WISE COLUMN: Cracker Barrel, Hobby Lobby opening soon in Mount Pleasant

Two well-known stores are rising in Mount Pleasant.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store will open its new 8,960-square-foot restaurant on Labor Day, Sept. 3, and Hobby Lobby arts and crafts store is set to open its 55,000-square-foot shop on Sept. 28.

Cracker Barrel's new 177-seat restaurant and adjoining retail store is nearly completed at 2183 U.S. Highway 17. It will employ 150 people and be open seven days a week.

Hiring began earlier this week at the site near Six Mile Road and Highway 17, according to spokeswoman Jeanne Ludington.

Hobby Lobby is part of the nearby Six Mile Marketplace shopping center. It will be the Oklahoma City, Okla.-based chain's first store in the Charleston area and its 12th in South Carolina. It will carry more than 65,000 craft and home decor products.

The company plans to hire 35 to 50 employees. Job applications will be posted on the company's website at www.hobbylobby.com and in local newspapers.

Sweet treat

A new gourmet cupcake boutique with party rooms will hold its grand opening at 11 a.m. Saturday in North Charleston. Butter Cupcakes at 5070 International Blvd. in McCall Center across from Embassy Suites is the product of chef April Robinson, a Johnson & Wales University alumnus.

The first 100 customers will receive a free cupcake.

Teeing off

The PGA Tournament is in town, and golf enthusiasts can test out, tune up and tee off through Sunday at the Edwin Watts Golf Shop at 946 Orleans Road in West Ashley.

The free “Think Golf It's Friday” event offers product testings, performance fittings and registration for free prizes. Representatives on hand from major brands include TaylorMade and Cleveland today, Titleist and Cleveland on Friday, Wilson on Saturday and Mizuno on Sunday.

For more information, call 763-1995.

Snip, snip

Barbers Inc. will hold its grand opening 1-4 p.m. Saturday in Northwoods Mall. Proceeds raised will go to the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program. The barbershop near Sears originally was on St. James Avenue in Goose Creek but moved to Northwoods Mall for more exposure. It's owned by Kevin Young.

Strike a pose

Belk will host its bi-annual KidFest in-store event from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at all locations.

The event includes runway fashion shows featuring local children as models that will highlight Belk's latest fashions and trends for kids.

KidFest activities and entertainment will vary by store but most will include refreshments, music, games, face-painting, balloons and prizes.

Parents interested in having their children ages 4-12 participate as models in the fashion show should contact their local Belk store.

Second Sunday

Tons of people will be at the PGA Tournament this weekend, but those who aren't might want to check out Second Sunday on King Street in downtown Charleston. Each month, weather permitting, the event offers outside dining, musicians and shopping on a section of King closed to vehicles between Queen and Calhoun streets.

It runs from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information and free parking vouchers, go to 2ndsundayonkingstreet.com.

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