Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

This storefront is in the Two Notch strip mall that almost abuts Best Buy. I've always thought it was a little curious that Best Buy never worked out some sort of deal to bring a lane around behind their building to get access to the traffic light here as they have none.

Anyway, this cellphone operation seems to have closed in 2015 judging from my phonebooks.

Well, after mailing out the flyers in May, the Richland Mall Bank Of America is finally closed. As you'll recall, they closed the drive-through in March 2015 at which point the writing was probably on the wall.

I don't know why, but I had it in my mind that the ATM would remain, though in the event that turns out not to be the case. At any rate, I believe that Trenholm Plaza is now the only Forest Acres BOA location.

UPDATE 8 May 2018 -- This building has now been sold, though there is no indication of what is planned there:

UPDATE 30 August 2018 -- As commenter Dennis Craighead notes in Have Your Say, this building is being razed. I guess building something there demonstrates some belief that the whole Richland Mall property will not just be plowed under at some point..

Well, that's a shame.

While I was out of town, 92.1 The Palm vanished from the Columbia airwaves. This station had one of the most interesting playlists in town, running to R&B flavored cuts you didn't hear elsewhere along with album tracks that seemed to have been chosen with some actual thought. According to their goodbye message you may find a similar mix online at their sister stations in NC & VA though I have not yet sampled them. Wikipedia has the history of the frequency (officialy WWNU) here.

I'm not quite sure what has been going on with the replacement signal, praise channel HIS Radio. The first time I heard it, it was on 96.7 HD2, the old Son Of Steve spot, replacing Son Of Steve follow-on format "Classic Vinyl". After that, fairly brief, time, it moved to 96.7 HD3, with "Classic Vinyl" returning to HD2. Then I saw the billboard above trumpeting the debute of HIS Radio on 106.3. So, as of now, I believe HIS Radio is in the Columbia market at three simulcasting locations: 92.1, 106.3 and 96.7 HD3. That seems odd to me.

(Hat tip to commenter Mr. B.O. via email)

The marquee says Fields Home Fashion Center but the phonebook and internet suggest Fields Home Fashions as the formal name. At any rate this storefront is on the Dutch Square side of Boozer Shopping Center, to the right of Manifest and Dollar General. From what little I can find, this was a decor store, with a specialty in window treatments.

I mentioned a while ago that the Forest Drive location of Nutrition Warehouse had closed, along with its contract Post Office. I was unaware of this Lexington branch of the chain, but it seems to have closed recently as well. I am happy to report the Colonial Life Drive Boulevard and Post Office is still open, though that's a bit far for me to bring my packages.

Here's another Saint Andrews Road drycleaner closing from late Spring. I like the Shirts Laundered graphic and the old style rhyming slogan.

(Hat tip to commenter Andrew)

Well, I thought we had reached pigqulibrium, but I gues not. The Edens Plaza Pig on Beltline is in the process of closing now.

I went by today, and the place is at that interesting sweet spot of not too picked over but already pretty good discounts. Perishables are mostly gone, but there are still plenty of canned goods, baking supplies, laundry detergent, toothpaste and other sundries..

The location seems fairly viable to me and the area is not over-grocered. It would not surprise me to see an IGA or Sav-A-Lot go in here.

(Hat tip to commenter Mr. BO via email)

UPDATE 27 August 2017 -- Roses will be opening here on 31 August 2017:

Dolo's was the follow-on operation to Varsity / D'Jasz / J S Rennee near the intersection of Sunset and North Main. As these not very good pictures show, the place is now well on the way to re-opening as Uncle Ned's.

(Hat tip to commenter Justin)

I'm not sure this started as a First Care but it has been that since at least 1997, and some sort of urgent care center since back into the 1980s. I remember I went there once while I was living in Fayetteville and was back in Columbia for the weekend -- it was efficient and effective. It sounds like they were caught up in the ongoing remaking of the health care industry.

I'm not sure what this place was actually called: there was no sign when I first noticed it, and google is a bit squishy on the subject.

However, I haven't forgotten the image (first above) that brought the place to my attention, and prompted a post way back in 2010.

UPDATE 22 September 2016 -- Now The Thrift Store: