It all started
with an abandoned
movie theater.

In a neglected part of downtown Charleston, folks had all but forgotten about the American Theater. Built in 1942 and named in honor of our country’s servicemen and women, the space was once a welcome addition to King Street, providing a wartime escape for the flourishing community north of Calhoun Street. Unfortunately, attendance dwindled by the 1960s, and in 1977, the American Theater closed its doors. Years passed, and as the lower peninsula became Charleston’s hub for business and tourism, the theater was left behind.

The vacant building fell into disrepair—until 1996. Enter the Patricks, a local family intent on investing in property that would revive a forgotten area of their city. They purchased the American Theater and began a meticulous restoration, breathing new life into both the building and the surrounding neighborhood. Despite significant structural damage, the American Theater was stunningly resurrected.

No one knew it then, but this was the start of a greater story.

In the decades that followed, the Patricks saw potential in several other neglected buildings, restoring them to their former glory and offering them back to the community. As beautiful event venues, the properties have hosted countless celebrations of life’s biggest moments.

With a profound legacy of preservation and restoration, the Patrick family has led a dazzling effort to develop and revitalize Upper King Street and beyond, never losing faith in the promise of a once-forgotten neighborhood.