Winn-Dixie, 2768 Decker Boulevard (Corner of Decker & Trenholm Ext): 24 August 2005 22 comments
This Winn-Dixie was located in a hard-luck strip mall on the "troubled" Decker Boulevard corridor. Prior to the store's locating there, the physical plant of the building it went into had really been in bad shape since the long-ago departure of its predecessor (whose name I can't recall right now). Winn-Dixie put a lot of work into the building, and it looked like the mall would come to life again as it attracted a few new businesses, including Columbia stalwart, The Book Exchange.
What my family found really notable about the store's opening was the blast of publicity they paid for: They mailed everyone in the area a custom produced 10 minute VHS casette to promote the store and all its features. That must have cost them a pretty penny (now I suppose they would just mail a postcard with their web-site address, though I suppose since that would be less notable, people would be less likely to actually follow it up..).
Out of curiosity, my sister & I watched the tape which had been sent to my father. I know the impression I got from the tape was that the store was very upscale with an extensive deli department. I was surprised when I actually dropped by the store to find that it was very average. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it, and I wouldn't hesitate to stop if I were in the area and remembered I needed something, but it was definitely less upscale than other non-FoodLion stores in the general area (Publix for instance).
Still, I think it did well enough, and was a solid tenant for the struggling plaza. Unfortunately, the whole Winn-Dixie chain got in big trouble in 2004 and completely exited North & Suth Carolina, leading to the store's closure, and the plaza started going downhill again. The Book Exchange in fact moved back to almost the same spot on Two Notch that it had moved from to begin with. Lately things have stablized a bit with the Comedy House moving (after a hiatus) from its Saint Andrews Road location into half of the Winn-Dixie, and a bingo operation subsuming the other half as well as the Book Exchange spot and several other spots
on the other side. At this point only the huge sign behind the old store remains to say that Winn-Dixie was once there. (Though that itself is a bit unusual: Chains that are still operating usually take care to remove their branding from failed locations).
UPDATE 11 March 2011: Updated closing date to 24 August 2005 based on here.
22 Responses to 'Winn-Dixie, 2768 Decker Boulevard (Corner of Decker & Trenholm Ext): 24 August 2005'
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scruffy
12 Jun 08 at 2:19 pm
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Ah the thrill-a-minute world of retail grocering (if that's a word)!
ted
12 Jun 08 at 3:40 pm
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I remember there being a Lionel Playworld there when I was a kid. It closed down right after Christmas shortly after the Toys R Us opened.
J.P.
13 Jun 08 at 2:29 pm
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yep remember Harris Teeter then Playworld and finally winn dixie.
Mr Bill
26 Jun 08 at 4:38 pm
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I remember in Columbia there would be Food Lion, Bilo, Winn Dixie,Piggly Wiggly, Harris Teeter, Kroger Giant Foods? ( I think it was called Giant something), I ever remember the old A@P near Dutch Square. And now we have around 7 Publix'. Seems like one day all we will have is Publix.
Arthur
20 Jul 08 at 4:23 pm
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The Giant Foods was down Decker toward 77 (prior to 77 being there). Before this Winn Dixie was built the entire shopping center was revamped. It used to be a big L shape and my mom worked at a salon in the corner. There was also a store in there that sold Cabbage Patch kids but I can't remember the name. There was a McDonald's in front of the center kind of where Longhorn's is located. There was also a bank. Can't recall the other stores.
natalie
26 Aug 08 at 4:41 pm
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The store that is an outbuilding started as a "mailbox" service store, the first I had seen.
There was also a video equipment store on the side up against the train tracks.
ted
26 Aug 08 at 4:48 pm
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There was also a Tandy Leather craft store. I always thought it was totally bizarre that the same comapny sold leather pelts for camp crafts AND developed the some of the first portable computers.
Dennis
26 Aug 08 at 6:24 pm
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Giant Food World was originally Red & White. There were several R & W in Cola at one time, inculding one on Two Notch near its original intersection with Decker
Tom
27 Aug 08 at 12:16 pm
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Man Winn-Dixie had the best cakes. Every year my mom use to get my birthday cake from here. Man I'm mad they closed cause Wal-Mart cakes don't taste the same.
Princess
24 Dec 08 at 12:11 pm
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I think the last bday cake I tasted was from Publix, and it was pretty good...
ted
24 Dec 08 at 12:15 pm
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Tucked in the corner of this shopping center (88-90ish) was a Middle Eastern restaurant called "Tajie's." The owner would later open a a Subway, I think. What was interesting to me was that inside, there was a (recent) map of a section of the Middle East labeled "Palestine," where most maps would indicate Israel and Jordan.
badger
13 Jan 09 at 4:57 pm
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Wait Tandy leather and Tandy computers are the same people?
Oh and I'm pretty sure it was Giant Food World then Red&White and then something else I think it was called Super Saver. They had the same thing at Midland's shopping center.
Mr Bill
14 Jan 09 at 11:42 am
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Mr Bill -- more about Tandy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tandy_Corporation
Dennis
14 Jan 09 at 12:17 pm
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The Winn-Dixie sign is still there... am I the only one that finds it funny?
Alex
27 Mar 09 at 1:10 am
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Usually a chain that is still operating likes to take all its branding off closed stores. All I can think of is they were in a hurry and it was too expensive to take down!
ted
27 Mar 09 at 1:16 am
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I hear rumour that the Carolina Gold Bingo, which has only been open since June of 2008, is on its way out. The other bingo hall (Carolina Bingo) in that same shopping center, as well as Comedy House, are owned by the same people.
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This resulted as a part of Winn Dixie's 2005 bankruptcy and pullout of the Carolinas. Read below:
DECKER TRIES TO RESTART ITS REVIVAL
AMY GEIER EDGAR
Special to The State
Winn-Dixie's recent closing on Decker Boulevard poses the latest challenge for business and community leaders here, who are hoping a revitalization grant will spruce up the area and attract new business.The grocery store, closed several weeks ago as part of a national downsizing, was the latest departure in recent years among some of Decker's largest retailers. Most of the spaces - including those formerly occupied by Olive Garden, Target and Kroger - are...
Published on 2005-09-29, Page 1, State, The (Columbia, SC)
Andrew
11 Mar 11 at 11:08 pm
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This narrows it down to Wed 24 Aug 2005..
ted
11 Mar 11 at 11:37 pm
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My Mom used to work at Red & White on Decker Blvd. It then changed to Giant Food World. She worked in the meat Department. That was a time when Decker was thriving at the Percival end.
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ted
20 Dec 11 at 1:27 am
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It doesn't appear this way, but I wish it meant that Bi-Lo would become Winn Dixie
Andrew
20 Dec 11 at 1:52 am
it was a Harris-Teeter in the 70s before HT left the Columbia area, returned, and left again.