Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

Folks I have added a good many pictures of the demolition here. Please go to the original Key West post, where you can also add comments.

This title loan operation was the follow-on to Bojangles at this address. Judging by the comments on that post, Carolina Title Loans opened here in January 2014, giving them a 3+ year run.

I don't have a phonebook with me to verify this, but I believe the Knox Abbott address tagged as the new location was in fact already a Carolina location, making this more a consolidation than a move.

(Hat tip to commenter Andrew)

Rose Bud was the follow on operation in this location to Kiddie Korner. Possibly at some point in between, it was also Ectax Services. I don't actually know when Rose Bud closed, but Kiddie Korner was about 2009, and when I took these pictures in November 2017, it looked to have been vacant for a while.

RealtyTrac says the building was built in 1958, which I can believe looking at it.

Rose Bud was behind (or in front of, depending on your point of view) Pizza Man and as commenter Andrew notes both those buildings have now been razed.

Devine Foods was unfortunately a place I only got to once or twice. Spanakopita is my go-to Greek dish and as I recall, theirs was quite good. My problem was that they closed quite early both for lunch & dinner making it difficult to fit into my eccentric schedule.

Here is a story from The State on the closing, and an appreciation from The Free Times

UPDATE 8 May 2018 -- This place is being razed to the outer walls:

I noticed last weekend that there no cars at this 24-Hour fitness center at Four J's Plaza, and decided to take a closer look. It turns out that the center in fact had three of the four units at the plaza (an Allstate office has the other), and all are now for lease though the equipment is not yet gone.

As you can see here, the rightmost unit was originally Ela's European Market & Deli, with a Sprint and quick cash stores to the left. (The insurance office was already there then)

This local soul food restaurant apparently opened in 2015 and was active at least to June 2017. This stretch of Percival is on my route between home and the new Panera on Forest Drive, and I started wondering about the lack of cars at the place recently. Taking a closer look reveals no closing signage, but there is definitely work going on inside. I don't know if this is in preparation for a new tenant, or is an upfit for this restaurant.

While I'm by no means a Bojangles regular, I do like a sausage biscuit every now and then, and they make a decent one.

Judging from this State story, I think the basic issue here was that while this location did a reasonable business, it was in an older building that the chain just did not want to fool with anymore. Although commenter James R noted the quick paint job, it does not appear that there is anything as yet slated to go in here as the real estate sign is still up some 3+ months later.

The LoopNet listing has a nice picture of the Bojangles still in operation.

(Hat tip to commenter ED)

UPDATE 11 March 2020 -- More than two years later, all the fixtures still inside:

Also adding map icon.

As reported by commenter James R, Mattress Man is no longer in this Sunset Boulevard strip mall. Prestige Appliance moved out of that suite in October of 2014, and it was empty for a while after that.

I just noticed, looking at the strip marquee, that the Mattress Man mascot is, in fact, a "Mattress Man", or as the late George Carlin might have said, He's a mattress, man..

(Hat tip to commenter James R)

Well, another day, another Pig. I wasn't even aware there was a place called Red Bank in the Midlands until I started this blog, but there's actually a good bit of commercial activity there near the I-20 intersection. Although now there's a little less..

As commenter Homer mentions, with the closing of this store, the only footprints the chain has left in the area are the North Main Street & Devine Street stores, and with the adding of this closing, I will have, if I am counting correctly, 19 closings for Piggly Wiggly. How have the mighty fallen.

(Hat tip to commenter Jimmy)

UPDATE 12 January 2018: Add store number as found by commenter Andrew to post title.

This little home-cooking restaurant had been on this corner since 1991. (Before that, the place was a sandwich shop, and before that, a pharmacy). According to this article in The State, the owner decided, with regret, that it was time to retire.

By the time I got around to taking these pictures, I was surprised to find the place setting up as a new restaurant, the Hampton Street Diner. In fact, I was surprised enough that when there were actually people inside, I could only think of a few words to introduce myself and ask a few inane questions about the opening date and format, not even getting a web site or menu. There's a reason I take pictures of empty buildings rather than talking to people..

Luckily, The Free Times has it covered here: The place is now open, has a '50s' theme, and is serving breakfast & lunch with local delivery available.

And, if you are ever get too comfortable with using google as a source, just google "nathan's hampton street":

Brooklyn-born fast-food chain offering signature hot dogs, fries, burgers & more.