Craig Conover and Austen Kroll will close out 2024 with another business win — at least, that's the "goal."
It was nearly a year ago when the longtime pals announced their plans to open By the Way, a “neighborhood tavern” that would be located on Charleston’s bustling King Street. Since then, the Southern Charm cast members have provided several sneak peeks at the new venture, sharing photos of the bar’s renovation process and a little taste of the food menu.
While it’s clear the duo has made a lot of progress, fans are still wondering: When will the tavern officially open its doors?
Well, according to Craig, the wait is almost over.
Craig and Austen are aiming to open their bar before 2025
During a November 2 Instagram Q&A, the Delaware native was asked if By the Way already had its grand opening, as the launch was initially slated for mid-summer and then pushed back to fall 2024.
“The goal is December,” he replied, suggesting he and his team were still on schedule.
What to expect from Craig and Austen's "neighborhood tavern"
By the Way is a collaborative effort between the Southern Charm-ers and Uptown Hospitality Group, the team behind some of Charleston’s most popular restaurants and bars. Craig and Austen spoke about the exciting venture in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, sharing what they envisioned for the business.
“Charleston has grown so much in the last few years and brought in a lot of travelers, so we wanted to create a space where locals and travelers could hang out together and enjoy the neighborhood,” Craig explained. “It’s going to be a really intimate space. We put a lot of thought into the design to try and make it as warm and inviting as possible. We’re leaning into the local, upscale, tavern vibes, so the menu is going to have elevated bar fare and approachable cocktails.”
Craig on his working relationship with Austen: "We butt heads..."
This, of course, isn’t Craig and Austen’s first business partnership. In addition to launching their popular podcast series, Pillows and Beer, they are also investors in Carriage House, a New York City-based restaurant specializing in “elevated Americana.”
During Saturday’s Q&A session, a fan questioned if Craig was still involved with Carriage House: “Noticed you haven’t promoted it in a while,” the user pointed out.
“Of course,” Craig said. “Just been involved with a couple other projects recently.”
Craig — who is also running his home decor brand, Sewing Down South — previously opened up about his and Austen’s working relationship and how it has affected their friendship.
“We butt heads a lot,” he told Life & Style Magazine. “We have to be careful because we’ve got our podcast and we also own Carriage House in NYC. It’s definitely put stress on our relationship — but it also pulls us through a lot of things.”
