CHARLESTON — What do tourists searching for Holy City keepsakes, brides pursuing wedding event favors and locals inspired by quick crafting projects have in common?
An affinity for free matches.
Demand for matchbooks and matchboxes has rekindled in recent years as people look to build a collection or refashion them into artwork. Many restaurants, bars and hotels around town have taken to offering customized matchbooks and other souvenirs on the house as an easy way to keep their branding top of mind for potential or returning patrons.
Sometimes, the mementos are openly displayed in entryway bowls. Other times they can be difficult to be find, hidden behind host stands, tucked away at restaurant bars or only available upon request.
Here’s your guide to two dozen Charleston businesses with free matchbooks and other souvenirs that are available to customers or the general public.
Uptown Hospitality
“Matchbooks are everywhere,” at the Uptown Hospitality Group’s establishments, according to Keith Benjamin, a senior partner and director of operations.
The public can find them at Uptown Social (587 King St.), Sharehouse (23 Ann St.), Bodega (23 Ann St. and 414 West Coleman Blvd.) and By The Way (45 1/2 Spring St.), Benjamin said.
Along with always having matchbooks available, the hospitality group provides stadium cups that customers can take home after ordering drinks at Uptown Social and Sharehouse. It also often gives away free koozies and outdated merch, Benjamin said.
He’s a firm believer that businesses have to spend money to make money. Sending their branded products out in the world — as well as incentivizing people to come in on slower days and win hefty gift cards at the weekly trivia it hosts — is one way to do so, Benjamin said.
“We’re in a social media world, but I think that some of the old-school, organic, grassroots marketing efforts will always hold true,” Benjamin said. “It’s a tried-and-true way to keep the brand relevant even when you’re not at the establishment.”
167 Hospitality
Matchboxes, postcards and stickers are available to anyone at 167 Raw Oyster Bar (193 King St.), Bar 167 (5 Fulton St.) and 167 Sushi Bar (289 East Bay St.).
“We like for guests to have a memento of their experience with us,” a representative from the hospitality group said. The matchboxes, in particular, have recently grown in popularity, Linsy Potterfield Marvin said.
The group’s three Lowcountry locations have always provided postcards along with checks, according to a representative. The stickers are a newer addition to the collection.
A free matchbox from 167 Raw. It contains about 20 matches with blue heads.
Babas
Both of the Babas neighborhood cafés (11 Cannon St. and 804 Meeting St.) offer free matchboxes and postcards to customers.
They’re so popular, they can be hard to keep in stock, a representative said.
“I break for babas banana bread,” stickers and “As you wish,” hats are also available for sale.
Henry’s on the Market
Matchbooks are available upon request behind the bar and four styles of postcards are offered at a grab-and-go stand in the city’s oldest continuously-operating restaurant (54 North Market St.).
“We offer them as a keepsake for people to be able to remember the awesome time they had at Henry’s,” manager Sallie Limehouse said.
The Darling Oyster Bar
The Darling (513 King St.) has provided complimentary matchbooks to customers and the general public since it opened in 2016.
“Many people tell us they collect matchbooks,” for the nostalgia and fun branding, General Manager Phil Howell said.
The matchbooks are also available for purchase online.
The Darling Oyster Bar offers matchbooks to customers and the general public. It’s one of many Charleston businesses that provide free souvenirs as branding opportunities.
High Cotton
Matchboxes are available for guests and the general public at High Cotton (199 East Bay St.)
Upon request, employees will also take photos of customers celebrating birthdays or special events to print out on a card for customers to take home, a representative said.
Lowland
Lowland (36 George St.) offers matchbooks, postcards, pens and coasters to guests.
Matchbooks are available at the host stand when they’re in stock and pens and coasters are brought to the table. If guests properly address post cards, the Southern tavern-style restaurant will also mail them to their destinations, a representative said.
The same company also owns boutique hotels The Pinch (40 George St.) and The Nickel (529 King St.). Both hotels offer free branded pens and notepads to guests.
Doar Bros.
Matchboxes that sit in a bowl on top of the Doar Bros. cocktail bar (225 Meeting St.) are available to customers. Postcards are also provided to guests when they receive their bill, Adam Doar said.
Custom poker chips are also given to regular patrons who the Doars know enjoy playing golf, he added. These items have been provided since the modern cocktail bar opened in 2018.
“Who doesn’t love matchbooks and super cool postcards?” Doar remarked.
The Rarebit
Matchboxes are available for customers to take out of ash trays at the bar of The Rarebit (474 King St.).
The staff has carried the mementos since the upscale diner opened to play into its vibe that takes inspiration from greyhound racing, according to bartender Alisa Padilla.
The Rarebit is also known for its Moscow mules. For $20, customers can get a Moscow mule served in a traditional copper mug as well as a new mug to take home, Padilla said.
Island Provisions
Matchboxes are available at the registers of both locations of Island Provisions, a neighborhood market and cafe on the peninsula (221 St. Philip St.) and on Johns Island (1803 Crowne Commons Way A2).
Vern’s
Guests of Vern’s (41 Bogard St. A) are automatically presented with postcards along with their checks. The souvenirs are also available to the general public upon request.
People can choose to take the cards onto their next stop or fill it out and leave it for staff to mail, owner Bethany Heinze said. She’s seen guests write notes to loved ones and even send remarks to their future selves.
“We love analog touches in a highly digital world,” Heinze said.
Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit
“I’m a Hot Little Biscuit fan,” stickers are free to customers and available to taking at registers of both locations (476 1/2 King St. and 188 Meeting St.).
Customers of Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit can also present punch cards and earn one punch for every $5 they spend. A full punch card grants a free pair of hot little biscuits, owner Carrie Morey said.
Rita’s Seaside Grille
When customers buy a meal off the “Puppy Menu,” staff of Rita’s Seaside Grille (2 Center St.) will provide them with a free frisbee to take home for their furry friends.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
