Hilton Head business prepares to welcome adorable new public relations puppy

Blake Douglas
·3 min read

Hilton Head natives and visitors in December mourned the death of Maverick, the furry celebrity who was a fixture at Coligny Hardware and Beach Supplies for almost a decade.

So widespread was islanders’ love for the gentle giant that around 150 people attended Maverick’s celebration of life, held on Feb. 25. Remembered as a “lot of people’s best friend,” Coligny Hardware owner Beth Castelli said Maverick’s spirit will remain at the store for “a long, long time.”

Castelli said it was still difficult every time she closed the shop after Maverick’s death, though. His absence was noticeable to everyone who’d shopped there during his eight years of service as the store’s “PR guy.”

Maverick, the Great Pyreneese mascot of Coligny Hardware and Beach Supplies, rests in the store’s doorway on Nov. 12. Maverick recently recovered from a sudden sickness which left him with a high fever and little appetite. Blake Douglas
Maverick, the Great Pyreneese mascot of Coligny Hardware and Beach Supplies, rests in the store’s doorway on Nov. 12. Maverick recently recovered from a sudden sickness which left him with a high fever and little appetite. Blake Douglas

Thanks to a Valentine’s Day surprise from Castelli’s husband, the shop will soon have a new, eager pup looking to step into the role and bring future customers the same joy Maverick did. The new hire, Charles Henry Valentine, or Charlie, is inheriting the family business, too. Charlie is Maverick’s nephew, adopted from the same breeder just outside of Athens, Georgia.

Charlie, the new mascot at Coligny Hardware, greets another dog. The eight-week-old pup’s first day on the job will be March 15. Photos courtesy of Beth Castelli
Charlie, the new mascot at Coligny Hardware, greets another dog. The eight-week-old pup’s first day on the job will be March 15. Photos courtesy of Beth Castelli

“I’ve been so sad since I lost my sweet Maverick, that my husband couldn’t stand it. Because I’d cry all day at work, because we talk about him all day, and then I’d go home and cry, and it’s just too hard,” Castelli said. “I heard a rumor from a friend of his (in January) that he was going to surprise me with a puppy. I just went to him and said, ‘No, you cannot surprise me, that will make it harder because I have to grieve, I have to do this.’”

When Valentine’s Day rolled around, Castelli learned the gift would be ready in three to four weeks and that she could ride along to pick it up if she wanted to, her husband told her.

“About last Sunday, I sat him down and I said, ‘If this gift has four legs and a tail, I need to know about it, because I’ve got to make some preparations,’” Castelli said.

Charlie’s scheduled for shots when he arrives, which will keep him out of the shop until a few days after he gets to Hilton Head on Monday. Charlie’s first day at the store will be Wednesday, March 15.

Charles Henry Valentine, or Charlie, will be Coligny Hardware’s up-and-coming “PR guy.” Charlie was adopted as a Valentine’s Day surprise for the store’s owner, Beth Castelli, after the store’s former mascot Maverick died in December 2022. Photos courtesy of Beth Castelli
Charles Henry Valentine, or Charlie, will be Coligny Hardware’s up-and-coming “PR guy.” Charlie was adopted as a Valentine’s Day surprise for the store’s owner, Beth Castelli, after the store’s former mascot Maverick died in December 2022. Photos courtesy of Beth Castelli

The eight-week-old pup will have a steep learning curve to live up to the standards set by his uncle and longtime public relations representative, but Castelli said she’s excited to get Charlie on the job.

““The puppy’s father and Maverick have the same father, so Maverick was his uncle. I’m hoping some of that same sweet blood flows through him,” Castelli said. “Hopefully he’ll be just as fabulous as my sweet boy (Maverick).”