It’s been a whole year since Southern Charm’s Craig Conover and Austen Kroll opened their Charleston-based restaurant, By The Way, and part of the cast couldn’t wait to celebrate.
Salley Carson, Charley Manley, Molly O’Connell, Whitner Slagsvol, and Rodrigo Reyes gathered for a group photo with the restaurateurs, as Salley posted on Instagram. “Celebrating [By The Way’s] first birthday with my dysfunctional family,” she wrote in the caption.
All were invited to the lively event on Sunday, Dec. 14, as they uplifted the team for “pouring [their] heart into every shift,” per the eatery’s business page on Instagram. They also shared their appreciation with guests who made By The Way “part of [their] meals, moments, and memories.”
Elsewhere on Instagram, photos showed party guests dressed to the nines — top hats and all — and an assortment of fine foods and drinks. By the end of the evening, the place was packed, and many grabbed the mic to share kind words about the establishment. And, after the party, By The Way had a few kind words of its own in return.
“Last night was a reminder of why we do what we do,” per the page. “Outrageous amounts of caviar, foxy cocktails, and one heck of a crowd. Thank you to our team and our guests for making BTW feel like home.”
What is Austen Kroll and Craig Conover’s By The Way restaurant?
Austen and Craig opened the bar and restaurant this time last year, in December 2024. As Austen told The Daily Dish at the time, “It’s always been a dream of ours to open up something in Charleston. What could be more fun than to open up something like this with one of your best friends?”
Related: Shep Rose Reveals the “Stupid” Rumor That Craig Conover Says Will “Ruin” Austen Kroll’s Life
Craig shared the same vision of doing something home-based but while maintaining an elevated aesthetic. It was important they “invest more in our backyard,” he said. “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,” Craig added. “Why not give them a space that we would enjoy hanging out at, too?”
Details on Austen Kroll and Craig Conover’s joint business venture, The Waverly
Over the summer, the entrepreneurial duo announced the opening of an all-in-one wedding venue in Charleston called The Waverly, following the success of By The Way. “It only made sense to join forces again,” Craig told his Instagram followers. Added Austen, “This time, bringing that same energy and vision to Charleston’s event scene.”
The Pillows and Beer podcast hosts teased that The Waverly would be a stepping stone as their joint ventures continue to expand to new places. Craig — who pursues his own endeavors behind the camera with his new reality TV production company, Plaid Horse Productions — said during the Waverly announcement that both had “a few other projects you may or may not catch on camera.”
“Big things keep happening,” he continued. “Follow along, because this is just the beginning of our happily ever after.”
Related: Inside a Night Out with the Southern Charm Guys at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas (EXCLUSIVE)
Independently, the longtime pals have their work cut out for them. Austen recently launched a non-alcoholic THC-infused cooler to his ever-growing Trop Hop beer brand, while Craig’s Sewing Down South lifestyle brand just launched its holiday decor and apparel collection.
Check out what else is happening for Craig as Sewing Down South transforms for the holidays.
