Windhorse Gallery & Marketplace

Filled with Furniture, Food, Fermentation, and Fun

 

You know how sometimes the stars align and something presents itself as “meant to be”? We know it well here at Seldon Ink and that’s pretty much how we found our way to our adopted home of Beaufort (another story for another time). Lucky for us, it happened to another dynamic duo who found their way here and have created a unique business combining home décor, fabulous food and wine, and tasty experiences at The Shed along Port Royal’s Paris Avenue. Welcome to Windhorse Gallery & Marketplace.

Owned and operated by the effervescent and eternally creative Katy and Dan Perrin, the shop recently celebrated its first anniversary and has been regally welcomed and received by the Port Royal and Beaufort communities. With a stunning selection of custom-made cabinetry and furniture, an impressive collection of local and regional art, a carefully curated wine shop, tasty provisions, and an enviable menu of appetizing activities, classes, and workshops, the Perrins have hit a homerun.

Now, for a little background. Dan has been a woodworking whisperer for over 30 years. Born and bred in Charleston (he’s actually a seventh generation Charlestonian), Dan was making high-end custom cabinetry when Charleston was in serious growth mode. And, when he wasn’t creating and building, he was sailing.

Katy is from Augusta and moved to Charleston in the early-2000s to teach sailing. Figuring she’d need more than that to live, she took a job fundraising for the non-profit South Carolina Maritime Heritage Foundation. And it was in that sailing world that she met her future husband, Dan. She also became a race organizer for the biennial Charleston to Bermuda Race, as well as having a side hustle coordinating food and wine festivals across the country, where she picked up skills in event planning, party planning, and logistics.

As Dan’s business grew, Katy started working full-time with him to help manage the business side of things, freeing up more time for him to create. And then things changed in 2020. Their lease was up on the building that housed Perrin Woodworking, Charleston had grown a bit too large and crowded for them, and COVID hit. For the Perrins, the stars had aligned, and they knew it was time to make a move. Literally and figuratively.

Wanting to own their own building and knowing that Charleston was too expensive, they set their sights on Beaufort—both had vacationed and sailed here and had fond memories. In addition to space, they were also looking for a slower pace, for a deeper sense of community, and for a place where they could unleash their dreams.

They took weekend drives to the area looking around for the perfect spot. They put out feelers. And they were

patient. While in town prospecting a property, they were introduced to some folks at the Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation. Although that property did not come to fruition, they stayed in touch.

During a Warrior Sailing camp in Port Royal, Katy and Dan drove past The Shed and commented to each other that it would be perfect for a woodworking studio—concrete floors, tall ceilings, raw, industrial, and filled with promise. So, when the call came from their friends at the Economic Development Corporation that the Town of Port Royal was accepting proposals for the next use of The Shed, they headed to town immediately.

One look and they knew it was the perfect spot for them. Although it took six months to jump through all the hoops, get approval from Port Royal’s Town Council, and complete a massive due diligence process, they finally closed on the property in September 2020.

The following May, Perrin Woodworking reopened in their new Port Royal location. But that was just the beginning. They always dreamt of a proper showroom to show off Dan’s custom furniture pieces. A space to not only show off what he makes—dining tables, coffee tables, side tables, cabinetry—but also how they live. A place where they could sit with a client, have a conversation, and inspire them to create the perfect piece of furniture for their home or office.

They spent the next few years transforming the front half of The Shed (if you had ever been to The Shed when it was storage for the port, a grass roots theater venue, or a pickleball court, you know what we’re talking about). They planned, they demolished, they designed, they rebuilt, they brought in upscale upholstered pieces, coastal artwork (Katy’s father owned an art and framing store, so she had background in artwork), and home décor pieces. And in June 2024, Windhorse Gallery & Marketplace opened its doors.

The space had taken on a comfortable living room meets showroom feel. But they felt they could do more. They thought about what else could complement a sleek living room vibe that, along with what other kinds of merchandise, would make it an inviting place for customers to visit and linger. And the lightbulb went off. Wine and food, of course. For Katy—someone who loves bringing people together over food and beverages—it was a no-brainer.

With a background in food and beverages through her years working for festivals and having a BFF in Charleston who is a restaurant, wine, and hospitality consultant, it wasn’t long before she and Kellie Holmes, Windhorse’s resident wine guru, started curating an impressive wine selection. Today, that collection features over 200 different labels, focusing mostly on smaller producers from around the world. What makes them a little different than other wine shops in town is their focus on mindfully made wines: sustainable, organic, and biodynamic wines from vineyards and wineries with generations behind their labels. Wines can be purchased by the glass while you peruse the gallery, discuss a piece of art with Gallery Assistant, Libby Bergmann, or chat with Dan about the perfect piece of furniture—or by the bottle to take home.

When it came time to come up with provisions that would go well with wine, Katy, AKA “the snack goddess,” fell back on her favorite go-to—cheese. She reached out to a few familiar cheese mongers, like Counter Cheesemongers out of Charleston and Third Wheel Cheese out of Philadelphia and started carrying their artisan farmland cheeses. We’re talking truffle cheddar cheese, Dirt Lover milk cheese, Sequatchie Cove Walden cheese, Cayuga blue, Doeling chive studded blooming rind goat cheese, Grafton Village Shepsog, Highlands Farm Havarti, Goat Rodeo bamboozle, and so many more. They also carry Goat Goods Creamery, a local goat cheese vendor creating their own tasty pesto goat cheese, pimento goat cheese, feta, and marinated feta.

