Though it was the main throroughfare into the city, King Street did not blossom into Charleston’s mercantile mecca until the antebellum period. As the city grew, the focus of expansion shifted from east-west to north-south, a trend exemplified by the retail-rich King Street. In this photograph, taken on Christmas Eve 1937, pedestrians are beckoned by lower King’s window displays. These last minute shoppers might have been headed to Walgreens Drugs for a hot meal, to the Kress five-and-dime for stocking stuffers, or to the Wilbur-Rogers Clothing Store for holiday attire and accessories. Today, Charlestonians may follow the same route as their forebearers, visiting Lower King for antiques, Middle King for local finds and national brands alike, and Upper King for design…..