Meet Bethany Heinze | Restaurant Owner/Operator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bethany Heinze and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bethany, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My husband and I own and operate an independent restaurant in downtown Charleston. This statement alone is a total dream come true that we have been working towards and materializing together ever since we met in 2013.

Our thought process was to create our flagship restaurant that exemplifies what we believe to be an ideal neighborhood establishment. The details in this space matter greatly to us – the lighting, the music, the approachability and knowledge of our service team, the energy we bring to the diners. Our business thrives on attention to detail and what I call “radical thoughtfulness”. How we care about our guests, our food, our space, and ourselves.

Vern’s doesn’t fit into a traditional box – we’re not Italian, French, or even fully American – we aren’t focused on a concept, we are focused on quality and delivering a genuine experience. This was a bit difficult from a PR front when we were opening, but I think it works in our favor now that we are established.

Our number one mission for opening this business is to provide a place of inspiration, growth, education, service, and of course delicious food and drinks to those who work with us and choose to dine with us. We are in it for the long game – we want to be a timeless institution in the Charleston dining scene.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business is a 50 seat restaurant called Vern’s in downtown Charleston, opened July 2022. I partnered with my husband Daniel “Dano” Heinze who is a incredibly talented chef to create our first independent restaurant together. I think what sets us apart is our genuine thoughtfulness towards delivering a consistent, balanced, well-sourced meal to all walks of life. We aim to deliver creative, beautiful food that is also approachable and deeply comforting. Our space is worn-in yet well-kept, glowing in candlelight with a team of hospitality professionals on the floor.

Our journey to get here took years of gaining experience in our industry. We met while working at a fine-dining institution called McCrady’s, which provided a platform of deep education and a challenging environment both on the culinary and service side. After years gaining our chops (Dano was Chef de Cuisine during his 9 year stint, I was Bar Manager during my 3 years) – we moved to Los Angeles and worked for established restauranteurs Jon Shook, Vinny Dotolo and Helen Johanessen, who taught us so much about the business side of restaurants. How to fill a dining room, balance labor, watch costs, and provide an experience that is for everyone. We got all kinds of non-restaurant related experience as well, ranging from insane Hollywood catering events to private dinners to high volume take-out to wine clubs to retail operations. Dano was their Culinary Project Developer if you will – he built an airline catering program and consulted the concessions in the massive stadium in Inglewood. I’m stalking crazy experience!! I fell down the rabbit hole of the wine industry with Helen as my mentor – a love I will have for the rest of my life.

Fast forward 5 years later, we decided to circle back to our chosen home of Charleston and pursue our own business. We moved back with a one track mind, set on finding investors and a space as quickly as we could. And here we are! Full manifestation and dream realized.

Was it easy? Hell no. Every era of our journey was tough, but we always came out the other side stronger and motivated to keep pushing. Having a partner in this (sometimes brutal) industry is a real gift, and I absolutely couldn’t own a restaurant without my husband. A lesson I learned is there are no shortcuts if you want to achieve something special. Hard work, grit, tenacity, and a genuine passion for what you are delivering is the only way.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Things to Do:

Walk downtown !
The Battery & Waterfront Park / South of Broad – stroll and admire the architecture and deep history through the winding neighborhoods
Lower King Street (between Broad St. and Calhoun) – antique shops, higher-end shopping, pop in and out of the endless shops
College of Charleston Campus – beautiful area called “The Cistern” with small campus to wander next to it, sit under the oaks and relax
Hampton Park – neighborhoody park, good spot to picnic / throw a frisbee and walk the park if weather is nice. Stop in Sightsee coffee first!
King Street – main thoroughfare of shopping and restaurants, you can walk from the southern end at Broad St / King all the way north for 2 miles and pop in and out of bars, restaurants, stores, etc.

Outside of downtown
Shem Creek – a must! Little strip of restaurants on the inner coastal waterway, boardwalk to stroll
Sullivan’s Island – closest beach, cute bars & restaurants. Check out Dunleavy’s for pub, Obstinate Daughter for coastal Italian, lots of other spots to walk in between
Folly Beach – another beach in opposite direction, more laid back and bohemian. Morris Island lighthouse is a nice walk on the very end of the beach. Chico Feo and Low Life are favorite hangs. Local’s spot called Sunset Cay is a tiny marina bar on the marsh, great for sunset
Bowen’s Island – creekside hangout, no frills, get some oysters or fried seafood and beer when they open right at 4pm and watch the sunset over the water. The best Charleston experience!
John’s Island – about a 30 min drive from downtown but absolutely worth it, go to the Angel Oak tree (park) and the Tomato Shed for lunch. The Farmer’s Market held on Saturdays is my favorite in the city
James Island – The Pour House a funky music venue with live music every night, they have an outdoor deck bar that’s fantastic when the weather is nice. Attached is Kwei Fei, a Szechuan restaurant that I constantly crave. Farmer’s Market on Sundays too! Across the street is Bar George, great cocktails and snacks. Close by is Terrace Oaks Antique Mall – one of my favorite places to browse old antiques, I always walk out of there with a new treasure

Art & Museums
African American museum – a must, very moving
The Gibbes (admission) – larger art museum with rotating installations
Robert Lange Gallery (free)
French Quarter – around State Street / Broad Street – lots of independent galleries to pop-in
Patriots Point Naval Museum – across the bridge into Mt Pleasant
Magnolia Gardens – a must in the Spring
Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens, take the history tour!

Food
The Ordinary – favorite Charleston seafood restaurant with large bar and truly fantastic cocktails
FIG – a Charleston institution – sister restaurant to The Ordinary, upscale white tablecloth – southern meets French
Malagon – Spanish tapas, great for a mid-day snack and Sherry (or a full blown flavor feast)
Chez Nous – super charming house turned into cozy French spot with daily changing menu (6 items total)
Chubby Fish – neighborhood fun seafood spot. Walk-in only, show up early and they’ll give you a time to come back
167 Raw – seafood, lunch & dinner, all walk-ins, lively hangout. Get the tuna tataki!
Lewis Barbecue – insanely good, usually a line to order but it goes fast. Brisket is bonkers, smoked turkey is a sleeper favorite
Ma’am Saab – Super tasty, fun, and SPICY new Pakistani restaurant
Obstinate Daughter – southern meets Italian on Sullivan’s island, chill beachy spot close to the water with very good pizza and seafood dishes
Welton’s Tiny Bakeshop – open Wednesday to Sunday, adorable small bakery with insanely good pastries and sandwiches.
Kultura – new Filipino spot, tiny and delicious – they also do brunch
Porchetta Shop – modeled after classic Tuscan sandwich joints, lots of different sandwich options on focaccia and very tasty simple sides, LOVE this place
Leon’s – casual, fried chicken & oysters, Charleston staple, busy and mostly walk-ins
Shiki – best sushi, my go-to for a day off lunch or dinner for beautiful raw fish and rolls
Sushi Wa – Omakase sushi experience, deep sake selection, great for a date night

Coffee / Snacks / Bars
Bar Rollins – natural wine, the best hang, delicious snacks, MUST!
Tippling house – always incredible wine selection and snacks
Babas on Cannon – all day coffee / drink stop with awesome food
Sightsee – favorite coffee in town, great retail for souveniers
Harken – coffee & morning pastries, lower side of peninsula, cute and feels very old world
Bin 152 – classic wine bar with good meat & cheese, I could spend hours here
Graft – wine shop / wine bar, fun pop-ups on Sundays – perfect afternoon chill spot
Sorelle Market – on Broad street, good for a snack or breakfast and coffee if you’re wandering in that area. Italian sandwich is next level

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my mother, Brenda Kocak. She is an entrepreneur and has inspired my journey greatly whether she realizes it or not! I grew up watching her lead a team with tenacity and grit, working hard and showing up for those around her. She balances being a fierce leader who takes no sh**, while being a kind and empathetic human being. As a female entrepreneur, this can be the hardest dance of all.

During the ups, downs, side to sides of my journey to become a business owner, she has always been supportive in the pursuit of dreams. My hero and mentor!

Website: https://vernschs.com

Instagram: @verns_chs

Other: hello@vernschs.com

Image Credits
Photo Credit: Lizzy Rollins @lizzyrollins