© 2024 South Carolina Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Economy "Fashionable" in Charleston

  Ten years ago, our next guest's organization launched an effort to showcase area retailers and fire up the fashion industry in the Lowcountry.  Since then, the event has launched numerous designers, spurred a number of local jewelers and accessory designers to success, and become an economic engine of its own.

Mike Switzer interviews Naomi Russell, executive director of Charleston Fashion Week.

Stay Connected
After almost 20 years, Mike Switzer retired from Wells Fargo Securities in 2001 as Senior Vice President/Investment Officer and Certified Portfolio Manager. In 1999, he and his wife, Maggie, purchased and operated for eight years the Baskin Robbins ice cream store on Forest Drive in Columbia. They grew the store from a bottom-tier operation in the Baskin Robbins franchise system to one in the top 5% nationwide within three years, tripling sales along the way. While operating the ice cream store, Mike and Maggie received patents for a portable ice cream sink and fold-down sneezeguard they invented and in 2002 started Magnolia Carts, an ice cream cart manufacturing company, which they sold in 2013.