'The Rhum Chef' Paul Yellin Brings Rum Bar to Charleston [Updated]

There's a notice on the door of the former Big John's Tavern space announcing that "251 E Bay St/Cane" has applied for a liquor license. This means the new bar inside is readying for opening. So what's going in there? It seems it will be a rum bar.

Forbes recently ran an interview with chef Paul Yellin, "The Rhum Chef," in which he announces his plans in Charleston:

He calls himself a "rum drinker with a cooking problem," and having spent time with Chef Paul Yellin, aka the Rhum Chef—I was only slightly still standing after the tour he gave me of his island, Barbados, for aNew York Times cover story about Caribbean rum tourism (nytimes.com/2014/02/23/travel/on-a-caribbean-rum-trail.html)—I can affirm this title to be true, indeed. Chef, rum ambassador and author of the cookbook Infusion! Spirited Cooking With Paul Yellin, Chef Paul debuts his Rhum Bar & Caribbean Kitchen in Charleston, South Carolina, this Fall.

A peek at Yellin's Instagram account shows that he is in the former Big John's Tavern structure. It's probably safe to assume that the "195 yr old brickwork, 2 fires, an earthquake, a ton of history, a truckload of memories and now a new lease on life..." he mentions signals that Rhum Bar & Caribbean Kitchen will be the new inhabitant of the building. The license suggests the name may have changed to Cane, which would be fitting of a rum bar.

[UPDATE: Cane is the name of the new establishment. Representatives from the restaurant confirm Yellin is the chef/owner and that "Cane will be a Caribbean-themed, laid back tropical oasis in a refurbished and refreshing location."]

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