Jewelry stores in Johns Island, SC

A donut isn’t built in a day.

At Your Mom’s Donuts shop on Johns Island, it takes three days.

“We do a three-day sourdough brioche donut,” said Your Mom’s Donuts owner Courtney Buckeley. “From the time the dough starts to the time it is fried is a three-day process, and we feel like our clients can taste and see the difference.”

To say that Your Mom’s Donuts approaches the donut-making process in a unique manner would be an understatement.

Buckeley’s distinctive style was born more than eight years ago in Charlotte when she opened a delivery service in the Queen City area.

“I noticed that there were donut shops popping up all over, and I had a deliver service,” said Buckeley, who was a dairy farmer at the time. “I had a young family, so I’d show up at people’s door, often times with a baby attached to me. It kind of evolved from there.”

The Maybank Highway location on Johns Island is the third in the small Charlotte-based chain.

“We love the community feel of Johns Island,” Buckeley said. “The idea is to become a community staple. We prefer that as a company over going to downtown Charleston on Kings Street. I like to get to know my clients and have a relationship with the people that come through our doors as opposed to it being more heavy traffic, touristy place.”

What Buckeley’s customers get are often crazy and creative square treats with both sweet and savory flavors, ranging from bananas foster and chocolate espresso cheesecake to blackberry and Pimento cheese. The shop will feature new flavors every Monday.

“We have new flavors every Monday and try our best to work within the seasons,” she said. “Charlotte and Charleston will have a different set of flavors, so you will rarely see repeats. We’ve done thousands of flavors over eight years in Charlotte and will bring that concept to Charleston.”

Buckeley is able to create those different flavors by scouring the local farmers markets to get ideas. The relationships she has developed with the local farmers market is the key to her ingredients for her donuts. Buckeley’s donuts are all crafted with locally sourced ingredients like strawberries, blueberries and watermelon from local farms such as Fireant Farms and Wishbone Heritage Farms.

“I’m more of a savory person than a sweet person,” said Buckeley, a mother of three. “I always like the really weird stuff ... My favorite is probably Pimento cheese donut, and we usually bring that back twice a year.”

Buckeley said she hopes to open another shop in Mount Pleasant in the coming months.

Your Mom’s Donuts is open daily at 3157 Maybank Highway on Johns Island from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The reliever airport on Johns Island will grow by more than a hundred acres after Charleston County Aviation Authority paid $4 million for land where a housing development was proposed, and the agency is seeking conservation funding to reimburse one-fourth of the purchase price.

The agency bought two parcels totaling 137 acres at the end of August from Dr. Keith Lackey and eight others after several months of negotiations, according to Charleston County land records.

A developer had proposed dividing the property, called Oakville Plantation off Burden Creek and River roads, into 242 lots for a development to be called River Run.

Charleston airport officials wanted to buy the land to prevent a new home community from sprouting on the edge of the 1,333-acre Charleston Executive Airport next to the Stono River.

The land purchase will allow the Aviation Authority to consider revamping a taxiway that runs north-south through the center of the airport by returning it to its original use as a runway when the military built the airfield at the end of World War II, said Elliott Summey, Aviation Authority CEO.

That will require widening it and extending it on the north side where the purchased parcels are located since the south side is hemmed in by the river. The newly purchased parcels will not be developed but serve as a clear zone for the future runway.

“Buying the land gives us a chance to extend the runway and protect the wetlands and the clear zone,” Summey said. “We don’t need to put any buildings there ... and putting houses there was the wrong idea.”

The airfield has two runways: one is 5,350 feet long and is laid out east-west while the other is about 1,000 feet shorter and runs next to the Stono River.

The length of the new runway would be between 6,700 and 7,000 feet if built, Summey said.

Development of the new landing strip is at least four years away, he said.

To help fund part of the land purchase, the South Carolina Conservation Bank awarded $500,000 to the Lowcountry Land Trust Sept. 22 for an easement on 94 acres. An equal amount of money will be sought through the Charleston County Greenbelt Program.

“It will help pay us back some of the money for buying the land,” Summey said.

The application for greenbelt funding has not been made yet, according to program director Cathy Ruff.

Applications for the next funding round open in November, but they won’t be considered until the spring of 2022, she said.

Projects awarded funding by the Greenbelt Advisory Board must then be considered by Charleston County Council. Ruff said the process will likely bleed into next summer before a decision is made.

If approved, a joint announcement is expected once all of the funds are in hand, Summey said.

The future addition of a third runway is not the only development occurring at the airport on Johns Island.

Qatari defense firm Barzan Aeronautical plans to break ground in mid-October on a new light industrial development code-named “Project Rose.”

Barzan, which has an office in Charleston, proposes to build three structures and a 200-space parking area on about 10 acres near an abandoned taxiway beside the airfield to develop spy drones.

Site plans presented to the city of Charleston in April show a 54,000-square-foot aircraft manufacturing plant, an 18,400-square-foot office building and another structure near the parking area with offices, conference room and classroom.

Also, in the works at the Johns Island airfield are proposals for two new privately owned hangars.

JZI Hangars LLC wants to build an 8,000-square-foot airplane storage building at the airport. The firm is registered to Johns Island resident Adam Baslow of New Leaf Builders.

Also planning to build a 5,370-square-foot hangar is UEC Aviation LLC, registered to Philip J. Ufkes of Sullivan’s Island. Ufkes and his wife, Rebecca Ufkes, once owned defense contractor UEC Electronics in Hanahan before selling it in 2014 to Michigan-based Arotech.

With the land purchase completed, Summey said the next step is to develop a comprehensive master plan for the airport and to seek approval from the Federal Aviation Administration for future development.

The master plan, including a financial analysis, is expected to take several months, he said.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ISI® Elite Training, one of the nation's fastest growing boutique fitness concepts built on athletic-based-training (ABT), today released the brand's Q3 report. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and related variant spikes, ISI Elite Training's quarterly report demonstrates the continued growth of boutique fitness concepts within the overall health and fitness industry.

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ISI Elite Training's Q3 report resulted in a record quarter system wide growth across the board. The boutique franchise fitness brand reported a record average facility sales growth (AUV) of 53 percent from this time last year, while seeing a 27 percent increase in sales quarter-over-quarter through the first three quarters of 2021 (total sales includes memberships, retail, supplement, and other in-gym consumables). As a brand, ISI Elite Training has seen 103 percent YOY growth in membership, with two locations, Tega Cay, SC and John's Island, SC, opening on day one with more than 200 memberships sold.

"We are super pumped with how our brand is being embraced by communities across the nation," said Adam Rice, CEO, ISI Elite Training. "Many of our Franchise Partners were longtime members and have embraced our style of community-based ABT training into their daily lives. This level of commitment toward health and fitness is not just about working out, or eating healthy, but adopting a mindset found in team sports that builds confidence, character, and challenges each member to be better than they were the day before."

ISI Elite Training continues its momentum into Q4 and into next year targeting 100 total locations by the end of 2022. At this time last year, ISI Elite Training had awarded 17 franchises in four states. Today, the brand reports 62 awarded franchises in nine states including Florida, Texas, Tennessee, California and a seven-store deal in Scottsdale, Arizona.

"What makes ISI Elite Training unique is the multi-tier benefits of our workout regime," said Rice. "Not only are our members getting a structured, functional strength and cardio workout, they are connecting with others where they continue to build confidence and install a level of accountability toward overall health and wellness practices."

To get more people engaged in taking control of their personal health and fitness, ISI Elite Training created the IRON 45 Challenge that offers a special membership offer of 45 days for $99 that challenges members with an element of accountability, nutrition goals and mental agility and toughness. IRON45 attracted more than 2,000 participants with more than 650 being first time members.

The Growth of Boutique Fitness ConceptsStarting in the early 2000s, boutique fitness centers grew aggressively and continued to build momentum. People now had many choices to select the type of fitness regimen they wanted. Through this growth, many boutique fitness concepts launched in regions across the nation. According to the Global Health & Fitness Association, boutique fitness memberships expanded 121 percent from 2013 to 2018. Although started from a smaller base, boutique fitness concepts comprise nearly 35 percent of total revenue within the larger fitness industry category.

Learn more about ISI Elite Training franchising opportunities or how you can get involved in Athletic-Based Training.

About ISI Elite TrainingIn 2011, ISI Elite Training Founder, Adam Rice opened his first facility in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Adam selected the name ISI® Elite Training based on Proverbs 27:17: "Iron Sharpens Iron, as one person sharpens another." In 2019, ISI Elite Training opened its successful boutique gym concept to franchising built on a philosophy of community alignment where like-minded people inspire, motivate, and hold each other accountable to achieve their desired results. ISI Elite training sessions are led by energetic and nationally certified coaches. Each workout takes members through a fast-paced Athletic Based Training (ABT) session, burning up to 1,000 calories in 50 minutes. ISI Elite training programs build self-confidence, increase muscular strength and endurance, burn fat, and improve flexibility for all fitness levels.

Media Contact:

Jaimie Myers608-692-3553321628@email4pr.com

SOURCE ISI Elite Training

Plenty of people picked up new hobbies during the COVID-19 shutdown — some tried their hands at bread-baking, while others dusted off their golf clubs or started a home renovation project. Lowcountry Fungi co-owners Jonathan Cox and Benny Mosiman started an indoor mushroom farm.

“Many years ago, I was part of the Charleston Permaculture Guild and loved making mushroom logs and just did it casually,” said Cox, who also owns local kombucha company One Love. “When COVID happened, production from One Love kind of slowed down. So mushrooms came up, and I saw that there wasn’t really a good gourmet mushroom farm in Charleston.”

An idea started to form, and Cox hit the road in summer 2020, learning the ins and outs of indoor mushroom farming from Myers Mushrooms owner Eric Myers in Wichita, Kansas. Cox and Mosiman then built their own 1,000-foot facility in the same Johns Island warehouse as One Love, where they grow five mushroom varieties: blue oysters, lion’s mane, king trumpet, pioppini and black pearls. According to Cox, growing indoors allows for more quality control.

“Indoor farming is a much more controlled environment, but it allows you to grow a variety of mushrooms as well as a much higher quality than outdoors,” he said. “We’re creating a perfect environment, so it’s a much more efficient system.”

But how exactly does the duo grow mushrooms? According to Cox, “It’s not a very simple process. Mushrooms start off as mycelium, which is kind of like the seed, and you grow that onto substrates — like woods or waste products. It consumes all the energy from that substrate.”

Made of oak sawdust and soybean hulls, Cox’s substrate is placed in a plastic bag where the mushrooms grow. After the bags are run through a steam sterilizer to kill competitive micro-organisms, they are inoculated with the mycelium. The bags are then sealed for 4-6 weeks, allowing the mycelium to colonize the substrate. Still with us?

Once the bags are fully colonized, Cox takes them into his 200-square-foot “Grow Room” — which mimics a forest with 95% humidity and a temperature in the high 50s — and cuts open the bags. Exposure to oxygen, cool temperatures and high humidity stimulates the mushroom growth. Once harvested and packaged, the mushrooms are ready to be sold to trendy downtown spots like 167 Raw, Babas on Cannon, Basic Kitchen and Daps Breakfast and Imbibe.

“People like our mushrooms because our grow room is top-notch,” Cox said. “Growing them in cold temperatures and harvesting them young are definitely reasons why chefs love our mushrooms over most [others’].”

Folks who keep it local when purchasing mushrooms from Lowcountry Fungi are positively contributing to the environment. Every three pounds of mushrooms produce six pounds of compost — Spade & Clover Gardens owner John Warren picks up this compost for use on his Johns Island farm.

