JAMES ISLAND — The team behind Big John’s Tavern continues to grow its footprint with a new space.
Chris Houston, who co-owns The Citadel-favorite bar on East Bay Street, is the registered agent for Gustard’s Custard, which leased out a food truck pad at the Harris Teeter-anchored Harbor View Shopping center.
Harbor Commercial Partners represented the landlord in the lease at 989 Harbor View Road.
Gustard’s Custard is a frozen, soft-serve custard shop at 2200 Heriot St. Fellow Citadel graduate, Nelson Burch, co-founded the business, which he named after his dog Gus, he previously told The Post and Courier.
The dog-friendly spot, which also operates a food truck, serves up vanilla, chocolate, classic swirl and seasonal rotation flavor in a cup, cone or waffle. It’s open 4-10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and noon to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday for its adjusted fall hours.
In 2021, Houston and business partner Scotty Sheriff, another Citadel graduate, purchased Big John’s and revived the bar that was considered one of the oldest in Charleston before a 2015 fire forced its closure. They’ve since expanded with Over the Horizon Brewery, bringing in fellow Citadel alumnus James Browning in 2024. The brewery opened in August that year, the same month Gustard’s Custard popped up.
Along with Over the Horizon and Gustard’s Custard, signage for Three Amigos Cantina also went up on Heriot Street in early September, advertising the brewery’s in-house Mexican food offerings.
In August, The Post and Courier reported that Houston and Sheriff were battling three lawsuits for more than $600,000 in alleged unpaid debts to investors, vendors and the previous owner of the Over the Horizon equipment — Victor Hoppenstein. Browning is also named in the latter suit. All three are ongoing.
Dining and Cooking