Dog Days of Summer
Three friends embark on a quest to find West Ashley’s most outrageous Hot Dogs by Lorne Chambers | Editor Whether it’s fireworks or pool parties, beach trips or family cookouts, people across the country will celebrate our nation’s independence in different ways this...
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The Rebirth of Cool
Local band Rhodium returns to The Garden for a series of shows this spring/summer by Miranda Steadman | Contributing Writer Last month, West Of Free Press celebrated its 20th anniversary at The Garden by Charles Towne Fermentory on Ashley River Road. Local band...
Beneath the West Ashley Moon
West Ashley native Kent Parker returns home for debut book signing by Lorne Chambers | Editor Growing up in the Northbridge Terrace neighborhood of West Ashley in a home that his parents built, Kent Parker’s upbringing during the transformative 1970s instilled in him...
Putting the Rock in Café Roca
Creativity is the foundation to West Ashley’s trendy new coffee shop and eatery by Lorne Chambers | Editor Saying that Café Roca is more than a coffee shop is a bit of an understatement. Sure, it serves up fantastic espresso concoctions and traditional coffee shop...
West Ashley Flashback — Today We Follow, Tomorrow We Lead
Elizabeth “Betty” (nee-Polli) Marzluff left a lasting legacy in West Ashley Have you ever noticed the small building tucked in the trees behind “The Schoolhouse” at the corner of Magnolia Road and Sycamore Avenue? In the early 1940s, when the Charleston County School...
West Ashley Wanderer — Bringing Walls to Life
The mesmerizing public art of Douglas Panzone Story & Photos by Joan Perry | Contributing Writer I delivered my aging but trusty vehicle into Bobby’s dependable hands at the Avondale Firestone and headed out for my walk while I waited, looping to catch the...
Finding Community
Advertising Director Reflects on 20 Years at West Of by Lindsey Chambers | Advertising Director Being a salesperson at a community newspaper is so much more than just closing a deal or pocketing a commission. For me, it’s about creating lasting connections between the...
A Labor of Love
West Of’s founder looks back on two decades of publishing West Ashley’s newspaper by Lorne Chambers | Editor I bought my first house right here in West Ashley when I was 25 years old. It was a small two-bedroom, one-bath cinderblock ranch off Wappoo Road that sat on a...
Where Are They Now?
Catching up with past employees who helped West Of make it 20 years ... and counting by Lorne Chambers | Editor Looking back at two decades of publishing West Of, there are so many stories that stand out to me. Of course, there are the literal stories that we covered...
A Tailor-Made Take on Wine & Spirits
Former Red Orchids owners Tony & Kelly Chu open The Cellar in Avondale by Matt Poust | Contributing Writer Whether it’s finding the spirit that suits a celebration, the wine that pairs perfectly with a homemade dish, or really any alcoholic beverage that might...
West Ashley Flashback — Long Live the Victory Gardens
West Ashley is fertile ground for cultivating veggies and stories Gardens have been a part of our community’s history since the first settlers’ arrived on the west bank of the Ashley River. The early “experimental farm” established by Joseph West, the acting governor...