She then added artisan cured meats like rosemary lamb salami, wild fennel sopprassata, and duck breast prosciutto (a Garden & Gun “Made in the South” winner) from Meat Crafters, along with varied flavors of fig salami from Hellenic Farms. And, of course, you can’t eat cheese and meat alone, so they added other popular snack accompaniments like Rustic Bakery crisps and flatbreads, Top Seedz crackers, Marcona almonds, Turkish apricots, and other treats. They even offer ready-made charcuterie boxes that can accompany your glass of wine on the premises or be taken home to enjoy.

Knowing that not everyone is a fan of wine, Windhorse also stocks a refreshing selection of canned non-alcoholic

cocktails and spritz, botanical sodas, kombucha, and an impressive lineup of craft beers. Guests are invited to enjoy their beverages as they mingle amongst the furniture and artwork or the (massive) wall of wine, or there is bistro seating on the front porch and walkway overlooking Paris Avenue.

Not ones to rest on their laurels, Katy and Dan have also created a robust Signature Culinary Series that takes place in the intimate kitchen of Windhorse. Past events have included pizza making, sushi rolling, fermenting, hand rolled pasta, Korean dumplings, and hot sauce making—all taught by area chefs and pop-up dining specialists.

They also have a Rooted in Wellness program that features things like yogurt making and fermenting, with plans down the road to partner with local farmers from the Port Royal Farmers Market, including Whippoorwill Farms and Beaufort Bees, to create new programs and events.

Similarly, they also feature a Wine Seminar Series, where they bring in wine makers, vintners, and importers to talk about wine, often complemented with charcuterie boards and other foods by Sandy Bottom Boards. They also open their doors every Friday for Friday Uncorked, a drop-in wine tasting open to the public, a wine club (including monthly wine tastings and pick-up parties), and special events throughout the year. You can even find their charming wine mobile (affectionately known as Felicity, which means “intense happiness”) at Port Royal events like the Street Music on Paris Avenue series and festivals like the Soft Shell Crab Festival and the Bands, Brews & BBQ Festival.

The Windhorse space is also available as a small event venue. Think book clubs, wedding and baby showers, office parties, and more. And if that wasn’t enough for the first year, the dynamic duo has some exciting plans going forward. They hope to enclose the side concrete pad with timber roofing, put in some fans in the summer and heaters in the winter, book bands and musicians, and expand their social footprint, both for their own events and as a rental venue.

So, as you can see, Windhorse Gallery & Marketplace is more than just a store. It’s a celebration of craftsmanship, artistry, and creativity. It’s an homage to artists and makers. It’s a community hub to celebrate the beauty in life—and in each other. It’s a welcome “meant to be” addition to Port Royal.

 

Windhorse Gallery & Marketplace

The Shed, 809 Paris Ave.

Port Royal, SC 29935

843-795-2429

windhorsegalleryandmarketplace.com

Monday-Wednesday 11:00am-5:00pm

Thursday-Saturday 11:00am-7:00pm

Sunday 11:00am-4:00pm

 

Upcoming Events at Windhorse Gallery & Marketplace
(check their website for more details)

August:

Friday ‘Uncorked’ – A drop-in style tasting event held weekly, 5-7pm

Street Music on Paris Ave – August 9 & 23 / Music starts at 6pm

The Shops of Paris Ave Present: 2nd Sunday Shop & Stroll – Aug 10, 10-2pm

Neighbor Night @ The Shed – August 12 at 5:30pm

Monthly Wine Club Social – August 21, 5-7pm

Paris Ave Gluten Free Awareness Event – August 30, 11am-4pm

 

September: 

Friday ‘Uncorked’ – A drop-in style tasting event held weekly, 5-7pm

Street Music on Paris Ave – September 6 & 20 / Music starts at 6pm

‘Encaustic Echoes”: An Exhibit by Emily Scott / Opening Reception – Sept 13, 5-7pm

Winemaker Spotlight: Federico Cleva of Gradis’ciutta – Sept 15, 5:30pm

Monthly Wine Club Social – Sept 18, 5-7pm

Wine Seminar: Exploring the Loire Valley – Sept 23, 5:30pm

 

October:

Friday ‘Uncorked’ – A drop-in style tasting event held weekly from 5-7p

Plein Air Event – Oct 10-12

Monthly Wine Club Social – Oct 16, 5-7pm

Beaufort Chamber Business After Hours – Oct 23, 5:30-7pm

Beaufort-based travel journalists Lynn and Cele Seldon (www.seldonink.com) often cover culinary travel around the world and Lowcountry Weekly lured them to write a monthly feature covering the local food scene. This includes articles about restaurants, chefs, food-focused stores, farms, farmers, farmers markets, and more. Many of their past Lowcountry DISH entries are included in their new book, 100 Things to Do in the South Carolina Lowcountry Before You Die (coming this fall).