The Volvo Car Open serves up more than good tennis matches!
Food trucks, unique shops and, of course, all things tennis lined the promenade of the Volvo Car Stadium last Saturday and Sunday for the Volvo Car Open’s Family Weekend, the official start of the tournament.
Many tennis lovers started their day with a warm smile and a gourmet latte from Biz Foxworth and her locally-owned Brown Fox Coffee truck.
“I love meeting folks from all over the country and giving them a friendly Charleston welcome,” she said.
Mid-day spectators lunched at “BkeD Street Bakery”, which served up grilled cheese sandwiches with pesto, or local favorite “Verde” for lighter fare.
Tennis fans looking for good old-fashioned Lowcountry food could start with “Crave’s” famous mac-n-cheese. “Braised in the South” put an unusual spin on Southern fare with down-home favorites like “Tatchos,” tacos made with tater tots or brisket tacos featuring meat marinated in cola.
The longest line of Saturday’s VCO Family Day lunch hour appeared to be at the “Bac’n Me Crazy” truck. Here, pork lovers sampled savory selections like “bacon-on-a-stick” and fudgy, salty bacon brownies.
“I had the Big Bacon Burger and it was unbelievable!” said tennis and bacon enthusiast Riley Woolridge.
Daniel Island School third grader Hayden Wilmot said she ate two Kona Ices, one Zeus Greek salad and a cotton candy from “T & T Kettle Korn.” Her favorite? “Kona Ice, of course!”
Hayden’s mother Kristina disagreed with a smile, saying the best icy treat on a sunny Charleston day is always the raspberry lime flavor from the “King the Pops” cart.
While the kids burned off that extra sugar at the jump castles, many adults visited the bar carts for champagne or cocktails. The family-friendly Blue Moon Beer Garden provided tables and a shady spot to sit and take a break.
But not all of the fun was served up on a plate. Shoppers strolled the promenade for tennis-related items like rackets and gear, as well as many other unique wares.
“Sales have been fantastic this year,” said Johnathan Nation who runs the “Your Serve Tennis Store” near the entrance to the stadium. “Especially items with the VCO logo.”
“This is such an enjoyable, well-run event,” said Haley Keisler, owner of Hermosa Jewelry, who has sold her handmade jewelry at the VCO for the past four years. “I have a local store in Mount Pleasant and it’s just such a great place to promote my business to both locals and tourists.”
Daniel Island resident Ken Bailey waited while his new racket was strung on-site. “I haven’t played in a few years and this event inspired me to get back in the game... And bring my kids!” he added, “Tennis is the perfect family game.”