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Zesto's / Tracks, 539 Harden Street: 1980s   20 comments

Posted at 10:55 pm in Uncategorized

Zesto's is a Columbia area chain of almost-open-air walk-up restaurants. The older ones are generally odd in that while there may be a dining room, it does not connect to the order counter (which may or may not even be "inside"). The chain is greek influenced, and probably does most of their business in chicken, but for me the attraction has always been chocolate-dipped soft-serve vanilla cones. There's almost a little ceremony as the server fills the cone, then upends it and dips it into the vat of molten chocolate. Then, you take it, wrapped in a little napkin which soaks up the vanilla which is already running down the cone to your hand and, and bite into the just hardened shell -- perfection.

This lot on the corner of Harden & Blossom streets was for many years home to the Five Points Zesto. I believe the store was actually built as a Zesto and had a large ice-cream cone "statue" similar to the Triangle City store in Cayce. Although I typically went to the Forest Drive store across from Richland Mall for my chocolate-dip fix, I recall being quite sad when the Five Points store was demolished. What was even sadder is that the location would probably still be viable as a Zesto's, but the store which replaced it, a Record Bar offshoot called Tracks failed pretty quickly. Here's what commenter Hal had to say about Tracks:

I also worked at the Columbia Mall Record Bar. I worked from November of 85 untill the store closed in 91. Brian is correct in that there where two Record Bars in Columbia at the time. One at Dutch Square, which was store #9, and the one at Columbia Mall, which was store #94. The Tracks in 5 points open around 89 or 90, and was the mack-daddy of it’s day. It was the first two story store, which they later regreted because it had no handicap access to the second story, and it was a video rental store. It also got national news coverage when a drunk plowed his car straight trough the Blossom street wall. Hillarious.

At any rate, Tracks didn't last there too long. I forget if there was anything else before the current tenant, T-Mobile, which has been there at least five or more years.

The traffic cones, and the general drab & gray aspect of the picture are due to it being taken the day before the Five Points St. Patrick's Day fest -- what great weather they had this year!

Written by ted on March 22nd, 2009

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20 Responses to 'Zesto's / Tracks, 539 Harden Street: 1980s'

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  1. I remember Blockbuster music ,which I think was part of Blockbuster video, being there. I think it may have just been tracks under a new name. Then T-Moblie. I've heard before that the Rosewood Dairy is connected to Zestos in some way.

    Mr. Bill

    23 Mar 09 at 3:11 pm

  2. I loved this Zesto's and probably stopped in for lunch at least once a week and again late at night for one their soft ice cream cones. The girls really dug that, for some reason.

    Terry

    28 Mar 09 at 12:26 pm

  3. My brother and I went here with our dad one afternoon (we went a lot but this time in particular sticks out) and it was right after my mom had just gotten a job after years of taking care of us. She worked there on Devine right near five points and we parked and rode a bus down to the Zesto, and my dad would always get that same ice cream cone that was the big sign there... a huge soft serve vanilla with chocolate dip. I remember that sign and in my memory when I think of it, a small angelic chorus plays with the memory of the picture :) Silly, but great memory!

    Melanie Gallant

    29 Mar 09 at 2:01 am

  4. Ahhh Tracks.

    Hal got me a job there some months after the Record Bar closed in Columbia Mall. I thought it'd be packed full of college girls buying CDs. Silly me. The place was never packed full of anyone, let alone college girls. Maybe they shopped at Peaches, Manifest or Papa Jazz. I worked there for a few miserable months and I think I estimate the number of customers I actually rang up to be in the high tens.

    It was impossible to find anywhere to park and employees were forbidden to use the minuscule lot out front.

    Upstairs was classical and jazz. I believe it was glassed in so customers would not have to listen to whatever was playing downstairs.

    I cannot remember the name of the manager with the serious Napoleon Complex who fired me for being consistently 5 minutes late, but I am certain he went on to succeed in such a well run company in such a thriving industry.

    And no, I am not bitter. Ha. Although the only time I ever went back there was to say "hi" to Hal every once in awhile.

