Holy City Sinner’s Top Ten Stories of 2021

January 2, 2022

9:44 PM

It was another newsworthy – and unprecedented – year in Charleston (and another successful year for Holy City Sinner). As we welcome in 2022, let's take a look at the blog's most viewed stories from 2021.

Here's the list, starting with the most viewed story of the year (click on the headline to see the original post):

Southern Charm's Austen Kroll Rolls Out Trop Hop Beer at Area Harris Teeters
- As usual, the Charleston-based Bravo “reality” TV show Southern Charm was a headline maker this year. How popular is the show? Popular enough to make this post from October of 2020 Holy City Sinner’s top-viewed post of 2021. Cast member Austen Kroll spoke to Holy City Sinner at Uptown Social about the can release of his beer, a tropical-infused IPA called Trop Hop.
Marvel Star in Charleston to Scout Location for New Movie
- The Holy City loves a good celebrity sighting and an October visit from Marvel movie star Paul Bettany had Charleston buzzing. Bettany, who may be best known for voicing “J.A.R.V.I.S.” and playing “Vision” in several Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films and television shows, posted on Instagram that he was scouting locations for a film he wrote with his writing partner Dana Brown. The post's accompanying photo showed the duo standing in front of the Morris Island Lighthouse. The duo were scouting locations for Harvest Moon, a story about the early months of the pandemic, where a young boy named Charlie tries to get his estranged parents together again.
WATCH: Darius Rucker Gives a Tour of Charleston for Discover South Carolina
- Readers loved watching Country musician, lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish, and Charleston native Darius Rucker give Discover SC a tour of several cities within the Palmetto State – including the Holy City.
Charleston Place to Transform into Whimsical Winter Wonderland this Holiday Season
- Residents and tourists alike were excited to celebrate the winter holidays, which was evident by the popularity of this post. In November, Charleston Place announced that it would transform into a “whimsical winter wonderland this season, with spectacular décor and a wealth of festivities for guests of all ages.” From the beloved holiday train and caroling performance to visits with Santa and nightly “snows” in Market Street Circle, guests and locals had the opportunity to celebrate timeless traditions and create memorable moments.
Surf Bar on Folly Beach is Closed…But For How Long?
- Surf Bar’s closure in July sparked much speculation, but at the time, it was unclear how long the popular Folly Beach spot would be closed. Although no official word ever came out, the venue has remained closed.
Prohibition Team Purchases King Street Public House, Transforming it into Sippin' Santa Tiki Cocktail Pop-Up for the Holidays
- Who doesn’t love a Christmas-themed pop-up? Add in a popular bar’s ownership change, and you’ve got even bigger news. Charleston cocktail bar and restaurant Prohibition announced that they had acquired the King Street Public House location at 549 King Street. In collaboration with the “Miracle” franchise and Tiki legend Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, Sippin' Santa, a temporary pop-up, opened in the space on November 22nd. It remained open through New Year's Eve.
Mandy Moore and Taylor Goldsmith Spotted at LO-Fi Brewing
- In August, a celebrity couple made headlines when they stopped at a local brewery for some food. Singer, songwriter, and actor Mandy Moore visited LO-Fi Brewing with her husband, Taylor Goldsmith of the folk band Dawes. The couple picked up some grub from the High Pie Pizza pop-up taking place at the brewery.
Is Big John's Tavern Returning to Downtown Charleston?
- The potential return of an iconic Charleston bar made waves in August. The news was confirmed shortly after an Alcoholic Beverage Licensing (ABL) form was seen taped to Big John’s Tavern’s former home at 251 East Bay Street. Although the venue and name are the same, this isn’t your father’s Big John’s Tavern.
Charleston Resident to Host New HGTV Show Called “Breaking Bland”
- In July, we learned that Mary Welch Fox Stasik, a Charleston area resident and interior designer, would host a brand new HGTV series called Breaking Bland. The series debuted in August.
HBO's “The Righteous Gemstones” is Looking for “Charleston's Beautiful People”
- After delays in filming due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, HBO’s “The Rigtheous Gemstones” began filming its second season in the Charleston area. Much like their debut season, the production put out multiple casting requests for extras. It seems many locals were interested to see if they’d make the “beautiful” cut.

FYI – I did not include the homepage, daily calendar, Restaurant lists, resource guides, or round-up posts, which all rack up a lot of page views throughout the year.