Craig Opens Up About the “Stress” of Opening New Restaurant, By the Way, with Austen

Craig Conover and Austen Kroll are close. The Southern Charm cast members are friends, co-hosts of the podcast Pillows and Beer, and business partners in the restaurant industry.

Speaking of, Craig and Austen are also close to opening By The Way, their first restaurant in Charleston and second restaurant altogether. But, in a recent interview, Craig revealed that getting into business with his BFF hasn't been easy, but it's definitely worth it.

"We butt heads a lot," he told Life & Style Magazine. "We have to be careful because we've got our podcast and we also own Carriage House in NYC. It's definitely puts stress on our relationship — but it also pulls us through a lot of things."

When does Craig Conover & Austen Kroll's Charleston Restaurant By the Way Open?

Craig and Austen's newest restaurant together, By The Way, is projected to open this fall. The space has also newly been named one of Eater's "15 Most Anticipated Restaurants" opening across North and South Carolina. 

The restaurant, located at 45 1/2 Spring Street in Charleston, will be an "upscale space" that serves as a "neighborhood den" for hungry patrons that want to stay away from the bustling King Street restaurant crowd, according to the publication. By The Way will also cater to those curious to try a Trop Hop beer or see what could come out of the minds of Craig and Austen. However, the exact opening date for the restaurant has not yet been announced. 

But, the team at the restaurant has been busy in the meantime, between hosting pop-ups, giving Charleston residents sneak peeks at the menu, and bringing the By The Way experience to Southern Living's 2024 Idea House. At the Idea House event, guests got to enjoy small bites from the menu, including "fan [favorite] Ndjua Deviled Eggs & delicious Smoked Salmon Cannolis" according to an Instagram post, while sipping on Trop Hop and lounging on pillows from Craig's other business, Sewing Down South. 

Austen Kroll Explains the Vision for the restaurant, By The Way

Craig and Austen told Entertainment Tonight in January 2014 about their plans to open By The Way, which came about after their friends and family constantly asked them where to go out in Charleston. In an interview, Austen opened up about the vision for the restaurant.

"What I envision is a place where you come for a drink before dinner, let's say, lose track of time, and before you know it, hours have passed and all of a sudden, you're surrounded by all your friends," he said. "It's going to be a place where you can come and sit for a while."