In this episode of Unreserved, TJ Callaway sits down in Charleston with Mark Phillips for a conversation about the Oakland Club, Southern sporting traditions, and a city that has managed to evolve without losing its connection to the past. Recorded from the new store on King Street after the Fall 2026 catalog shoot at Oakland, Mark draws on decades of experience at the club to take TJ inside a place that has become one of South Carolina’s distinctive quail hunting destinations. UNRESERVED_Mark_Phillips_v1 Mark shares the history behind Oakland Club, from its connection to Francis Marion and its roughly 30,000 acres along the Santee River swamp to the Northern families who came South and helped establish sporting retreats across the region. He and TJ explore how Oakland evolved into the club it is today, along with the traditions that define the experience: horses and bird dogs, coat and tie dinners, shared meals, carefully chosen guests, fireside conversations, and a culture built around preserving rituals that have been passed from one generation to the next. The conversation goes beyond the hunt itself to the people and stewardship required to sustain a place like Oakland. Mark and TJ discuss the guides who work the property year round, prescribed burning and quail habitat, the decline of wild bobwhite populations, and the role large tracts of protected land have played in conservation across the Southeast. They also dig into the lighter side of club life, including enormous breakfasts, open fire lunches, afternoon naps under the oaks, and the memorable advice that anyone with a problem with “alcohol, cholesterol, or protocol” may have come to the wrong place. From there, the conversation turns to Charleston itself. A lifelong Charlestonian, Mark reflects on the city he grew up in, the transformation of King Street, the growth of downtown, and the importance of historic preservation as Charleston continues to attract new residents, businesses, and visitors. Filled with history, humor, and an appreciation for the traditions that give a place its identity, this episode is ultimately about stewardship: preserving land, architecture, community, and sporting culture while still allowing them to live, grow, and be enjoyed by the next generation. [00:00:16] Meet Mark Phillips and the Oakland Club [00:03:23] The History of Oakland Club and Its Connection to Francis Marion [00:05:26] How Northern Families Built Southern Sporting Retreats [00:07:27] Hootie Johnson and Oakland’s Return to Southern Membership [00:08:12] Dinner, Drinks, and the Traditions of Club Life [00:10:15] How an Oakland Club Hunting Season Works [00:12:24] Fireside Conversations and Choosing the Right Guests [00:13:32] The Oakland Club Table Where Banking History Was Made [00:14:47] How Oakland’s Membership Changed with the Southern Economy [00:17:09] Why Tradition and Formality Still Matter [00:18:51] Open Fire Lunches, Afternoon Naps, and a Day in the Field [00:20:37] The Stump House and the History of Oakland’s Dogs and Guides [00:22:25] The Year Round Work Behind a Great Quail Property [00:25:20] Quail Hunting, Habitat, and the Decline of Wild Birds [00:27:21] Conservation and Protecting the Sporting Landscape [00:28:16] Bacon, Quail, and the Oakland Club Lunch Tradition [00:31:26] Alcohol, Cholesterol, and Protocol [00:32:24] Charleston’s History Through Mark’s Eyes [00:35:01] How Charleston Reinvented Itself Without Losing Its Character [00:38:12] The Evolution of King Street [00:40:37] The Citadel, Family History, and Charleston Tradition [00:43:13] Charleston as a Destination City [00:44:14] Why Historic Preservation Still Matters