“He breaks it up and tills it into his soil,” said Cox, adding that the compost helps with water retention and pest management. “It adds life to the soil.”

Another reason to keep it local is mushooms’ short shelf life, Cox said.

“The main reason to buy local is mushrooms don’t last through distribution really well, so the sooner you can consume after harvesting, the higher-quality they’re going to be,” he said. “The shelf life is going to be better when it’s coming 20 miles down the road as opposed to 100.”

Fungi fans can purchase Lowcountry Fungi’s mushrooms at the downtown, West Ashley and Sea Island farmers markets, along with Lowcountry Street Grocery and Veggie Bin on Spring Street. Moving forward, Cox plans to add medicinal mushrooms and “value-add” products like mushroom patties and mushroom-infused coffee.

“Value-added products are my main focus, as well as teaching workshops on how to grow your own mushrooms at home and gardening with mushroom compost.”

For more information, follow Lowcountry Fungi on Instagram, @lowcountryfungi.

This story was the first installment of “Keep it Local,” a City Paper series that will provide an in-depth look at South Carolina ingredients and the folks behind the scenes supplying restaurants and home cooks with local produce, meat, fish and more.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) -

9/30

Bamberg-Ehrhardt 24, Beckham 7 - Beckham played their first varsity game after receiving permission from the SCHSL to fill their schedule with varsity games but came up short at home.

Battery Creek 30, Academic Magnet 20 - The Raptors were led by William Hyatt who went 21-31 for 266 yards and 2 TD’s while also rushing for 50 yards and another score. Charlie Kuyper also added 14 catches for 144 yards and a score. Academic Magnet drops to 2-3 on the season.

10/1

Summerville 29, Stratford 7 - The Green Wave improve to 3-1 on the season while the Knights drop to 1-3

Ft. Dorchester 38, Ashley Ridge 7 - The Patriots stay undefeated at 5-0 while the Swamp Foxes drop to 2-3

Goose Creek 53, Berkeley 14 - The Gators were led by Demetri Simmons who rushed for 249 yards and 4 TD’s to improve to 4-2. The Stags drop to 1-2.

Cane Bay 27, Wando 7 - Jayvion Johnson threw for 2 TD’s as the Cobras move to 5-1 with the win. The Warriors fall to 2-2.

West Ashley 69, Stall 21 - The Wildcats improve to 2-3 on the season led by Jahleel Porter who rushed for 146 yards and 4 TD’s on the night. Zaye’Quan Smith also rushed for 140 yards and a score. Stall drops to 0-3

May River 35, James Island 18

Bluffton 55, Colleton County 30 - The Cougars drop their season opener despite leading 24-6 at the half.

Oceanside Collegiate at Bishop England - The Landsharks go to 3-3 with the win while the Bishops fall to 0-5

Hanahan 63, North Charleston 0 - Josh Shaw scored 3 early TD’s to lead the Hawks to the win to move to 4-1. The Cougars fall to 2-2.

Philip Simmons 63, Burke 0 - The Iron Horses improve to 5-1 while the Bulldogs drop to 1-3

Woodland 27, Lake Marion 18 - The Wolverines move to 1-2 with the victory

Timberland 43, Ridgeland-Hardeeville 0 - The Wolves stay undefeated on the season at 5-0 with the win

Whale Branch 31, Cross 14 - The Trojans fall to 0-2 on the season

Baptist Hill 42, St. John’s 22 - The Bobcats improve to 2-2 while the Islanders drop to 0-6

Laurence Manning 22, Porter-Gaud 17 - The Cyclones were led by Marshall Pritchett who threw for 78 yards and rushed for 67 and a touchdown but the loss drops them to 4-3.

Hilton Head Christian 48, Pinewood Prep 14 - The Panthers fall to 3-3 with the loss

Colleton Prep 38, Bethesda Academy 0 - The War Hawks move to 2-4 with the victory

Calhoun Academy 27, Dorchester Academy 23

St. John’s Academy 44, Kings Academy 0 - The Cavaliers improve to 4-1 on the season

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