Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

Commenter Dennis passed on a reference to this Richland County/Chicora Foundation project that seems especially apropos to today. If you've run across an old graveyard on a hike sometime, you might want to let them know.

Here is another Master Cleaners location. This one is rather interesting because it comprises two buildings on either side of Blossom Street. The odd location is the drop-off point, and the even location is the actual cleaning, storage and pick-up point. I suppose I have driven past this spot at least once a week for the past decade or so without noticing this!

Currently, it being Five Points, the drop off location has quickly become a de-facto free-parking lot.

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Grandma's replaced China Garden in the old Kesters Bamboo House building back in late 2009, when the first two pictures above were taken.

In the event, it seems to have lasted about three years (and to never have gotten a finished sign as seen in the third picture taken around July 2012).

The next, and current, iteration is Kildare's Irish Pub.

UPDATE 24 June 2019: Add tags and map icon.

I noticed this defunct strip club on Bluff Road the other day, on the west side of the road just south of the I-77 exit.

According to what I can find, it has been several clubs, the last of which Diamonds was in business as recently as 2009, but from the state of the building, nobody has done any maintenance since then. (Though it is still in better shape than Liquids).

The names raise some interesting questions. For instance, there was a Diamonds on Berryhill Road. Is there a connection? And: If this was Pleasers 2, where was Pleasers 1?

It is next door to a building even more decrepit about which I will try to find something out so I can eventually do a closing for it as well.

UPDATE 29 October 2012: Commenter tonkatoy says that back in the 70s, this was The Cricket Club. Bit of a sticky wicket, that!

Update 5 November 2012: Well one of the questions above is answered. Commenter BMJae says that the club was named Pleasers and then was closed due to fire, taking the name Pleasers 2 upon reopening after repair and remodel. I have added the name Pleasers to the post title.

Update 20 August 2014 -- This building is not long for the world, in fact it apparently was scheduled to be demolished on 12 August, but said demolition has not yet happened. Interestingly the demolition order gives the address as 3009 Bluff Road, which is not what I found previously with google (ie: 3028 Bluff Road), but it seems authoritative so I am changing the post title to reflect that. Also interestingly, the door was open..

As far as I know, this Mr. B's, a nightclub on Two Notch between Club Fantasy Island and New York Subs & Wings, has no connection with Mr. B's Railroad Tavern -- "Mr. B's" just seems to be a more common establishment name than you might think.

I am pretty sure that I saw the nightclub open earlier this year, so "2012" will have to do as a closing date, especially as they don't seem to have had a phonebook listing.

I originally thought they had the whole building to the left of the sub shop, but a little further googling leads me to find that the left part, 3132 Two Notch has its own history, so I will do a closing on that later.

UPDATE 10 October 2016 -- This lot has now been sold:

There is an interesting little strip mall on Two Notch Road in Dentsville just east of the intersection with Decker Boulevard.

Somewhat like the old Boardwalk Plaza on Bush River Road, this strip is made up of trailers and prefab utility buildings rather than permanent structures. In the case of Boardwalk it was because they always thought new I-26 construction would interfere with the space. In this case, I don't know the reason, but I've always assumed that building codes (and perhaps good construction methods in themselves) don't allow permanent buildings to be built so close to the elevated railbed which carries trains up to the trestle over Decker Boulevard.

At any rate, for whatever the reason, this trailer housed a barber shop for many years. I actually went there three or four times over the years when I would really need a cut, and missed the hours at my regular barbers'.

Although the sign doesn't mention it, the old phonebook listings make clear that you could learn your trade there as well as getting your hair cut.

As I was taking pictures of the Burger King next door, I noticed that this Doctors Care center on Atrium Way & Two Notch was gone.

Looking in the phonebooks, it appears that it probably closed in 2009, which surprises me because I was sure I had been there more recently than that.

In fact, I went here several times over the years, most recently when I stepped on a nail in the nearby Home Depot parking lot. While, of course, it's never pleasant to go to a doctor's office, they generally seemed to get me in and out fairly quickly, and with my problem resolved or prescribed.

UPDATE 26 October 2012: As mentioned in the comments, this Doctors Care is now at 10040 Two Notch.

UPDATE 14 November 2012 -- Here are some pictures of the new location:

UPDATE 20 July 2016 -- The Atrium Way building is now Wellspring Family Medecine:

Like the Burger King at North Main & Sunset, this Two Notch Road King (next to the Post Office) is remodeling, and is closed while that takes place.

The influx of new burger chains to Columbia seems to have sparked a good deal of revamping at McDonald's and Burger King.

(Hat tip to commenter Javier)

UPDATE 5 December 2012 -- Open again!

Spring Valley Commons is the Bi-Lo shopping center at the corner of Two Notch and Rabon Roads. I've always thought of it as a strictly retail location, but the old theater has added an office suite in addition to the self-storage slots, and this storefront on the Bi-Lo side seems as though it would have catered much more to doctors' offices than to walkup traffic. I'm not sure when it closed, but it is listed in the February 2012 phonebook, so I'm just going with '2012'.

(Folks coming in from the link at the CarnivalWarehouse.com forum, you may be interested in my pictures from previous South Carolina State Fairs -- Ted)

Well, as always, the South Carolina State Fair was a good time, with lots of beautiful art, greasy food, neon in motion and oddball retail. If you've read one of these posts before, don't expect anything particularly new this year; it's pretty much the same sights I usually enjoy capturing. I didn't submit anything for the art exhibition this year, so no pictures of the pre-Fair ceremony.

I've got a couple of videos I'll add later as soon as I can get them uploaded to youtube. In the meantime, enjoy!

UPDATE 27 October: First video (cablecars) is uploaded above.

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