Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

Commenter justin points out this building on Blanding Street just West of Benedict, the former location of Stier Supply Company. I like the recessed blocks in the brickwork on the East side of the facade. You know that that's been climbed more than a time or two. I also like the bit of railway spur that fades out somewhere between Blanding Street and the main part of the courtyard. Obviously at one time, freight trains plied the way here, and to the concrete plant across the street. (Of course freight trains across the street is not a bit of Columbia nostalgia I actually miss).

Commenter Homer mentions that there is still a Stier location in Irmo on Lake Murray Boulevard.

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Definitely some names I didn't expect here. And some I'm not surprised about..

http://www.thestate.com/2014/06/26/3532788/dhec-eight-midlands-eateries-scored.html

CELLAR ON THE GREENE	2001-D GREENE ST COLUMBIA	86 B	5/27/2014 R
WAFFLE HOUSE #126	778 ST ANDREWS ROAD COLUMBIA	86 B	5/19/2014 R
CHURCH'S FRIED CHICKEN #0821	4000 NORTH MAIN ST COLUMBIA	86 B	5/8/2014 R
PALMETTO ROADS	2721 WESSINGER ROAD CHAPIN	85 B	6/18/2014 R
SAN JOSE	10618 BROAD RIVER RD IRMO	85 B	5/13/2014 R
SWANSEA COFFEE SHOP	275 S MONMOUTH AVE SWANSEA	84 B	6/17/2014 R
LOS BELLOS PORTALES	108 COLUMBIA NORTHEAST DR #A COLUMBIA	84 B	5/29/2014 R
WRIGHT WAY #9	2725 RIDGEWAY ROAD RIDGEWAY	84 B	5/22/2014 R
PIZZERIA UNO	5304 SUNSET BLVD LEXINGTON	84 B	4/29/2014 R
BLIMPIE	360 HARBISON BLVD COLUMBIA	83 B	6/17/2014 R
PEKING WOK	4760 HARDSCRABBLE RD SUITE 110 COLUMBIA	83 B	5/29/2014 R
PHOENIX LOUNGE	1004 ZIMALCREST DR COLUMBIA	83 B	5/13/2014 R
CHINA WOK III	1201 CHAPIN RD CHAPIN	83 B	5/7/2014 R
PALMETTO PIG	530 DEVINE ST COLUMBIA	83 B	5/2/2014 R
GOLDEN CORRAL	5300 FOREST DRIVE COLUMBIA	82 B	6/13/2014 R
ASB STOP	4431 B BLUFF RD COLUMBIA	82 B	6/11/2014 R
LITTLE CAESAR'S PIZZA #10	7840 GARNERS FERRY RD COLUMBIA	82 B	6/2/2014 R
WAFFLE HOUSE #939	8600 FARROW ROAD COLUMBIA	82 B	5/29/2014 R
CIRCLE K #5140	2202 BUSH RIVER RD COLUMBIA	82 B	5/5/2014 R
CHEN'S GARDEN	1180 DUTCH FORK RD SUITE D IRMO	82 B	5/1/2014 R
WING NUTS	5454-B SUNSET BLVD LEXINGTON	81 B	6/13/2014 R
ANGEL RESTAURANT	10136 TWO NOTCH RD STE 7A COLUMBIA	81 B	6/9/2014 R
MILLENNIUM BUFFET	409 BLOSSOM ST COLUMBIA	81 B	5/23/2014 R
MIYO'S ON FOREST	3250 FOREST DRIVE SUITE B COLUMBIA	81	B 5/13/2014 R
EASTERN BUFFET	5424 FOREST DR COLUMBIA	81 B	5/1/2014 R
M VISTA	701 LADY ST SUITE C COLUMBIA	80 B	5/20/2014 R
PEKING WOK II	013 BROAD RIVER ROAD #F COLUMBIA	79 B	6/11/2014 R
PHO VIET	2011 DEVINE ST COLUMBIA	79 B	4/30/2014 R
WAFFLE HOUSE #1759	3949 PLATT SPRINGS RD WEST COLUMBIA	78 B	6/18/2014 R
NORTH MAIN FISH MARKET	6010 N MAIN ST COLUMBIA	78 B	6/16/2014 R
DOC'S BBQ & SOUTH'N BUFFET	1601 SHOP RD SUITE G COLUMBIA	78 B	5/28/2014 R
CHINA HOUSE	7241 BROAD RIVER RD STE 60 IRMO	77 C	5/13/2014 R
GREAT WALL	2700 H BROAD RIVER ROAD COLUMBIA	76 C	6/16/2014 R
NEW CHINA	130 AMICKS FERRY RD CHAPIN	76 C	5/7/2014 R
BANGKOK RESTAURANT 1	7546 GARNERS FERRY RD STE 280B COLUMBIA	75 C	5/23/2014 R
KWIK KORNER	6134 SHAKESPEARE RD COLUMBIA	74 C	5/22/2014 R
RIOZ	410 COLUMBIANA DR COLUMBIA	73 C	6/9/2014 R
MIYO'S	1220 BOWER PARKWAY SUITE E-2 COLUMBIA	72 C	6/9/2014 R
D&D RESTAURANT	1824 PLATT SPRINGS RD WEST COLUMBIA	71 C	6/18/2014 R

Hungry hungry hippo..

I've always wondered if this little diner by the North Main Sonic was originally connected with the old North Main Street Varsity Restaurant.

While the Varsity name and pennant have always been there as far as I can recall, J S Renee is fairly recent. Back in the 90s and until sometime in the 2000s, the sub-marquee was D'Jasz which apparently also had a location on Rosewood.

(Hat tip to commenter Justin)

As far as I can tell, this vacant church on Broad River Road just north of the I-26 interchange was most recently Fellowship Church and indeed, they are listed in this year's phonebook (Feb 2014). Before that, comment Amanda notes that the property played "Musical Churches" with several moving and and out, including, I believe New Spring Church and Gateway Baptist Church.

While a For Sale sign was up when I took these pictures, but I can't find a current online listing, and I wonder if a sale has closed recently.

(Hat tip to commenter Amanda)

Artsy Fartsy art gallery and coffee bar was one of those places I never could figure out in that I never actually saw it open, but yet it never closed either (though it seems to have rebooted several times). I like coffee, so I was prepared to stop if I ever *did* see it open, but somehow that never happened.

It looks like the place will be rezoned for a thrift store.

Personally, I'm still not exactly sure what an Ultra Lounge is, and how that is different from a nightclub, but Pure, in this much re-purposed modernistic building on Berryhill Road was one, though it is one no more.

If you look closely in front of the door in one of the shots, you can see a bag with the 2014 phonebooks. Like trying to determine which issue of The Free Times is in the rack in a closed establishment, unclaimed phonebooks are another timing clue. In this case we have further evidence however in the fight poster which touts a 22 February match. Given all that, I'd put the date in early February 2014. I have to say though, that the place looks pretty decrepit for having been open that recently. The dress-code posters, for example, have already faded into illegibility. (Interestingly, the last time they tweeted was 2010).

(Hat tip to commenter)

Commenter James reports the closing of Marpie's Antiques & Collectibles on Augusta Road.

This is an interesting location in a building which is shared with Avon and has nice little family plot outside. The peeling marquee sign reveals part of the name of a previous business underneath, but I am unable to make it out. It appears to be

EDS
ector

UPDATE 24 June 2014 -- Here's some pictures of the previous location at 910 Meeting Street:

This building in Triangle City as been a number of different automative service operations, as I noted here. Automotive Tekniques moved in at the start of September 2011, and seems to have lasted until late last year. I think I had some photos of the place in operation, but I can put my hands on them right now.

Currently a zoning sign on the property suggests it will be changing from C-1 Intensive Commercial to C-2 General Commercial. I'm not sure what that actually means, but to me it suggests a future retail operation.

(Hat tip to commenter tonkatoy)

UPDATE 17 September 2016 -- This is now STS Auto Sales & Repairs. Cola Daily says they opened on 25 September 2014 and that the name stands for Sales To Service:

I like this compact two storey house on Rosewood near Beltline, though it is perhaps a little hard to get in and out of.

It was the onetime home of Stan Smith Realty who have moved to Millwood. It looks like the place is off the market though I saw no signs of activity there yet.

UPDATE 27 September 2014 -- It's now a used textbook shop:

Well, there was some chatter on Have Your Say the other day about Church's Chicken, so I thought I would bring out these Church's pictures from Aiken. They were taken on a fairly recent visit this March, but I believe the restaurant has been vacant since before I left Aiken around 2005 or so. The place is on the stretch of US-1 (York Street) between I-20 exit 22 and downtown proper. Or perhaps you can consider Hampton Avenue to be the start of downtown (and Aiken's weird double streets). LoopNet says the building is in the city limits proper. (They also seem to be saying it can be reused, but the current state is a good bit more decrepit than the picture they use, and I have my doubts).