Austen Kroll and Craig Conover’s drama is never-ending. The Southern Charm cast members are friends one day and frenemies the next throughout the current Season 11. But are Austen and Craig still friends today?
Austen appeared on The Viall Files on Jan. 7, where he opened up about his friendship with Craig today. He revealed that he is a “master Craig button pusher.” But, he admitted that they’re not always fighting with each other or confronting one another with their issues in their everyday lives. “We don’t talk about that stuff because, gosh, what a terrible way to live to just be up in arms all the time,” he said.
However, he did say that everything will eventually be addressed at the Southern Charm Season 11 reunion. “I have lots of s—t I want to say to Craig at the reunion,” he continued. “And we’ll say those things and hopefully can get them out so I can just move on. And move on and allow Craig to continue to live his life in whatever manner that he chooses to live it.”
For his part, Craig recently posted some BTS, which shared a look at his friendship with Austen after the latter supported his career. “I know it’s impossible to fit everything into a single episode, but this event was too fun not to share. One of my favorite days of filming in a decade,” he wrote on Instagram. “I want to thank [Austen], [Salley], and [Charley] for coming to my new store opening and first clothing line launch with [Belk] (everyone was invited but many had conflicts), and I want to thank our viewers for tuning in each week. Everyone that watches our show is part of our Southern Charm family. Here’s to all the fun moments we have filming and sharing stories from our lives with y’all.”
How did Austen Kroll meet Craig Conover?
Austen and Craig met for the first time when Austen joined the cast of Southern Charm Season 4, which Craig had been a cast member of since Season 1. Austen was introduced to the friend group through Shep Rose. “Shep and I, we were a step down from good buddies. We were buddies,” Austen explained on The Viall Files.
Are Craig Conover and Austen Kroll related?
No, they are not. Craig is from Delaware, and Austen grew up in Charlotte. Craig and Austen had their first on screen interaction during a pool party on Southern Charm Season 4, Episode 1.
What does Austen Kroll do for a living?
Austen owns several businesses with Craig (more on that down below). But he also owns his own beer brand, Trop Hop, which includes a line of THC-infused coolers. Prior to starting his own business, he worked for a brewery based out of Atlanta as their territory sales manager for the southeast, Austen said during his appearance on The Viall Files.Â
What does Craig Conover do for a living?
What is the name of Austen Kroll and Craig Conover’s restaurant and bar?
Austen and Craig are the owners of the Charleston restaurant and bar, By the Way, which is located at 45 1/2 Spring Street in Charleston, just steps away from the bustling King Street.
Austen and Craig officially opened the “cozy neighborhood tavern” in December 2024, explaining to The Daily Dish that they were very excited about this venture. “It’s always been a dream of ours to open up something in Charleston,” Austen said at the time about By The Way. “What could be more fun than to open up something like this with one of your best friends?”
Craig added, “I wanted to invest more in our backyard. You know, Charleston is a great city and there’s so many people visiting here and now that the show’s been on for 12 years, 10 seasons, it will be our way of sharing a little bit more of our lives with people. You know, we send everyone that visits Charleston and all the fans and viewers to everyone else’s bars. Why not give them a space that we would enjoy hanging out at too?”
Does Craig Conover and Austen Kroll have a podcast together?
Details on Austen Kroll and Craig Conover’s wedding venue, The Waverly
Austen and Craig also co-own the Charleston wedding and event space, The Waverly. The Waverly, located on 94 Stuart Street in Charleston, offers “an unparalleled setting” in the heart of the city, and offers a 3,000 square foot reception hall and landscaped garden.
RELATED: Where Do The Southern Charm Cast Members Live? Get the Details on Their Stunning Homes
Craig opened up about the venture to The Daily Dish in August 2025. “Our story’s just beginning, you know?” he said. “Our fairy tale is the beginning of the movie. But we want to help people celebrate the middle chapter of their fairytale, and it’s all coming together.”
