Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

This attractive stone-accented building up the hill from Columbiana Drive on Lake Murray Boulevard has featured here several times. First it was Atlanta Bread, which closed in May 2008, and then re-opened around September 2011, finally closing again in May of 2014. Next it was Urban Cookhouse, which closed in October 2018.

Seafood Connection, which was a second location for a Charlotte restaurant, opened here in August 2019. The State had the story celebrating the "Lowcountry boil", and "secret spice". They also had the story on the closing, putting in in context with a number of seafood openings, but with no details on the reasons.

I don't see any obvious reason why this spot is not a good one for a restaurant, but history seems to suggest it is not. We'll see what goes in next.

(Hat tip to commenter Mr. Hat)

UPDATE 22 June 2021 -- To become an El Jimador Mexican restaurant:

“Our business is doing extremely well, so it’s a funny time to be getting out of the business,” Sanderson says. “I’m starting to work on my 80th birthday and it’s beyond retirement time.”

I suppose I'll be featuring all the former Sandy's locations here before too long. This is one I actually ate at at least once, and probably a few more times after shopping expeditions to Dutch Square. This store is part of the row of restaurants and other businesses that fronts on Broad River Road and backs on (or has access to) Diamond Lane in the former Intersection Center. I see now that (presumably) the church which bought all the back property has put gates cutting off through access to Diamond Lane, which I can understand -- it was kind of an odd setup.

The State has more details on Sandy's history and closing.

UPDATE 4 February 2021 -- As mentioned in the comments, this building is to become Asian Express:

UPDATE 24 June 2021 -- The Asian Express appears poised to open:

UPDATE 13 March 2023 -- Asian Express is open, and has been for a good while:

Google calls Cost Plus World Market a "furniture store". I had never thought of it that way. The only time I went inside this (or any World Market), I was attracted by the food aisles, and didn't really notice any furnishing. Indeed, I think the only thing I've ever had from the chain was a gift of some exotic chocolate bars one birthday.

Commenter Rashaad Egister pre-called this closing back in September of 2019. Apparently World Market was bought by Bed, Bath & Beyond back in 2012, and is caught up in a round of closings for that chain.

(Hat tip to commenter Rashaad Egister)

UPDATE 29 January 2020: Added the first two daytime pictures from 6 October 2019 at top.

UPDATE 14 October 2020 -- This space is not setting up to be an American Eagle:

I like Jimmy John's, and I go there every now and then for the JJBLT. I do wish they had nicer booths, and let you keep the bread core they trim when hollowing out the rolls, but it's a decent sandwich. I was recently in Pensylvania for work, and ate dinner at an Indian restaurant that was a former Jimmy John's and still had the whimsical (and mildy risque) plaques in the men's room -- wonder what the customers actually from India who might not have recognized the branding made of that..

This location replaced a Quiznos in 2013. I honestly thought it was more recently than that. I'm not sure exactly when it closed, but there are reviews from the last few weeks, so it was either last month or this. The place is currently being gutted, so perhaps something new is already on the way.

(Hat tip to commenter Matthew Benjmain)

UPDATE 28 September 2022: Updating tags.

There is a much better picture of this building in the LoopNet listing. I had gone looking for Copper Horse (not sure I found it..) so these pictures were a bit of an afterthought.

I'm not sure exactly when Prestige Marble closed, but they listed (without an address) in the phonebook until the February 2018 volume, so I'll say 2017.

The left side of this building is currently the Andrew Yang presidential campaign headquarters for South Carolina (or maybe just for Columbia). Presumably that will last through the February 2020 primary.

The last time I was at Sandhill, this frame shop in the Bi-Lo wing, was planning to work through the holidays and close at the end of the year. With H. Rubin and Rita's, there are now a number of vacancies on this side.

I posted on The Mouse Trap in the spring of 2018 when they closed for remodeling, and again in early 2019 when I noted that they were open again.

Now it seems that, unfortunately, that didn't last. I did finally make it over there for lunch one day last year, and had a good burger. Although it didn't impact my experience as I was the only one in the place, my impression was that they were a bit understaffed at the time.

Commenter Mr. BO sends this link to their 13 January Facebook page announcing the closing and mentions that The Mouse Trap took over from a place I was unaware of, Picasso's in the early 1980s. (Or 1979 as the Facebook mentions).

The State has home more details.

(Hat tip to commenter Mr. BO)

I noticed this empty storefront in the Cantina 76 building driving by on Christmas Eve. A bit of googling established that by that date, the spa had been gone for over a year. They have moved towards Five Points to 2901 Divine, right next to Publick House.

I believe the next most recent tenant in this spot was Hardcore Tennis and before that it may have been Ben & Jerry's. (A chain which surprisingly still has yet to come back to Columbia).

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I first noticed that the Camp Bow Wow dog boarding & play center was selling their building on Taylor just a bit past Harden several years ago, but apparently at the time they did not find a satisfactory buyer, as the For Sale signs came down. Recently, I noticed that the "Camp Bow Wow" signage was down, and that they have relocated to 655 Superior Street.

If I find the pictures with the signage still up, I will post them. In the meanwhile, if the building did sell, there is currently no indication as to what is coming in.