There’s evidence that Charlie spent time in Greenville before arriving in Myrtle Beach. Family accounts and historical traces suggest he may have held some of his first jobs in this South Carolina city.
It's also suspected that he met his future wife, Sarah, here.
While not a focal point in the podcast, Greenville remains a key stop on the shadowy path of Charlie’s life before he helped build a cultural revolution on Carver Street.
During the 1930s, Greenville was booming as a textile powerhouse—one of the South’s major mill cities—and had a thriving Black community despite segregation. The area around Greenville’s Southernside and West Greenville neighborhoods was home to Black-owned businesses, churches, and jazz clubs, making it plausible that Charlie was exposed to entrepreneurial role models and musical influences here.
Today, Greenville is known for its revitalized downtown, vibrant arts scene, and historical districts that echo stories like Charlie’s.
Charlie's Place is a podcast series co-produced by Atlas Obscura and Rococo Punch in partnership with Pushkin Industries and Visit Myrtle Beach. Hosted by filmmaker Rhym Guissé, the show uncovers the hidden history of a legendary Black nightclub in Jim Crow-era South Carolina—and the people who made it a symbol of culture, resistance, and community. Starting July 21st, binge the entire season early and ad-free by subscribing to Pushkin+. Sign up on the Charlie's Place show page on Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus.
