King Street menswear boutique hides speakeasy-style lounge behind secret door

A new men’s boutique on Charleston’s King Street is rethinking what a storefront can be, blending traditional retail with a private, speakeasy-style social club tucked behind a double library door.

The Greyson Clothiers concept, now open at 529 King St. on the ground floor of The Nickel Hotel, has been in development for about two years, said Chris Brancato, vice president of retail for Greyson Clothiers and former executive at Krewe eyewear.

Brancato, who has long been familiar with Charleston through family time on Isle of Palms, said he connected with Greyson founder Charlie Schaefer while exploring expansion opportunities in the market.

The space functions as a hybrid retail and hospitality environment for both men and women, though men’s apparel leads the assortment.

The front of the shop leans into a sport-driven lifestyle aesthetic shaped by Charleston’s golf and court culture.

Greyson originally built its following through wholesale placement in golf resort shops, but the King Street location has broadened its reach beyond that core audience.

Behind the retail floor, a concealed entry opens into a members-only lounge that doubles as a private event space for customers, brand loyalists and invited groups. The room includes a golf simulator, shuffleboard, dartboards and a bar setup designed for catered gatherings.

Access is tied to the brand’s loyalty program, which unlocks exclusive product drops, experiences and access for loyalty members traveling to the area. As Brancato described it: “You could bring your pack, rent it out, get it catered and have a blast.”

The space is also available for private bookings, from corporate outings to bachelor parties, bringing entertainment-driven retail to King Street.

“We haven’t done anything like this anywhere else,” Brancato said.

Within its first two months, the store has already seen strong traction — with one surprise standout: suiting, which has emerged as an early best-seller alongside performance wear.

The storefront itself is built around experiential retail, with its King Street window installation forgoing mannequins for a taxidermied wolf, the mascot of the brand, and a hand-painted nature mural scene.

The Charleston opening followed an extensive site-selection process. The location beneath The Nickel Hotel was a natural fit. The hotel property welcomes guests for weddings and events, but also draws steady corporate travel thanks to rooms with kitchenettes and flexible layouts for longer stays.

That mix allows for an accessible shop for whatever someone might need, whether it’s a last-minute outfit, suiting for an event, or elevated casual wear, Brancato said. It also presented the opportunity to be on one of the Lowcountry’s busiest corridors.

“King Street was important,” Brancato said. “When we had the opportunity to look at the commercial space and the new development which became the Nickel Hotel, we jumped at it.”

He added that rising rents have shifted strategy toward the middle stretch of King Street.

“There was a little bit of a risk going where we went versus further down King where maybe some of our traditional competitors are,” he said.

Randall Cook, CEO and co-founder of Method Co., which developed The Nickel, called the addition a natural fit: “We think this flagship adds a dynamic, design-forward retail element to the property.”

Brancato said with that upper stretch of King Street currently more entertainment-focused with restaurants and bars over traditional shops, the hospitality-retail concept fit in.

“In-person retail is not antiquated,” Brancato said. “Brands have to have stores to bring the human element to a brand. If it’s just (e-commerce), I think it’s too easily replaceable with another product. It’s akin to your favorite restaurant or bar — what makes your favorite bar your favorite bar? It’s usually the bartender.”