• Morgan and Dawson Mitchell moved to Charleston in March.
• They planned to stay for a while, but the cost of living made it difficult.
• They relocated to Mississippi to help build their financial future instead.

Morgan and Dawson Mitchell were sick of the cold when they decided to move to Charleston, South Carolina.

The Mitchells are originally from Mississippi but moved to a small town in Wyoming in 2022. By the end of 2023, the couple said they were ready for their next adventure.

After visiting Charleston in January of the same year, they decided it would be ideal for their next move.

“Charleston seemed like a great place to have good weather and move back to the South a little closer to family and friends,” Dawson, 27, said.

“I love beach towns,” Morgan, 28, added. “And I was in the wedding and events industry, and that’s really, really big in Charleston, so I was super interested in it.”

When Morgan was offered a job in the events industry in Charleston in March 2023, it seemed like the perfect chance to relocate. Dawson worked as a bartender and server when they arrived in Charleston, and he was hired as an HVAC sales representative three months into their move.

But just five months after they relocated, the Mitchells discovered Charleston didn’t live up to the hype for them.

Charleston challenges

The Mitchells told Business Insider that the cost of living in Charleston almost prevented them from moving there.

According to Zillow, the median rent in the city is $2,800, but the Mitchells didn’t want a place that cost more than $2,000 a month, so they struggled to find an apartment.

“That was just shocking to us being from rural areas,” Dawson said, adding that it was important to stay within their budget, as they knew they could afford a mortgage for less in other areas.

Eventually, they found an apartment to sublet on Facebook Marketplace with five months left on its lease for $1,850 each month.

“It was very much like, ‘Let’s just do it for five months,’” Morgan said. “‘If we don’t like it, if it doesn’t work out, we don’t have to stay.”

Once they moved to Charleston, the cost of living continued to be a pain point for the Mitchells regarding expenses like eating out or gas prices. They said gas was particularly frustrating because they found themselves stuck in the car more than they anticipated.

Their rental was just eight miles from the office where Morgan worked, but she said she spent at least 45 minutes in the car each way to and from her job.

“It’s very low country, so there’s not a whole lot of open land to build new roads and infrastructure,” Dawson said.

“For us, our quality time together is really important, and we were stuck in the car separate for so long,” Morgan said. “We have Banjo, our dog, so by the time we made it home, it was like, ‘OK, go take him out, cook dinner, time for bed.’”

“All of our free time dwindled,” she added.

Morgan said she spent most of her birthday visit to King Street, a major shopping destination in the city, in July trying to park.

“I almost gave up,” she said. “I was just trying to take myself to Sephora for a nice little treat, and I had to make rounds for 45 minutes trying to find a parking spot.”

Missing Southern charm

The Mitchells also hoped that moving to Charleston would help them reconnect with the Southern culture they had been missing while living in Wyoming.

But they said Charleston didn’t feel as Southern as they thought it would. They said they had few chances to connect with other Southerners during their time there.

Despite life’s difficulties in Charleston, the Mitchells tried to prepare to stay longer term.

“We did put an offer in on a house, and we were really excited to stay there for a couple of years, and then that fell through,” Morgan said.

They said they could have renewed their lease on their rental, but the management company that owned it increased their rent to $2,250 a month, which they weren’t willing to pay.

The Mitchells couldn’t find another apartment under $2,000 that fit their needs. They said the only options they found were in areas where they would not have felt comfortable walking Banjo at night.

Soon, it felt like they weren’t destined to stay in Charleston as they had thought.

“We love and kind of take pride in the fact that we’ve bopped around and moved all around and like going on these little adventures,” Morgan said. “But we did want to be closer to family; his grandparents are getting older.”

The Mitchells also plan to invest in real estate, but given the cost of living in Charleston, they didn’t feel like they could launch that career there.

“We started taking all these things as signs, and we’re like, ‘We have this opportunity to get out and go somewhere cheaper and build our savings,’” Morgan said.

Returning home

Morgan and Dawson ultimately moved back to Louisville, Mississippi, when their lease in Charleston expired on August 1.

When the Mitchells spoke to BI, they had just signed a new lease in Louisville on an apartment that costs just $1,350 a month — $900 less than they would have paid on their similar Charleston unit.

