She partnered with photographer and fellow former City Lights employee Gregg Lambton-Carr to open the new cafe
Will Kiser and Candace Patterson (right) and their mural (left).
Dos Bandidos artists Candace Patterson and Will Kiser are known for creating a sense of place in their silkscreen prints of popular hangouts such as Moe’s Crosstown and The Royal American. When Market Street’s City Lights Coffee, where Candace was a manager, closed in 2021, she sought to create a new physical space to foster community around a shared appreciation of art. Partnering with photographer and fellow former City Lights employee Gregg Lambton-Carr, they opened City Lights Eastside on Line Street in April 2024. “We have home, we have work…my hope is that we get to be a ‘third place’ for as many people as possible,” says Candace.
Patterson and Kiser spent two years uplifting the interior of the City Lights Eastside building, which has a history of housing restaurants, billiard halls, and other gathering places since 1889. Using their artistry, they instilled a neighborly feel with an art deco vibe, similar to the original cafe. On the outdoor patio, Patterson and Kiser painted a mural of the Lowcountry marshlands to create a “tropical urban oasis” that matches ”the vibe of Charleston’s subtropical climate.”
From coffee and breakfast burritos to peri peri chicken and wine and beer in the evening, City Lights Eastside serves what Candace calls “treat-yourself food.” The cafe also offers pop-up menus, such as monthly South African-inspired dishes as a nod to Lambton-Carr’s roots. An art wall features a rotating display of work by local artists. “In our art, we are telling our story, our imagination, our experiences, and what we love,” says Candace, referring to both the cafe and their silk-screen business.
