Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

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I took these pictures after the store closing was announced, but before the closing signs went up. I had meant to swing back by there at some point, but in the event did not get around to it.

The State article said the last day of March was expected to be the final one, so I presume they are now closed.

When I took these pictures on 30 March, I couldn't see any indication on the door that the place was about to close, but apparently by the last day, it was there.

I have never eaten at any of the Miyo's or M locations, but I believe this one had been at Sandhill from the early days.

(Hat tip to commenter Rashaad)

UPDATE 22 May 2019: The State says this is to become an El Jimador.

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After this place tried and failed to open as Nuvo Rest.Bar, it opened as Main Event Sports Bar.

Driving by several times recently during the hours you would expect a sports bar to be open, I have come to the conclusion this place is now gone as well.

I did not know that a consignment shop had gone into the Cromer's location until commenter JamesR mentioned that it had closed. Looking at the web site which is still up for now, it seems to have been several steps up from Goodwill.

This is an interesting looking building and I wonder what it was built for. I'm guessing not for Cogdill since they are not in this front section at all.

(Hat tip to commenter JamesR)

The de-branching of American banks continues with this Wells Fargo location at the southeast corner of Forest Drive and Beltline Boulevard being the latest example to feature here.

I had actually been inside this bank, as my sister and I took care of some shared business there. It was what you would expect, and a perfectably acceptable experience. The place is also actually a little easier to get in and out of than you would think, as there is a back exit to a road paralleling Forest drive behind the mirror buildings that brings you back out at a more convenient location.

(Hat tip to commenter Sidney)

UPDATE 1 May 2019: Updated tags.

UPDATE 15 August 2019 -- As mentioned in the comments, this building has now been razed:

UPDATE 19 June 2023 -- For some reason, they are dropping this lot to street level before building. Perhaps they want an entrance directly onto Beltline?

UPDATE 8 August 2023: According to several local media stories, such as this from the Post & Courier, this is to be a 7Brew coffee location. They don't mess around with building those either, apparently. This lot was vacant yesterday, and today they have the prefab building already delivered and ready to be installed:

UPDATE 15 August 2023 -- The new kiosk is settled in:

UPDATE 2 March 2024 -- The 7 Brew coffee shop is up and running, and construction on a Prisma Health Urgent Care seems nearly done:

I noticed when I was in the Columbia Mall food court recently that China Max was closed. It's been quite a while since I was at the mall last, so I'm just tagging the date as 2018 for lack of anything more precise. I presume this China Max was connected with the China Max at Richland Mall, but I don't know for sure.

What I find especially interesting is the sign proclaiming that the place will soon be a King's Pizza. This pizza chain seems to be making a big splash all of a sudden, with a store on Forest Drive in the former Charlie's Wings, one opening here, and one opening in the old Chickadee's Diner on Marshall Street.

I don't know much about autoPROS Columbia other than that it was a used car dealership, and had an idiosyncratic sense of capitalization and word spacing. This space was previously Stivers Subaru, which closed in 2011. After that, I think the spot was vacant a few years before autoPROS moved in, and probably will be again now.

(Hat tip to commenter Matt)

UPDATE 11 July 2019 -- Now American Car Center:

I did not realize until I googled Portfolio that these pictures are of the back side of the gallery: 2007 Devine Street. I'll have to get some pictures of the main entrance next time I am in the area.

I am always nervous to go into commercial art galleries because I know that although I like art a good bit, there is approximately a zero percent chance that I will buy another painting I have no place to hang. I am particularly afraid of being the only potential customer in the store and having to dissapoint the owner. Of course there are a lot of topics like this that I'm neurotic about. So anyway, I never went into Portfolio but The State story on the closing makes it sound quite an interesting place which had been there since 1980. The owner is going on to a well deserved retirement.

(Hat tip to commenter Summer)

UPDATE 6 April 2020 -- Here's one more picture, from 1 February 2015: