Caroline Knopf Photography
For Bennie + Coco owner Katie Poole, the decision to relocate from downtown Charleston to Sullivan’s Island in August 2020 was a no-brainer. A space previously occupied by Home Team BBQ’s Middle Street Market opened up at Station 22 along the busy tourist hub of Middle Street, and it seemed like the perfect fit for her business' 70s surf-inspired style. She swapped her shoes for sand between her toes and moved to the beach with which she is so enamored.
Poole’s motivation for owning her own boutique dates back to her college days when she was a fashion major at the University of Alabama. At the time, she lived on Sullivan’s Island during the summers to be near the water. She had aspirations of becoming a buyer for a luxury store such as Bloomingdale’s, but the profession requires a lot of math skills, an area in which she acknowledges she was wanting.
After graduating, Poole worked in magazine advertising and promotions, including at Vogue, before launching her own events company, The Burlap Elephant. Poole operated out of a space on Queen Street in downtown Charleston that was zoned for retail. In May 2018, she decided to start selling some items in a corner of the building, a venture she dubbed Bennie + Coco. Then the epiphany came. “I realized I much preferred retail,” says Poole.
By early 2020, she had moved full-time into retail – although, like many other businesses, had to close for a period during COVID. She acquired the modest storefront at 2213 Middle St. later that year. “I always wanted this spot as a cute little stand-alone store,” says Poole. “Clothes and fashion have always been my thing.”
The location and atmosphere melded well with the company’s aesthetic. A self-proclaimed “Deadhead,” Poole loves to incorporate chill music to augment the relaxed feel of her shop. She regards Bennie + Coco as a mix of music and lifestyle.
Poole’s clothes exude a casual beach vibe, with mellow tunes playing in the background to complement the easy-going shopping experience. Since relocating to Sullivan’s Island, she has jettisoned all ties to shoes and embraced a mostly barefoot existence befitting a beach town setting.
The name Bennie + Coco pays tribute to her grandmothers, a reference to their maiden names, Benson and Collier. Her boutique offers dresses, T-shirts, swimwear, jewelry, and accessories from a variety of popular and emerging brands. One of her best sellers is Aviator Nation apparel, which includes sweatpants. “Aviator Nation is huge,” she says. On the casual side are a selection of tops and bottoms, and there are some higher-end items from lines such as Alix of Bohemia. But laid-back and comfortable is the prevailing fashion theme. “We’re at the beach,” says Poole, so the style is more casual. She says the biggest compliment she gets is when people tell her they wear her clothes all the time, no matter the occasion.
Poole has shuttled between living in Charleston and on Sullivan’s over the past few years. She wanted her children, Lily, 14, Parker, 12, and Wilde, 10, to go to Sullivan’s Island Elementary, where recess is on the beach and after school involves going to the park and spending time outside. “It’s a good quality of life,” she says.
Poole, who just opened a second Bennie + Coco location in Birmingham, Alabama, loves being a part of the Sullivan’s Island community. “I think the locals that are out here are awesome,” she says. She sees the same local people every day and enjoys building relationships. While there aren’t many shops on Sullivan’s, Poole has found it to be a supportive business community. The proximity to the beach and the ocean doesn’t hurt either. “I like being out by the water,” she says. “It’s a happy vibe. Everything is positive.”
Poole’s clothes exude a casual beach vibe, with mellow tunes playing in the background to complement the easy-going shopping experience.
