Austen Kroll and Craig Conover aren’t afraid to mix friendship with business.
After teaming up in the podcast and hospitality industries, the Southern Charm-ers will continue their partnership with an exciting and unexpected career move. Craig teased the venture during a recent sitdown with Interview magazine, suggesting he and his bestie were still on good terms despite their tiffs.
Austen Kroll and Craig Conover to open an “affordable” wedding venue
“[Austen] and I are opening a wedding venue in Charleston, even though we can’t stop fighting with each other all the time,” he told the outlet.
Although he kept business details to a minimum, Craig said the venue will be “slightly more affordable” than the average wedding space in Charleston.
“It’s an all-in-one location, so you can do your ceremony, your reception, and your afterparty there,” he explained. “Maybe I’ll get my officiant’s license.”
Austen Kroll and Craig Conover’s Business Partnerships
Craig and Austen have proven to be quite the businessmen. The former launched the lifestyle brand Sewing Down South in 2018, while the latter founded Trop Hop Beers shortly after. The pair has since joined forces on the Pillows and Beer podcast, became investors in the NYC eatery Carriage House, and opened a Charleston restaurant, By the Way.
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Craig spoke about his dynamic with Austen during a 2024 interview with Life & Style, explaining how their business relationship was a double-edged sword.
“We butt heads a lot,” Craig admitted. “We have to be careful because we’ve got our podcast and we also own Carriage House in NYC. It’s definitely put stress on our relationship — but it also pulls us through a lot of things.”
What’s the status of Craig Conover and Austen Kroll’s podcast?
Fans got a closer look at the relationship in Southern Charm Season 10, when Craig offered Austen a five-figure buyout for Pillows and Beer.
“I feel like I have a proposal with the podcast that should be pretty f—king great,” Craig told Austen in Episode 8. “Maybe, we give you like 30 grand, but I keep ownership of it?”
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Austen was seemingly surprised by the offer and said he was more concerned about the future of their friendship.
Although Craig and Austen haven’t posted a new podcast episode since early January, they have yet to officially end the series. Austen shared an update on Pillows and Beer during his March appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.
“Craig and I have talked about. We’ve definitely talked about making a comeback,” he said about the podcast.
“Did you take his lowball buyout offer?” host Andy Cohen asked.
“No. I mean, look, I never took it seriously, which is why we never really talked about it again,” Austen replied. “That wasn’t really what I was thinking about in the moment. I was more so worried about the friendship.”
Get an inside look at Craig and Austen’s By the Way restaurant on Charleston’s Spring Street.
