The Southern Charm-er gave an exciting status update on the bar he’s opening with his castmate this year.
Craig Conover and Austen Kroll’s new Charleston bar, By the Way, is coming along.
On April 23, Craig reposted an Instagram Story from Keith Benjamin, the Co-Founder of Uptown Hospitality Group. “Heck ya,” the Southern Charm cast member wrote in a caption on the photo, which showed the bar in the midst of construction.
The update comes more than two months after Craig and Austen shared a look at the building process at the forthcoming venue. “It’s demo day!!!” Craig captioned a February 8 Instagram Story. “[By the Way] is on its way!… This is going to be so much fun. Another place in Charleston to share with all of you.”
“The demo days of early spring are upon us!” Austen added in a separate Story. “Can’t wait to share more updates as the space takes shape.”
Details on Craig and Austen’s Charleston bar, By the Way
In January, the Southern Charm castmates talked to ET about the in-progress “neighborhood tavern,” explaining they wanted to “create a space where locals and travelers could hang out together and enjoy the neighborhood.”
“It’s going to be a really intimate space,” Craig said. “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.”
Austen added: “What I envision is a place where you come for a drink before dinner, let’s say, lose track of time and before you know it, hours have passed and all of a sudden, you’re surrounded by all your friends…It’s going to be a place you can come and sit for a while.”
This is Craig and Austen’s second hospitality venture together. In 2023, they worked alongside a team of restaurant pros to open Carriage House in New York City’s West Village neighborhood. “Y’all it’s happening,” Austen declared at the time. “My long-anticipated opening of my first foray into the restaurant business.”
While we wait to see more of the bar, check out another major ongoing project of Craig’s, his home renovation, in the video above.
