activities that go along with it. People here love to exercise outdoors, and there are so many options. It’s just a 22-minute ride on a beach cruiser from my apartment to Sullivan’s Island. 

I’m an avid runner. My route is usually along Coleman Boulevard because the sidewalk is smooth and well-lit, but I do switch it up sometimes and jog around the neighborhoods for the shade while looking at all the beautiful houses. 

The majority of fitness enthusiasts head to the Ravenel Bridge. Pedestrian access is easy on the Mount Pleasant side, plus there’s plenty of parking. The view is unlike any other, but that incline though—whew! 

The Cooper River Bridge Run is the premiere 10K in the Lowcountry and the starting line is right in the middle of Coleman Boulevard—35,000 people participated in the April 2019 race. 

The Annual Christmas Light Parade route is also along Coleman Boulevard. It’s fun, but the New Orleans girl in me will never understand a parade without throws. Mardi Gras it is not, but a family-oriented parade it is. And like any good southern affairs, it’s a party.