Daniel Island Passports Now Available!

A group of island residents and business owners recently joined forces to create a program aimed at promoting Daniel Island’s diverse and growing shopping and dining offerings to island and Charleston area residents.

Led by island residents Steve Ferber and Colby Hollifield, the “Passport to Daniel Island” program is a grassroots effort to help island businesses spread the word about their services. The Passport card entitles holders to receive special discounts or offers from participating businesses. A website lists current offers for easy reference.

“With 16 restaurants plus dozens of shops and service providers, Daniel Island is an active dining and shopping destination, but many who don’t live here don’t realize how much our island town has to offer,” says Ferber. “The Passport Program is designed to help get the word out to a larger audience about what’s here.”

The Passport Program kicked off in April during the Family Circle Cup, where volunteers reached out to the 18,000+ Charleston area residents who attended the week-long WTA event, offering up the cards for just $1 a piece. More than 800 cards were sold.

“The program has been well-received,” said Ferber. “Those who are familiar with the offerings of Daniel Island’s businesses are grateful for the special savings. But just as importantly, the card has provided a way to introduce new customers to the number of shops and restaurants here and has given people a reason to come back more often. Business owners are reporting that they are seeing new customers as a result of the effort.”

Hollifield and Ferber saw the need for someone to take ownership of an effort like this in order to help support island businesses, who rely on the patronage of customers coming from both on- and off-island. They took on the project as volunteers.

“We’re working now on getting the cards in the hands of employees who work at the various offices on Daniel Island, including Blackbaud and BenefitFocus,” said Ferber. “Other target audiences include Battery soccer fans who visit the island regularly in the summer for home games.”

Passport cards are available at participating downtown Daniel Island businesses, and can also be purchased at First Citizens Bank on Daniel Island. For a complete list of participating businesses, visit passporttodanielisland.com.

Monkee's Co-Owner Says "I Do" at the Daniel Island Club

When Ashley Jenkins, co-owner of high-end boutique Monkee’s on Daniel Island, started looking at locations for her November 2009 wedding, she hadn’t planned on taking a tour of the Daniel Island Club. Originally from North Carolina, Ashley was planning to marry her fiancé Stephen in her hometown. But as planning got underway, she realized the difficulties she would face by organizing a wedding so far from where she lived.

“I didn’t want to have to plan a weekend trip and make all of my decisions in one day,” she said. It wasn’t until a friend mentioned the Daniel Island Club that she decided to schedule an appointment. “I actually hadn’t seen it before, even though I work on Daniel Island. But I knew the minute I drove up for the first time that I had found the right spot,” recalled Ashley. “And then I met the staff and I realized that not only could I plan my wedding from literally one-mile away from where I work on Seven Farms Drive, but that they would also be a huge resource for me.”

Ashley and Stephen were married on the outside lawn at the Daniel Island Club on Saturday, November 21, 2009. It was a perfect Lowcountry fall day – sunny but with a slight chill in the air. As Ashley and Stephen were saying their vows, the sun shined brightly on the couple.

“Everything was perfect. From the weather to the food to the flowers and our photographers, Joey + Jessica,” said Ashley. “It may sound cheesy but it felt like it was all in God’s hands. It all happened exactly as it was meant to.”

Inspired Island Shopping

Island residents no longer have to venture off-island to search for the latest fashions. Trendy and sophisticated clothing, shoes and accessories are now being brought to us by two chic new boutiques on Seven Farms Drive in downtown Daniel Island. Looking for something fun to wear as springtime approaches? Look no further than Monkee’s and Thera M.

At Thera M, a careful selection of comfortable and wearable clothing is inspired by owner Megan Berrard’s shopping trips to New York’s SoHo district and Robertson Boulevard in Los Angeles. The shop offers laid-back coastal style, with an infusion of cutting-edge looks from designers relatively unknown in the Lowcountry.

Just a couple of doors down, Monkee’s of Daniel Island invites shoppers to experience boutique shopping as it is meant to be – fun and personal!  The shop carries the finest lines in shoes, clothing and accessories from the world’s hottest designers.

You can visit Thera M and Monkee’s online, but better yet, stop by the next time you’re in town and check out these wonderful new Daniel Island shopping destinations.