By: Kathleen Curry
The US fast food market wasn't always dominated by national franchises. If you were born in the 1960s or later, like yours truly, you haven't known it any other way. On a local scale, Jack Hurley of Jack's Cosmic Dogs (JCD) is determined to change that.
Originally from Burlington, Vermont, Hurley has linked fixtures of his youth to the present for 11 with a hotdog stand and its ever-evolving menu. The original location is on Hwy 17 North, the other two are on Folly Road and Hwy 61. In 1991, Hurley moved to the Isle of Palms with his wife Priscilla, and sons Morgan and Skylar. Something sparked when he saw a roadside building off Highway 17 North."If a place ever looked like a hot dog joint, that was it." Its menu would feature homemade chili, freshly made coleslaw, longneck Nehi soda, hand-cut fries, soft serve ice cream, shakes, malts, moon pies, and draft root beer, in addition to hotdogs. Its interior would be a bright cheery diner with booths and two-seater tables, and wacky antiques from Hurley's personal collection, like a robot, a plastic tea set chandelier, a kids go cart, and rockets are inside and outside. On another wall, next to a framed and autographed copy of a Men’s Journal article about JCD (more on that later), there’s a framed 1970 program for William & Mary Football team. Hurley played offensive end; he was coached there by the young Lou Holtz, Marv Levy, & Bobby Ross. ‘Years later, Hurley got a photo with Holtz, and Holtz autographed the program. ‘Does Hurley see parallels between sports and entrepreneurship? He says, “Competitive sports develops a great work ethic, makes you want to win, and you develop ease with working all types of people to get that win.” Outside, there’s a JCD authentic airstream trailer with rockets on top; it is used for catering events. Inside and out, the whole package blends well with a retro-style logo designed by Gil Shuler and animated hotdog paintings by Mario Valdes.
In the 1989 movie "Field Of Dreams", a voice whispers to Kevin Costner's character Ray Kinsella that "If you build it, he will come." In this quote, the antecedent of "it" is a baseball diamond in the middle of a corn field in rural Iowa. Later in the film, a James Earl Jones character named Terence Mann indicates that if he builds the baseball field, his financial needs would be satisfied because people will gladly give their hard-earned money, if not their eyeteeth, to experience such a ponderous sensation of witnessing the old greats playing a child's game that was once known as "America's Pastime".
Growing up in Dayton, Ohio, the indoctrination about the feats of the illustrious Wright Brothers began essentially as soon as we five-year-olds walked into our kindergarten classes. Fascinating stories about how a wondrous flying machine evolved in the minds of Orville and Wilbur in their little bike shop in 1903 permeated our little minds, and Dayton has been on the map forever since that blustery day at Kitty Hawk.
Fourteen years ago, I was in Joliet, Illinois visiting my grandmother when I had some free time. I mean free time, like the whole day free time. I decided to pull a Ferris Bueller and head up I-55 into downtown Chicago because I had never done it of my own free will. I decided to do Chicago. It was a Sunday, so not much was going on. It was late March, so the Cubs were still in Arizona, the Bulls were on the road, and the Bears were sleeping off a 4-12 season. St. Patrick’s Day had come and gone, and the forecast was a 100% chance of gray. These conditions, however, did not sway my determination to go see what I wanted to see since I was about fifteen or sixteen: the inside of an Irish pub in the Second City. O’Callaghan’s on West Hubbard Street was the prototypical Mick joint of the day, with a long bar, wood floors, bar tables on the opposite wall, and the appropriate amount of televisions. I was delighted and sad at the same time. I believed that I had crossed off something on a relatively short bucket list, but I feared I would have to return to the 312 area code in order to experience it again.
It’s tough to find parking in the Avondale district. It just is. An unfortunate truth, but it speaks to the vibrant nature of the area. Few places on the Charleston map jam together such an eclectic mix of styles and tastes in a two-block radius, and right smack-dab in the middle you will find perhaps the most famous former gas station in West Ashley.
I have never been a little brother. I am the elder of my parents’ two children, and I have known many little brothers. In my experience, it is not uncommon for the younger of the two to strike out on his own and strive to be nothing like his senior sibling, especially after taking a crack at emulating that big brother as a result of an innate sense of reverence. Few role models present themselves as easily or more prominently early on in a boy’s life.
Inventive dishes and fabulous service set 
Dog Days. The name is derived from the lingering appearance of the brightest star in the night skies of summer. Sirius, the main attraction in the constellation Canis Major, or Big Dog, is a prominent throughout the days of June, July, and August. It’s no coincidence that the hot dog gets a special place on summertime tables. As cuisine has evolved to a high level in the Lowcountry, so has the hot dog. I present you EatThisCharleston.com’s Dog Show.
When a local business becomes an indelible part of its community pretty quickly, it can be hard to look back and think they’re only 7 years old; it can be even harder to think how you all got along before they arrived. This is the story of the Coastal Cupboard (CC), a kitchen supply store and cooking workshop in Belle Hall Shopping Center, off Long Point Road in Mount Pleasant. I would be sorely missing out if I didn’t check in with them every couple weeks just to see well-designed, hard to find gadgets and décor my kitchen or a loved one’s kitchen may be missing.
People read restaurant reviews so they can make an informed decision on whether or not they want to take a chance on an establishment that they have never laid eyes on or just driven past. They also read because they want to solidify an opinion that they have obtained by word of mouth from their contemporaries. Furthermore, they read because they just like hearing about good food.
Biscuits. They’re a quintessentially American quick bread. They have a handful of basic ingredients, embodying just how simple delicious can be. Ironically, they are not quick or easy to master for light, fluffy, melt in your mouth results; it takes a practiced hand. Like other Lowcountry lost arts, Sweetgrass baskets and wrought iron gates, for example, those with “practiced hands” have a way of making their craft look easy. Callie White is among them; she grew up making biscuits several times a day in a family of native South Carolinians. With her daughter , Carrie Bailey-Morey at the helm, they are keeping this family tradition strong and very much alive, while making it easier than ever for everyday overscheduled families to enjoy them too.