Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

Ever since the grocery store at the corner of Centre & 6th Streets closed and turned into an antique mall, probably in the early 80s I'm guessing, this Publix has been my go-to when in Fernandina. Also, Publix "Presto" ATMs are about the only sure thing for not triggering a fraud alert on my debit card when I am on the road, so imagine my surprise last week when I went to get some cash and found the whole store mostly demolished.

According to local reports, the store closed in April and is to be rebuilt in place as a larger store, with Publix Pours kiosk which sounds like more of an internal restaurant than the current deli sections. Apparently the new store is to be like the one in Wellington a place I don't believe I have ever heard of before.

This shopping center, Island Walk Shopping Center is the site of several other posts here, including Kmart and Barberitos.

In the interim, there is a Publix west on A1A a few miles at the new Wildlight development in Yulee.

Hope everyone is having a great 4th Of July!

Tati's, headquartered on Broad River Road, were in the process of rehabilitating the old Dentsville Rush's location, but operations seem to have stalled out. I have not seen any progress on the work there over the last several months, and I have not seen the Tati's food truck parked in the parking lot lately either.

At first it seems like this Fatz is well situated, being highly visible from the Interstate, and right next to Gaffney's most famous landmark, but on further consideration, it is quite a long distance down a frontage road that by the time you get to the Interstate exit, you have half forgotten that you were going to get off. Locating in an outparcel of the Hamrick's right at the exit might have in fact been better. In the event it is all moot since the whole chain shut down as we have discussed before, but perhaps not moot at the time as this location apparently closed well before the others, and the note from management hints at some issues.

The building has obviously attracted unwelcome attention, and may be beyond salvage at this point. I'll have to see how it looks the next time I'm in the area, which most likely won't be for a year or more.

Here is the building in happier times.

After missing last year's convention due to a wedding, I was able to get back to Charlotte Saturday for day 2 of this year's.

I managed to get there a little earlier this year and the extra time actually let me walk every asile of the convention floor, which is massive, and I was definitely feeling it in my feet and in my bag-laden arms by the time the floor closed at 6:00.

In the event I picked up a number of things I would have bought on general principles, and another number of things I had never heard of from creators who were also good salesmen. There is a certain danger in making eye contact going up and down the asiles, but by the same token that's one reason for going to a big show: To get something you had no idea existed, but yet which someone is passionate about.

This young lady is "Poderosa" one of the heroines of Pittsburgh based "Heroineburgh" comics which I was enthusiastically given to understand is a sort of pinup based comic series similar to AC Comics "Femforce" which also produces campy live-action episodes at https://www.heroineburgh.com. I left with several autographed issues, an autographed picture of Ms Poderosa and this proof that it happened.

This group of cosplayers had kind of a Shrek thing going on with also some Marvel & DC representation.

I was glad to see that the creators of Elfquest, a comic I liked a lot back in the 80s are still rolling along.

These were a couple of more sales made by a stoked creator. Apparently the hero here is a tiger in a Zootopia type city of animals who holds down a day job as a teacher and works the nights as a Batman type vigilante with a strong focus on anti-bullying in both roles.

Indie space opera -- I don't know anything else about it yet.

Comic tie-in to the above.

Reportedly a humorous story about a knight in love with a dragon and all the mayhem that would cause.

The Heroineburgh comics plus assorted associated swag.

An issue of Hogan's Alley, an ongoing comics' history magazine.

More indie space opera, there are several novellas in this volume, but that's all I know!

You can't go wrong with Pogo!

I just fininished Volume 72: Luffy & the crew are split into several groups in the mysterious country of Dressrosa where toys are alive, and Luffy must fight in the arena to keep the power of his late brother Ace from falling into the wrong hands.

I had a nice conversation with comic writer Mike Baron towards the end of the day. He had a long run on "The Flash" for DC, but is probably best known for the space-opera superhero series Nexus and the Wisconsin gonzo series The Badger ("Put on a costume and fight crime? You'd have to be crazy..."). Recently he and Nexus co-creator, artist Steve Rude, parted ways and they are now doing separate Nexus projects. Baron was fairly philosophical about it and indicated that at least they could actually do that because they owned the character. It turns out that Baron actually has no ownership of The Badger, so getting new Badger projects going is more difficult. I picked up Baron's latest Nexus graphic novel Scourge (done now with artist Kelsey Shannon), an issue of his Florida Man which I hope has some of that Badger gonzo spirit. His police thriller Thin Blue Line (he admitted that coming out as a pro-police conservative has hurt him some in the industry), and his take on Sherlock Holmes.

All in all, an interesting day, and I left pleasantly footsore and laden to fight the I-77 traffic.

I came across these pictures recently, taken in 2018, and as best as I can figure, the store closed not too long after that.

Apparently Sears Hometown Store (sometimes also known as Sears Home Improvement perhaps) was somewhat separate from the failing general retail stores, focusing more on hardware & appliances. It was apparently also separate from Sears Appliance Repair, which still seems to be around.

For such a small store, this place has been going of of business a surprising amount of time. I believe I noticed the first signs up back in December, and as of the start of June, they were still open. Low Country has been a stalwart in this this little lagoon-centered strip which underwent a major renovation/reconfiguration ten or so years ago. Some longtime shops like The Island Cafe & Deli, The Mole Hole & Spa Sera closed or moved, but Low Country stayed on.

I have gotten a number of new watch batteries installed there, but now I guess I will need to find another place in the area.

Not straying too far from yesterday's post, I noticed that the West Main Lizard's Thicket in Lexington is under renovation, and closed for now. There did definitely appear to be work going on, so I think this one will legit be back, which is not always the case when a place closes to remodel.

I noticed this vacant Sonic last weekend in Lexington.

According to The State, it closed around the end of December 2022 in order for the chain to open a new store nearby at 461 Columbia Avenue, a somewhat larger piece of land.

As of yet, there is no new tenant here though it is listed (with a nice picture of the store in operation).

Ratio, the Peruvian tapas restaurant which is a follow-on in this space to Mangia! Mangia! and Shag Bistro has announced that they will be closing after service on 28 June 2025.

The State has the story here.

They are open Wednesday through Saturday, so you have, I believe, 9 more days to catch them.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)