V. Smith Gallery opens on lower King Street

Original paintings from Prague and crystal bowls from Germany are among the items for sale at the V. Smith Gallery, a lower King Street gift shop that recently opened.

Owner Vicki Smith, a Walterboro native, said she spent 17 years living abroad, where she curated an extensive collection of glassware, porcelain, fine art and costume jewelry. Throughout her travels, Smith said, she always planned to return to the United States and open a retail shop.

"I wanted to come back and share all the things I loved," she said.

The store is at 163 King St., next to Plum Elements.

Med style

Garlic-infused chicken souvlaki and beef tenderloin kebobs are now rolling out of the kitchen at Ali Baba Deli & Catering, a Mediterranean restaurant that opened Jan. 1. Find the establishment on Daniel Island, at 186 Seven Farms Drive. The interior, featuring hand-painted tables and mosaic tiled walls, was designed by Dan Sweeney of Stumphouse Architecture + Design. Ali Baba is owned and operated by husband and wife team Samir and Yasmeen Elzabidi.

Retail radar

Meritage: The downtown tapas restaurant, owned by Saad Hafez and operated by Tastings LLC, has closed its doors. Meritage was at 235 East Bay St.

Power Score: Need a tutor for that GRE or GMAT entrance test in order to ride out the recession in graduate school? Power Score, a test preparation company, has relocated to downtown Charleston (at 57 Hasell St.) from Hilton Head.

Max Jerome: The boutique at 45 John St. no longer will be touting furnishings and fashion accessories. The store has closed.

B'zar: Another store is folding on Upper King Street. B'zar, a boutique at 541 King St. that won accolades from national publications like Lucky magazine and Travel + Leisure, will close in February. Merchandise is marked down 40 percent to 65 percent.

Reach Bridget Herman at 937-5582 or bherman@postandcourier.com.