A First Look at Lillian’s Petite Market & Eatery | Listen

In February of 2024, patrons of Harold’s Cabin were devastated to hear of its pending closure, prompting one Westside resident to take matters into her own hands. Heather Greene sent a letter to the former owners of the Harold’s Cabin space expressing her intent to revive, refresh, and renew the space into a communal hub she would later call Lillian’s Petite Market & Eatery. With a legacy spanning nearly a century, Harold’s Cabin, now Lillian’s, could easily be titled “the little market that could.”

Heather Greene and her family have been long-time residents of Cannonborough-Elliotborough businesses in Charleston, and were eager to become regulars at Harold’s Cabin moving into a house across from the Congress Street mainstay. Yet, to their dismay, the closing on their house coincided with the announcement of Harold’s Cabin’s closure to the public. Greene has had ties to agriculture and the food industry her whole life, from childhood memories on her grandparent’s farm in Natchitoches, Louisiana, to becoming a restaurant and hospitality consultant for much of her career. Simply put, she has a deep-seated draw to spaces where goods are made, shared, and savored. “I can’t believe how honest I was in that letter,” says Greene. Upon receiving her letter, the former owners of Harold’s Cabin felt assured her vision for the space would not only honor its history but usher it into a new age. 

Dating back to the 1920s, Harold’s Cabin has seen many transformations. The concept began as a family-owned specialty food store and Jewish deli. Charleston patrons could shop for gourmet foods then head upstairs for a warm meal. Over time, the venture changed hands and locations until the latest iteration today. Once her proposal was accepted, Greene struggled to determine the best name for the market’s next chapter, and ultimately landed on Lillian’s. Lillian Jacobs was married to Harold Jacobs, the namesake of the original market, and as Greene listened to archived tapes of the family’s history, she found herself drawn to Lillian. At the time of recording, Harold Jacobs would often stop mid-sentence. Lillian was always in the background, prompting him with the next lines of their shared history. These small acts of kindness resonated with Greene as she too sought to preserve the market and write its next chapter.

Greene wants to home in on the original grocery aspect while creating an all-day space that meets patrons where they are. Harkening back to the original shop that doubled as an eatery, Lillian’s will offer a coffee and pastry program, all-day lunch, a refined dinner, a rooftop terrace and bar, and a bountiful market of curated goods. Market patrons will find everything from bottles of wine to freshly-farmed produce for the week. Emphasizing farm partners and purveyors, Greene plans to have ample information available on all market goods, educating shoppers on the pathways their food took to arrive at Lillian’s. 

“I deeply want Lillian’s to be about accessibility and a warm welcome,” says Greene. Whether patrons are wanting a cocktail or mocktail for a night out, or are sharing a pastry with their child on the way to school, Lillian’s will accommodate. Menus will focus on approachable, elevated Southern staples like a rice bowl with shrimp, field peas, Charleston Gold Rice Grits, and a saffron broth, or octopus with fingerling potatoes. Lillian’s will also offer a robust bar program with craft cocktails, N/A options, and mini martinis and negronis. 

In true corner store fashion, Lillian’s began softly opening to the neighborhood the week of Thanksgiving to provide hosting staples. Sunday, December 1, marked their official opening to the larger public and they will continue to unroll their hours and offerings the remainder of this week. Lillian’s embraces its historic hospitality and serves as a communal entryway into the Westside neighborhood, a place to hang your coat, share a meal, stay awhile, and embrace a new homecoming.

The Opening Menu at Lillian’s Petite Market & Eatery

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