Morgan and Dawson also started new jobs when they moved. Morgan is now a social media manager at a medical facility, and Dawson is working remotely as a loan originator. Dawson said the HVAC company he worked for in Charleston offered him a slight raise when he put in his notice, but it wasn’t enough to entice them to stay.

“We just knew it wasn’t the right thing,” Dawson said.

Despite moving twice in such a short period, the Mitchells told BI they have no regrets about their stint in Charleston.

“I think it was just one of those things that we had to try it for ourselves to be able to come back here,” Morgan said.

Though they can still see themselves moving around throughout their lives, the Mitchells said they are excited about the financial opportunities returning to Mississippi offers them.

“We chose to come back to Mississippi because our money will go so much further,” Dawson said. “We can buy two properties for what half a property in Charleston would cost.”

“We’re always going to look back and be like, ‘What a fun summer we had,’ but we knew it wasn’t long-term,” Morgan said, reflecting on their time in Charleston. “So we might as well just come back here and start building our savings the best we can.”

FOXBOROUGH – This isn’t where the Patriots wanted to be, but after two losses in a row, the show must go on.

On Friday, the Patriots left New England for a cross-country trip to San Francisco to take on a talented 49ers team. After a strong start and upset win, to start the season, Jerod Mayo’s team is coming off a blowout loss to the New York Jets.

Now, they’ll take on the NFC favorites, on the road.

The 49ers have a roster full of elite players but are also dealing with health issues. San Francisco’s offense will be without All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey and Pro Bowl receiver Deebo Samuel. On top of that, four Pro Bowlers – tight end George Kittle (hamstring), tackle Trent Williams (illness), defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (triceps), and quarterback Brock Purdy (back) – were on the injury report this week.

The Patriots must turn the page and forget about their performance in New York.

“What I will say is the challenge for us is just in the front: offensive line and defensive line. I don’t want to sound repetitive, but they are a do-what-they-do type of team, and we know what they’re going to do, the fans know what they’re going to do, but you still have to stop them,” Mayo said. “They have a lot of good players on that team, offensively and defensively, All-Pro-caliber players almost at every level if you really look at the roster. So, it’s definitely a challenge, and I think the guys – I tell them all the time, look at it as an opportunity to go out there and perform.”

Here are five things to watch when the Patriots take on the 49ers:

Brandon Aiyuk

This matchup is like when you see someone in public who once rejected your advances and hope to show them what they’re missing.

The Patriots had a trade in place with the 49ers to acquire All-Pro receiver Brandon Aiyuk. They even had a contract offer on the table that would’ve reportedly made him one of the highest-paid receivers in the NFL.

Instead, Aiyuk rejected the Patriots, used them as leverage, and ended up re-signing with the 49ers for less money.

Ouch.

The Patriots will get a chance to see Aiyuk on Sunday. It’ll be fascinating to see if Christian Gonzalez can slow down the receiver. Aiyuk clearly didn’t think much of the Patriots roster. We’ll see how they respond.

Jacoby Brissett

The Patriots passing attack is ranked last in the NFL, averaging 102 passing yards per game. Of course, the team is also ranked first in the NFL in interception rate (0.0%).

Jacoby Brissett has a tough job. He’s being used as a piñata this season, taking hits from opposing defenses while keeping the seat warm for Drake Maye. The veteran hasn’t exactly lit up the stat sheet this season, but he’s also not making too many egregious mistakes.

Out of all quarterbacks, who’ve started three games, Brissett is last in the NFL with 368 passing yards, but his interception percentage of zero is tied for first. The 49ers are ranked 20th in the NFL in passing defense. They’ve allowed 217.7 passing yards per game.

We’ll see if Brissett can put together a better effort this time.

Offensive line

Brissett has been sacked at an alarming rate this season.

Entering this week, he’s fourth in the NFL in sack percentage (the times sacked on plays where he’s supposed to pass the ball). Last week, he was sacked five times and hit 12 times overall.

That won’t work on Sunday. San Francisco has one of the better pass rushes in the NFL. Four-time Pro Bowler and former Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa anchors this defensive line. On Thursday, Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt called Bosa a “nightmare.”

