WARREN WISE: Chai's Lounge to close doors

After seven years, Chai's Lounge at 462 King St. in downtown Charleston will close at the end of the month.

Opened by brothers Henry and Chai Eang, owners of the popular Basil Thai food restaurant down the street, the site is being leased to a new group that wants to expand the restaurant space by 375 square feet and convert a one-story warehouse behind it to a bar and music venue of about 1,854 square feet.

The changes are on the agenda for the Charleston Board of Zoning Appeals meeting Tuesday.

Also on the agenda are plans for another 2,087-square-foot restaurant on the ground floor of a three-story building at 515 King St. and 3-7 Morris St. Nearly 9,000 square feet of office space is slated for the upper floors.

Name game

Giuseppi's Pizza and Pasta is changing its identity and adding a new restaurant.

The new name will be Steel City Pizza, a nod to the fact that the owners grew up in the Pittsburgh area.

Giuseppi's, 1440 Ben Sawyer Blvd. in Mount Pleasant, will make the change around March 1. A new location is expected to open at 8600 Dorchester Road in North Charleston at the same time.

The pizza chain says on its Faceboook page that it's retiring the Giuseppi's name because the new moniker is easier to say and spell and that it better captures the heritage of its owners.

The business is owned by Hilton Head Island-based Southeast Entertainment Restaurant Group.

Do you know of a business that is opening, closing or expanding? Reach Warren L. Wise at 937-5524, wwise@postandcourier.com or twitter.com/warrenlancewise.