First Annual Avondale Restaurant Week Begins

Five area restaurants banded together to make Feb. 6 - 12 something special in the Avondale Point Business District.

Organized by General Manager Michael Lotz, the group includes Triangle, , , Mellow Mushroom and . Each restaurant will be offering a 3 for $20 deal during the week allowing customers to get a sampling of menu items for an affordable price.

"We saw the Charleston Restaurant week feed a lot of people into Charleston," Lotz said. "And we saw a busy week out of it, but with Charleston in the name you see a lot of focus on Downtown."

"We thought why not focus on Avondale, and we picked a week when not much was going on. So we're hoping to bring some people out who may not be familiar with us."

Holly Clayson works for Flair Marketing and Advertising and is helping Lotz get the word out about Avondale Restaurant Week.

"We in the Avondale community are proud of our area, and we wanted to celebrate our community within Charleston," Clayson said. "When one of us brings people into the area, all of us benefit."

For the innagural year of Avondale Restaurant Week Lotz worked with a group of Avondale business owners who have worked together on several previous events. Lotz said in the future he'd like to include even more area restaurants, and there are several in the small cluster of businesses at the intersection of Magnolia Road and Savannah Highway, but for this year he's happy that four other restaurants signed on for the promotion.

"I went after the people I knew would say yes," Lotz said. "So maybe next year the people that shy away from getting involved will see we're not doing it just for us, but for everyone here."

While Charleston Restaurant Week featured restaurants all over the Charleston area at several price points, Lotz said the 3 for $20 deal was something that made sense for the Avondale eateries and for customers.

"Charleston Restaurant Weeks does 3 for $20, 3 for $30, 3 for $40 and so on," he said. "We felt like 3 for $20 seemed like a good price point that all of our restaurants could do."

"It's also a good time to let the chefs get creative with some things that aren't on the regular menu," Clayson added.