The Patriots should be getting back left guard Sidy Sow this week. That’s positive. However, they’ll likely start third-string left tackle Caedan Wallace. He’s been elevated due to Vederian Lowe’s knee injury and Chuks Okorafor leaving the team.

We’ll see if the results are any different.

Rhamondre Stevenson

The San Francisco 49ers have one of the best-run defenses in the NFL. They head into this game ranked ninth in the league, allowing 104 yards per game on the ground. Opposing teams, however, are averaging 4.52 yards per carry against the 49ers – and that’s 21st in the league.

That brings us to Rhamondre Stevenson.

He’s arguably the Patriots best offensive player. He’s why the Patriots offense didn’t look putrid in the first two weeks. However, he’s fumbled three games in a row. That’s bad news because after going away from the run last week, the Patriots need to hammer the ground game again.

Will Stevenson bounce back? It’s the Patriots best bet to move the football, so they are probably hoping he does.

Defensive performance

Expectations for the Patriots offense were already low. The big hope for this year’s team was that the defense would be a top-10 unit. However, they haven’t looked the part in the past two games.

Now, they enter this week ranked tenth in points allowed (19.0 per game) so that’s solid. The defense struggled the past two weeks against Aaron Rodgers and Geno Smith. Their passing defense is currently ranked 27th in the NFL while their run defense is among the best at No. 5.

Last week, the Patriots struggled to tackle, so that needs to improve on Sunday. They also need more turnovers and sacks. So far, the secondary has zero interceptions while the group is 22nd in sacks per pass attempt.

Can the Patriots defense turn it around in San Francisco?

Prediction: 49ers 23, Patriots 16

A well-known Denver hot dog hangout is closing up on Colfax Avenue, leaving bittersweet memories for a generation of hot dog hounds. Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs will close its location near Colfax and Monroe Street on Oct. 19. It was an anchor in efforts to re-ignite Colfax in the mid-2000s.

“I’ve had so many people coming in. I’ve had a couple people cry and I’m like ‘God, you’re going to make me feel real bad,’” said Steve Ballas, who owns the restaurant with his wife. Ballas survived Stage III kidney cancer and emerged a changed man seven years ago. He’s tired and now tangling with prostate cancer. But the main reason, says Ballas, is that his wife Linda has had a setback in her own cancer.

“Her cancer’s back. She’s been in and out of the hospital for the past year.”

While Linda is home and doing well Steve reports, he wants to spend more time with her. 

The restaurant has been operating since 2006, when Ballas spotted potential in a long empty gas station. With help of city grants and a Small Business Administration loan, he was able to buy and fix up the place. It had been a place where people slept and went to the bathroom under the old canopy and took significant work to re-open. There wasn’t much going on along Colfax in the area at the time. Crime was a worry.

“It was scary because nobody was walking around and we used to make balloons for the kids and when they would pop people used to duck. They would duck, thinking there was somebody shooting at them,” he said.

But slowly things improved.

“It’s not the police department that made it safe, it’s the traffic and the more and more businesses,” said Ballas, who was a police officer in Connecticut before moving to Colorado. 

Now the menu takes up most of the wall over the counter. Workers dish out hot dogs that are a mixture of pork and beef in natural casings. The authenticity has drawn a cult following. The walls are also covered with photos of kids and families who have been in. It’s a place of memories for customers and for the owners.

“In the beginning, people thought I was a dog grooming place. Because my sign said Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs and they would call up saying, my dogs aren’t mean, will you be able to take care of my dogs?” said Ballas. “No here we eat dogs,” he said he would explain, only to get puzzled replies.

Part of the draw was their association with longtime Denver TV staple Blinky the Clown. Blinky, aka Russell Scott was the father of Linda Ballas. There is a large picture on the wall.

“If you’re 40 years old, or older and you lived here. You grew up with Blinky. You went to school you watched him, you came home you watched him. He told you not to walk across the street. He told you to clean up your room,” said Steve Ballas.

“But the older you get, it gets harder and harder. And I’m tired. And I want to spend time with my wife.”

They have sold the restaurant to a couple who plan to open a barbeque place, where they will still sell Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs and signature beer. There will also still be a small Steve’s shop on Concourse B at Denver International Airport.

Ballas credited his staff and the customers for their success.

“We’ve made a lot of people happy. I’m happy. What more is there to life?” said Ballas.