Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Repair in Charleston, SC

The war over imported farm-raised shrimp being sold in restaurants in South Carolina — whose rich coastal waters already are teeming with wild shrimp and local shrimpers who earn a living catching them — is heating up in U.S. District Court, where a new lawsuit takes aim at dozens of Charleston restaurants for “shrimp fraud.”

The lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Charleston, brought by the South Carolina Shrimpers Association, accuses 40 Charleston-area restaurants of breaking state and federal laws for advertising South Carolina seafood but serving foreign shrimp, which some consumers might find shocking on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.

“We want to set a precedent across the state: if you violate the law and get caught there’s consequences,” Gedney Howe IV, an attorney representing the shrimpers, told the Beaufort Gazette and Island Packet.

It may be the first time a state fraud law has been applied to seafood sales on this scale, Howe added.

The unusual legal action is the latest salvo fired by the shrimpers in South Carolina where shrimp is the No. 1 seafood. Scenes of shrimp boats on the water or tied up to docks are iconic but shrimpers say they are struggling to compete with foreign imports and it doesn’t help when restaurants are selling the imported seafood and advertising it as “Carolina Caught.”

The industry already is backing undercover investigations of the origin of seafood being sold across eight states. Threatened tariffs by the Trump administration have also cast a spotlight on unfair trade practices shrimpers say they are facing.

Here’s five things to know about the lawsuit, which Howe says is an attempt to fix a broken system and set up enforcement mechanisms to eliminate false advertising of shrimp.

The defendants are 40 restaurants whose true names and identifies are not known.

However, the legal action cites 40 Charleston-area restaurants that were identified, but not publicly named, in a recent undercover testing operation conducted by SeaD Consulting on behalf of the Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA), an eight-state group, including South Carolina, representing shrimping interests. It’s in the midst of a sweeping campaign to raise awareness about the impact of imported shrimp on the local industry. SeaD has tested more than 300 restaurants across the eight warm-water shrimp states. Testing in Charleston, completed in May, showed 40 of the 44 restaurants, or 90%, falsely advertised where the shrimp originated, according to SSA. SeaD called the results a “food fraud scandal” in the heart of the Lowcountry.

Since the lawsuit was filed on June 13, Howe says, his office has received additional calls from up and down the coast about similar problems. If additional testing occurs, more restaurants might be added to the case, he said.

Restaurants can charge more for locally caught shrimp in South Carolina, where annual commercial shrimp landings range between 1.3 to 6.8 million pounds.

SSA also says imported shrimp doesn’t face the same health regulations as U.S. caught shrimp and is raised in ponds. Shrimpers say imported shrimp being sold by restaurants is putting them out of business.

Shrimping also is essential to the state’s history and culture, Howe adds. “It’s an industry we have seen in decline because some restaurants are choosing the easy way out and buying this imported shrimp and misrepresenting them as being local shrimp,” he says.

SSA says its shrimp origin tests at restaurants have shocked consumers and spurred local campaigns to raise awareness and guidance for restaurants and even law changes.

Texas passed a law prohibiting the false marketing of imported shrimp in restaurants. Mississippi amended its law to require disclosure of whether seafood offered for sale at retail and in food service establishments is imported or domestic. A labeling law was defeated in Georgia.

There is no labeling law in South Carolina but the S.C. Shrimpers Association is urging lawmakers to take up a country of origin menu law during the next legislative session. In the meantime, the lawsuit seeks to have existing fraud laws that are not specific to seafood enforced in this case.

Photos of fishing boats and signs such as “eat local” and “we catch ‘em” falsely suggests to customers that the restaurants are affiliated with the local seafood industry and that the product being service was caught locally. In fact, the lawsuit says, the restaurants knowingly served cheaper shrimp that was farmed or harvested out of state or even imported from foreign markets such as Ecuador, India, Vietnam and China.

Those representations defraud consumers and divert sales away from legitimate local shrimpers, the lawsuit claims, violating both the federal Lanham Act and the the South Carolina Unfair Trade Practices Act.

The state law bans representing a food product as being from South Carolina when it’s not. Howe thinks this case may be the first time that law has been applied specifically to the sale of shrimp at restaurants. “It seems to be precisely what the statute aims to prevent,” Howe says.

The federal law prohibits false advertising.

The lawsuit asks for damages to be determined at trial including punitive damages for “disgorgement of fraudulently earned profits.” Howe says the funds, if awarded, would be used by The South Carolina Shrimpers Association for education. The shrimpers are also seeking a temporary restraining order.

Craig Reaves, a local shrimper who owns Sea Eagle Market in Beaufort and also serves on the boards of the Southern Shrimp Alliance and the Beaufort Area Hospitality Association (BAHA), says seafood fraud is a problem all over. Ironically, he adds, “it seems the closer you are to the source the greater the fraud.”

“It’s unbelievable people would come from all over the country expecting to get local seafood and it be represented as such and then be served pond-raised garbage from India,” Reaves says.

BAHA board members are now discussing a way to verify and certify restaurants that sell seafood from local waters, beginning with shrimp, Reaves said, “so we can identify the restaurants that are supporting the local seafood industry.”

Push back might come from some restaurants who have been taking advantage of “the iconic value of the seafood for decade, “Reaves says.

But Reaves is quick to add that not all restaurants are selling imported seafood. Beaufort, he says, has incredible chefs and restaurants that buy local. The certification would be a way to promote those restaurants and encourage others to join them. The certification may involve a sticker or a logo that can be displayed at the restaurant and on the menu.

BAHA President Ashlee Houck says it’s possible seafood at restaurants in Beaufort could be tested in the future as part of SSA’s undercover inspections and “I don’t want to see what happened to Charleston come to our little town.”

The organization doesn’t just represent hotels and restaurants, she noted, but the local seafood industry is well. That’s why BAHA is taking up the certification issue. All the sectors, she adds, need to work together.

“Visitors expect to eat fresh shrimp just off the docks,” she said. “We need preserve not only our culture but the livelihood of the people in our community.”

She says 15 to 20 restaurants in northern Beaufort County already are ready to participate.

It's a whopper as far as unpaid bar tabs go.

A $7.4 million debt still lingering from the 2021 sale of one of South Carolina’s oldest and best-known craft-beer brands has come to light as the business prepares to wind down.

Catawba Valley Brewing Co. was in panic mode this week as it sought an emergency court order to keep the group that bought Charleston-based Palmetto Brewing Co. almost four years ago from removing any equipment and other property from the Huger Street site.

The firm also is looking to freeze bank accounts associated with the current owners, according to North Carolina legal filings.

In addition, Catawba Valley Brewing requested that a Palmetto representative who can explain the local brewery's financial status appear in court and turn over all bookkeeping records.

The North Carolina-based company said it was alarmed to learn this month that the owners — several companies backed by Wiregrass Equity Partners of Alabama — had hired a salvage crew to remove "valuable" brewing equipment from 289 Huger St. before it can be legally seized and sold to pay down the debt.

The list of 71 items ranged from a grist bin to the canning line.

The "wreck out" job at the longtime brewery and taproom between King and Meeting streets "will result in significant devaluation of company assets," Catawba Valley Brewing attorney Carl Petkoff of Maynard Nexsen's Charleston office said in court filings.

The removal work was expected to start "on or about" June 21, he added.

Catawba Valley Brewing representatives, Palmetto's general manager and a local attorney for Alabama-based Wiregrass Equity either declined or didn't respond to requests for comment.

By week's end, they all came to an agreement. But it won't save the business.

The original "Palmetto Brewery" was started in the mid-1800s at Market and Hayne streets in downtown Charleston. According to its website, the founders of the existing operation adopted a variant of the old name farther up the peninsula in 1993, becoming the first licensed brewing operation to open in South Carolina since Prohibition.

Catawba Valley Brewing was started in 1999 east of Asheville by the three members of the Pyatt family and quickly took off. The fast-growing business was distributing craft beers under names like Zombie in five states and had opened several breweries and tasting rooms by the time it snapped up Palmetto in 2017.

The company then sought an exit strategy after the founders decided to retire. They found an seemingly eager buyer in the Wiregrass Equity group in October 2021. The investors included Made by the Water LLC, now MBTW LLC, which already owned Oyster City Brewing Co. along the Florida panhandle.

"They value our people, markets, customers and, most of all, our culture," Billy Pyatt, then the CEO of Catawba Valley Brewing, said when the sale was announced.

To finance the deal, the sellers fronted the buyers $6.9 million in the form of a promissory note that the borrowers personally guaranteed. It was to be repaid over several years.

The terms were later modified, and the loan was extended multiple times, according to court filings. The Pyatts demanded their money around September 2023.

Darin Phillips, a partner with Wiregrass Equity, formally acknowledged the debt earlier this year, when he signed a "confession of judgment" on behalf of all the borrowers.

The document was filed with a North Carolina court in February. The unpaid balance has been accruing interest ever since, at the rate of about $2,340 a day.

In mid-April, a copy of the judgment was filed in Charleston County. Earlier this week, Judge Jennifer McCoy transferred the case to Master-in-Equity Mikell Scarborough's office at the request of Catawba Valley Brewing.

With the "wreck out" set to get underway in less than 24 hours, both sides came to an agreement by submitting a signed consent order on Friday afternoon. The four-page document disclosed that Palmetto Brewing's Huger Street lease terminates on June 30. It's unclear whether the timing was tied to a legal decision this month allowing the landlord to evict the company over unpaid rent.

In any event, the beer-maker's owners want to "deconstruct the brewing equipment" as part of "the move-out process," relocate it and sell it, according to the order.

Catawba Valley Brewing agreed to the request while also imposing several conditions to ensure it recoups at least some of its money. For instance, all of the equipment must be accounted for in writing by July 10 and sold for a "commercially reasonable price" to third-party buyers in arms-length transactions.

Also, the sellers will deposit all of the net proceeds in their lawyer's trust account to eventually pay down the debt.

The deal was approved by the court.

A long-held tradition since 1866, the annual celebration of Juneteenth was made a federal holiday in 2021 by President Joe Biden. This year, Charleston can expect plenty of fun and educational regional events highlighting the works of Black-owned businesses and honoring African American traditions.

Beyond Emancipation Day, communities will be excited to find that a whole week of activities has been planned by local community leaders. J19 Week returns for another year of honoring Charleston's Black voices with memorable festivities.

"This year’s fifth anniversary is more than a milestone — it’s a movement," said Latisha Manigault, cofounder of J19 Week. "We’re proud to see this celebration grow each year as more people connect with the history of Juneteenth and the beauty of the Gullah Geechee culture. J19 Week is about unity, empowerment and honoring the journey."

Vice President Sean Smith added, "This isn’t just a festival — it’s a family. Whether you’re a longtime supporter or a first-time attendee, J19 Week is where everyone can feel seen, celebrated and inspired. We invite the entire community to come out and be part of this incredible experience."

Among events, Liberty Hill will be honored with a unifying parade followed by a celebration perfect for those looking to honor Black artisans, preview some of their community's local vendors and hear from leaders in this historic African American community.

"We hope people will better understand our history and why we celebrate the significance of our freedom. And really build up a sense of hope, setting goals for our future, paying homage to our ancestors and their resilience and that sense of camaraderie that we can impart to our children," stated Hester McFadden, president of the Liberty Hill Historical and Genealogical Society.

With everything from jazz concerts to family-style cookouts, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Here's how to celebrate Juneteenth in the Lowcountry.

J.O.Y. Juneteenth on the Yard

What: Celebrate Juneteenth with your community in a space dedicated to reflection, healing and joy. Grammy-nominated artist Mumu Fresh joins other artists and storytellers in an evening of music, food and fun.

When: Noon-5 p.m. June 19

Where: International African American Museum, 14 Wharfside St., Charleston

Price: Free

More Info: tinyurl.com/3tsek3hu

MOJA x Juneteenth

What: Experience a proper block party presented by MOJA Arts Fest in celebration of Juneteenth. There will be local artisan and food vendors to peruse, live entertainment from Motown singer Charles Grant, live painting by Kolpeace, performances by the Harambee Dance Company and more.

When: 6-9 p.m. June 19

Where: Ann Street (Between King and Meeting streets)

Price: Free

More Info: tinyurl.com/5erenxnu

Jazz Under the Stars

What: Enjoy a night of tasty hors d'oeuvres and some Lowcountry tunes from featured jazz artist Marcus Johnson as well as Reggie Graves and the Theory Band.

When: 7-10 p.m. June 19

Where: The Admiral House, 1100 Navy Way, North Charleston

Price: $32-$81

More Info: tinyurl.com/2tp5nj2y

Living Legacies: A Juneteenth Commemoration

What: Magnolia hosts their upcoming Juneteenth speaker series with Polly Sheppard, a survivor of the Mother Emanuel AME Church shooting, another speaker series with author Margaret Seidler and artist John W. Jones, an interactive historic slave cabins tour and a solemn reading of the names lost to slavery at Magnolia Gardens with special a cappella performances.

When: 6 p.m. June 19-6:30 p.m. June 21

Where: Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, 3550 Ashley River Road, Charleston

Price: Free

More Info: tinyurl.com/262jxm82

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A relatively new nonprofit is working to provide affordable housing to Lowcountry and Palmetto State adults with nowhere else to turn.

The organization Berry Manor Boarding Home specializes in both memory care and supportive housing. They provide affordable, long-term, nonmedical residential care to elderly, disabled and memory-impaired adults—including U.S. Veterans and people suffering from conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Founder Deanna Miller-Berry says what they’re doing is a completely new approach to addressing the needs of people who are falling through the gaps of the health care system. Veterans without support from Veterans Affairs and seniors with pending disability claims are at the top of her client list.

“The whole premise of our program is making sure when these families trust their loved ones to us, they know that they’re going to be loved,” Miller-Berry says. “They know they’re going to be cared for and we’re going to make sure they get the health care that they need. Between good, old-fashioned science with basic, holistic foundations of community and love, this is what we are building.”

This week, Miller-Berry and her team are opening up their eighth home, this one in North Charleston. At least six people will live in the home.

Every day, a small, but dedicated, staff will spend hours at each home, cooking meals, reminding residents to take their medications and helping them set up home health care.

Miller-Berry says communal living is the key to making this system work. Many of the seniors are on fixed incomes that are too low to afford housing, health care and necessities.

She says they provide those things, like food and beds, in a home-style setting that helps clients with memory issues connect with their environment. While they leave the actual medical care to outside nurses and doctors, Miller-Berry says having a community can work wonders on health.

“We pride ourselves on making sure that we provide an atmosphere that’s conducive for healing. We use a very holistic approach, which is old-school traditional love. Literally,” Miller-Berry says. We take the time to be able to pour into them in a way that makes them feel like they’re still a part of society and they’re still contributing to building what we call all our new community of folks.

The nonprofit is rapidly expanding with new homes popping up throughout the state all the time. Berry-Miller says she expects to go from the current eight homes to 17 homes by the end of the year.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Top Chef contestant Shuai Wang does not think of himself as a competitive person. "I'm one of those people who thinks everyone deserves a trophy for participating," he says.

And yet, the Charleston chef did really well on the television cooking show - making it all the way to the finale.

"Prior to going on Top Chef, I felt very stuck," Wang says. He thought he'd peaked. But being in competition mode, learning from other chefs, he says, "it kind of just rejuvenated my creativity." In one episode, he cooked with ants that he'd foraged and gently toasted. They tasted like lemons, he said, "such a wonderful, zingy flavor."

When he's not off filming a reality show, Shuai Wang is usually in North Charleston, South Carolina, with his wife and business partner, Corrie Wang. The couple met working at a restaurant in New York City. They moved south 10 years ago and had a food truck before opening their first restaurant, Jackrabbit Filly, named after their zodiac signs, and then a second restaurant, King BBQ.

Catie Dull/NPR

Catie Dull/NPR

It opened a year and half ago in a building that was, at various times, an ad agency, a church and a lunch counter, says Shuai. It's a beautiful space, with lots of personal touches. A pair of lions standing guard out front and the tile ceiling were custom made and shipped from Beijing, where Shuai was born. Framed portraits of the couple's dogs line the hallway. Red Chinese tassels hang from the ceiling and the walls are painted jade green - for good fortune.

The Wangs call their menu "Chinatown BBQ made with southern smoke." It, too, is full of personal touches. Krab rangoon with buttermilk hush puppies and hot honey. Chinese BBQ egg rolls with habanero duck sauce. "I cook from nostalgia," Chef Wang says.

Catie Dull/NPR

Catie Dull/NPR

The first dish Shuai cooks for NPR rings that bell - crispy, smoked duck on top of noodles with bok choy.

"That's just my fondest memory of growing up in New York," he says, "my parents taking me to Flushing on the weekends, or late nights after work, going down to Chinatown."

Catie Dull/NPR

Catie Dull/NPR

Shuai Wang remembers that when he was a young boy in Beijing, Communist China was still handing out food rations. So his grandma, who helped raise him, had to stretch her portion of rice and allotment of lard to feed the family.

He likens it to how enslaved families in the South improvised using the scraps they were left with to make a meal.

"That's why I feel so connected with Southern food, right?" he says. "That's where collard greens came from. The field peas, the butter beans."

Wang immigrated to the United States when he was nine, where his mom took over the cooking. He calls her the "OG Top Chef." But he didn't find his own love of cooking until high school. "I had to take a culinary class in my last two years to make up credits for all the classes that I 'accidentally missed,'" he laughs.

Catie Dull/NPR

The next plate he makes - chili tofu, a take on mapo tofu - is an homage to Shuai and Corrie's relationship. "That's the first dish that Corrie and I shared on our first date," Shuai explains. "I immediately scooped it up and put it in my mouth, not thinking that it would be a million degrees. And I spat it right out onto my plate, and everywhere."

Corrie didn't leave, and that's how they knew it was meant to be. "We're both like, crying… everything's so spicy and hot," adds Corrie. "It was a great time."

Catie Dull/NPR

This version of chili tofu is done in a fancy, Hamburger Helper, Asian-Italian style, with soft tofu, a sweet, spicy, tangy chili sauce and local ground pork on a bed of pasta, topped with mozzarella cheese. Tofu and mozzarella sound a little funky? Somehow, it really works.

"I get crazy ideas," Shuai Wang says. "I have a million and one crazy ideas. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't, you know?"

Catie Dull/NPR

Corrie Wang says she's seen a natural progression as they've developed the restaurants where Shuai is "just creating legit Chinese food" rather than making gimmicky dishes.

"I just realized I really just want to embrace myself and my culture and cook Chinese food," he says.

After his Top Chef stint, Shuai is taking all his crazy ideas, his heritage and a renewed spirit of adventure and creativity into the future. "I realized oh, I didn't peak," he says. "Chinese food has 500 years of history. I've explored very little of it."