In a video about the space, Austen noted that the duo hoped to take the “same energy and vision to Charleston’s event scene” as they created in their collaboration at By The Way.
Austen and Craig’s friendship drama on Southern Charm, explained
Austen and Craig’s friendship has always had its ups and downs. The Charleston-based friends have consistently gotten into little arguments, but have also quickly made up.
Craig Conover did not speak to Austen Kroll after Summer House Season 6
Austen was there for the beginning of Craig’s relationship with Paige DeSorbo, which happened during Winter House Season 1. Austen continued to hang out with Paige when he made an appearance on Summer House Season 6, when he caused tension between his ex-girlfriend, Ciara Miller, and former fling, Lindsay Hubbard. Craig admitted to Us Weekly in March 2022 that he stopped talking to Austen for two months after he learned about his actions on Summer House Season 6.
Craig Conover and Austen Kroll fought during Southern Charm Season 8
Austen and Craig had some drama at the start of Southern Charm Season 8, when they fought, and Austen accused Craig of being a “good liar” during Southern Charm Season 8, Episode 2. Austen told The Daily Dish at NBCUniversal Upfronts in May 2022, that he and Shep had their “reasons” for having their outs with Craig.
“I feel like I’m in between Shep and Craig,” Austen explained. “I’m like, trying to hold them. Like, come together. You guys secretly love each other.”
Craig Conover calls Austen Kroll “self-destructive” during Southern Charm Season 9
During Southern Charm Season 9, Austen had gotten involved with alum, Taylor Ann Green, Shep’s ex-girlfriend. The duo tried to keep their romance a secret, which resulted in drama during the season. It also caused Craig to call Austen “the most self-destructive person [he’s] ever met.”
RELATED: Austen Kroll Makes an Honest Confession About His Dating Past: “I Find Myself Easily Distracted”
But Craig admitted that he knew that Austen had been trying to work on himself. “To his credit, he’s been seeing a therapist for a while,” Craig explained during a 2023 appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. “He doesn’t want to be like he is, I swear. I mean, he continues to shoot himself in the foot, but he doesn’t want to be like that.”
Craig Conover and Austen Kroll dispute over their podcast on Southern Charm Season 10
Things came to a head in Craig and Austen’s friendship when Craig approached him about buying him out of their podcast, when Austen just wanted to spend more time with him. During Southern Charm Season 10, Episode 13, Austen told Craig that he wanted to “loosen the reins a little bit,” but Craig admitted to him that he could no longer drink alcohol as casually as he used to with Austen.
“I was in the trenches by myself trying to better my life, and then you were like, ‘You’re never with me anymore.’ And I’m like, ‘Dude, I can’t. I gotta stay on my couch, I gotta stay on my couch. Because if I leave my couch, I’m gonna drink a bottle of Jäger and do dumb s—t,” Craig said during the episode.
But, following Craig’s breakup from Paige, which happened during the Southern Charm Season 10 finale, Austen was there for his friend and noted that they were working toward a new chapter in their friendship. “We’re working on our new normal,” he said during the Southern Charm After Show. “I think we’re in a much better place, but it’s different. We did use to have a relationship around partying, and now we’re building [something else].”
Where Craig Conover and Austen Kroll stand during Southern Charm Season 11
However, Craig and Austen’s friendship has continued to be tense throughout Southern Charm Season 11. Craig accused Austen (who was dating girlfriend, Audrey Pratt, in the season) of being jealous of him for being single.Â
And there is still more to come between them, as teased during the Southern Charm Season 11 trailer. In one scene, Craig can be seen declaring, “Austen hates me.” This prompted Austen to fire back, “Yes, I do f—kin hate you!” before calling Craig a “f—kin’ prick.”
Austen can also be seen calling Craig a “lost soul.” He said, “You want to be anybody but yourself, and it’s obvious!”
See what had Craig comparing Austen to his ex-girlfriend, Paige, during Southern Charm Season 11.
