CHARLESTON, S.C. — King Street is the bustling heart of Charleston’s business district, but one local shop owner says the area’s safety and cleanliness problems are hurting his business.
Harris Cohen, owner of Bubbies Cookies and Treats, has captured photos and videos showing graffiti, trash, and even someone urinating in a parking lot next to his store—right in the middle of the day.
“Parking and traffic are issues, but what I hear most from customers in my Mount Pleasant store is ‘I don’t feel safe downtown,’” Cohen said. “At 12:53 p.m., someone was urinating right beside us. This happens all the time.”
Safety Concerns and Sidewalk Issues
Cohen worries about what he calls “general lawlessness,” blaming a shortage of police officers downtown.
He is also concerned about bicyclists crowding sidewalks and almost hitting pedestrians. Despite city laws banning bike riding on sidewalks, Cohen says enforcement is weak.
“They banned sidewalk sampling because people were crowding and walking into the street, but nothing’s done about adults and kids riding bikes dangerously on these narrow sidewalks,” he said.
City’s Efforts and Challenges
Some King Street businesses report improvements thanks to the King Street Business Improvement District (BID). Amy Barrett, Executive Director of the BID, said the street sees more than 30,000 pedestrians daily.
“That’s a huge number, and not everyone behaves well, so cleaning up is a constant challenge,” Barrett said. She noted the narrow street with parking on both sides makes stopping sidewalk bicycling difficult.
She added enforcement largely falls to Charleston Police Department, and while ambassadors patrol daily and on weekend nights, 24/7 monitoring isn’t possible.
Differing Views on Cleanliness and Graffiti
Cohen, however, is frustrated despite paying high property and business taxes.
“Charleston is trashy right now,” he said, pointing to trash buildup and graffiti that has remained for over two months near his store.
Barrett explained that removing graffiti on private property can be complicated, but the BID tries to remove offensive graffiti as quickly as possible.
Calls for More Police Presence and Action
Cohen hopes for stronger law enforcement to improve the situation on King Street.
“I think Mayor Cogswell has good ideas, but they are long-term while the problems need fixing now,” he said, quoting City Councilman Ross Appel: “‘So goes King Street, goes Charleston.’”
Barrett acknowledged the challenge of keeping pace with Charleston’s rapid growth but said the BID prioritizes supporting businesses and preserving the city’s charm.
“We’re doing a pretty good job, but it’s never perfect—it’s always evolving,” she said.
