Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

Carolina Wings & Rib House has shed a number of locations over the last few years. According to the chain web site, they currently have five operating inasmuch as any restaurants are operating right now.

I was not aware of this Washington Street location at all until commenter Gary noted its closing. This one would have not have been too far from the Gervais Street location which is now Twin Peaks, though I guess it would have been too far for downtown office lunchers to hoof.

(Hat tip to commenter Gary)

As reported by commenter Andrew, the Food Lion in Polo Plaza has upped shop and moved to the old Bi-Lo in Spring Valley Commons.

This move leaves not a lot in Polo Plaza, which Domino's having moved last year.

(Hat tip to commenter Andrew)

UPDATE 2 May 2020: Changed the move date from March 2020 to June 2019 based on the comments.

And so it begins..

When my parents were still living, we ate at Yesterday's fairly often. In recent years, I have only gone a few times, but never worried about it, as I figured it would always be there. Hopefully they will come back.

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Mostly you should not expect many "new" closings during this odd hiatus, and this is no exception:

This GNC was in the Walmart center on Bush River Road. I'm not sure when it closed. I have looked back several years in phonebooks, but don't see it listed. Unfortunately, I did not get a book last year or this, so it could be very recent. I will just say 2019-ish for now.

Well, I had to go out to mail something the other day, and decided I might as well check out the Steak n' Shake in Blythewood.

There has already been some discussion of this in various comments, with commenter Sidney putting this down to the classic real-estate trifecta: Location, location, location!. I'm sure that has something to do with it, but I believe the chain is having trouble in general. In particular, I know they exited Myrtle Beach last year and were having lots of problems even before the current mess.

The linked article says they closed 107 restaurants that "could not deliver excellent customer service" in 2019, so something is going on. Wikipedia says they adopted a new franchaise model in 2018, so perhaps that is not working out for them. Apparently some restaurants will re-open as counter-service only operations -- I do not know if this one will be among that group.

I have never eaten at a Steak n' Shake -- Columbia's only other one closed years ago, and has been razed -- but it has always been on my list to try someday. Oh well.

(Hat tip to commenter Shut it Down)

Aladdin occupied the spot formerly allocated to the Saint Andrews branch of Capitol Newsstand, and was apparently more of a grocery than a restaurant, at least according to both their name and their Yelp reviews.

I had thought they had closed several years ago, but I see they listed in the 2018 phonebook, so I will say "2018" for the closing date. They have been replaced by one of the inexplicable raft of new crab restaurants in town.

UPDATE 21 November 2020: Updated tags

I noticed recently that Frank's Discount Tire on Fairlane Drive is now Mavis Discount Tire. I don't have any experience with either business, but I have to say Frank's had the nicer sign. Of course I'm a sucker for neon.

UPDATE 18 March 2021: Edited the tags.

As mentioned by commenter Andrew, Tripp's Fine Cleaners have closed their Saint Andrews Road location. Looking at their sign, I think the closest next location to here is probably the old Piggly Wiggly location on Lake Murray Boulevard.

(Hat tip to commenter Andrew)

UPDATE 21 November 2020: Updated tags.

UPDATE 25 January 2022 -- Now Greedy Rascals, a hot dog arcade(?):

UPDATE 1 February 2024: Updating tags.

This old Hardee's building has had a number of incarnations over the years. I apparently totally missed the Top Shelf Tavern phase which commenter Andrew pointed out in the Hardee's comments, but now the follow-on operation to that, Home Team Tavern is also gone and the place back on the market.

Judging by the Facebook Page, they were still doing events on 15 February 2020, so I'm marking the closing as "Mid February".

UPDATE 15 September 2020 -- As mentioned in the comments, this place is working to open as Amora Sports Bar & Grill:

Carolina Cafe in Westland Square on Sunset Boulevard, which had been in this location since 2014, closed in early December so the owners could concentrate on their downtown business at 925 Sumter Street in Cornell Arms, according to ColaDaily.

The new owner already had plans for the spot, so the storefont did not sit empty for long, and is now open again as Sunshine Cafe & Catering, though the marquee sign has yet to be fully adjusted. ColaDaily noted the opening:

Sunshine Café, located at 2250 Sunset Blvd. in the Westland Shopping Center, will still offer beloved menu items like fresh-baked bagels and paninis, similar to the previous restaurant. However, owner Shutondia Culcleasure said Sunshine Cafe will be incorporating a “sweeter side” to the menu.

“We’ll have a variety of cheesecakes, red velvet, German chocolate, just a whole sweeter side to the bakery,” she said.

(Hat tip to commenter Andrew)