    Tracks ->Empty-> Blockbuster Music -> Empty ->Suncom -> Tmobile

    If I remember correctly there was a "club" over off of Huger called "Trax" or something similar and the patrons of that club would often call the store thinking it was the club.

    They should have kept this spot a Zesto's.

    Brian

    2 Apr 09 at 2:47 pm

  5. I don't remember what it was called at the time, BlockBuster Music probably, but I got the Beastie Boys - Hello Nasty album at midnight the day it released from here. I just walked up from that bar that used to be beside what used to be The Joyful Alternative... Was it called "Hannah's" (she was a redhead with big...assets...that's all I remember)??? Ah, good times, I think?

    steve

    3 Jun 09 at 10:12 am

  6. Trax, off of Blossom Street and running parallel to Huger, was a lesbian bar with huge outdoor patio. It's site is now consumed by the USC greek village.

    Sean

    24 Jun 09 at 10:07 am

  7. Jarah's (Spelling is wrong, pronounced like "sara" with a "J")???? yup, i think that's what it was called...

    steve

    26 Jun 09 at 9:20 am

  8. Being from Lancaster, SC, we'd come down every few weeks to Columbia and I always had to stop in that record store. interestingly, I remember it being a Camelot Music, but I may be thinking of that because Camelot had a huge store on Independence in Charlotte.

    I seem to recall the music being a bit expensive there, but I was in high school with no real job, so everything was expensive then! Living in Columbia now, I wish it had stayed a Zesto. Even if it's not my favorite place to eat, it's still loc al.

    Joe Hinson

    25 Feb 13 at 2:25 pm

  9. I worked here for a short time when it was Wherehouse Music. Shortly before I left it became Blockbuster Music which was the last thing I think it was before Suncom bought it out. It was the most fun job I ever had - sadly it wasn't full time so I had to move on to a different job...

    Harry

    8 Aug 13 at 1:41 am

  10. To Brian. I was the manager that fired you. No Napoleon complex you just sucked learn to be more responsible is why you got fired and had nothing to do with me. This world already has enough tools to deal with morons like you that can't understand that you being late was not my fault but YOURS. After all those years you never figured it out. How does that not surprise me. Once a tool always a tool. I went on to make $180k a year as an air traffic controller and you are still a loser. Surprise surprise.

    Don

    17 Jun 14 at 7:39 pm

  11. To Brian. I was the manager that fired you. No Napoleon complex you just sucked learn to be more responsible is why you got fired and had nothing to do with me. This world already has enough tools to deal with morons like you that can't understand that you being late was not my fault but YOURS. After all those years you never figured it out. How does that not surprise me. Once a tool always a tool. I went on to make $180k a year as an air traffic controller and you are still a loser. Surprise surprise.

    Don

    17 Jun 14 at 7:39 pm

  12. To Brian. I was the manager that fired you. No Napoleon complex you just sucked learn to be more responsible is why you got fired and had nothing to do with me. This world already has enough tools to deal with morons like you that can't understand that you being late was not my fault but YOURS. After all those years you never figured it out. How does that not surprise me. Once a tool always a tool. I went n to make six figures a year as a controller and you are still a loser. Surprise surprise.

    Don

    17 Jun 14 at 7:39 pm

  13. To Brian. I was the manager that fired you. No Napoleon complex you just sucked learn to be more responsible is why you got fired and had nothing to do with me. This world already has enough tools to deal with morons like you that can't understand that you being late was not my fault but YOURS. After all those years you never figured it out. How does that not surprise me. Once a tool always a tool. I went on to make $180k a year as an air traffic controller and you are still a loser. Surprise surprise.

    Don

    17 Jun 14 at 7:39 pm

  14. Dang Brian, you got fired four times.

    Jason

    17 Jun 14 at 8:06 pm

  15. @Brian and Don- Really doesn't make either one of y'all look good to come on here name calling. As a former office manager, I wouldn't dream of calling a present or past employee things like "moron" or "tool". It's just plain unprofessional. We are on here to reminisce and wax nostalgic, not whine about personal stuff that happened eons ago.

    @ted - I won't be offended if you choose to delete this comment. Sorry for getting off topic. :-)

    TahoeChic

    17 Jun 14 at 8:43 pm

  16. Hmmmm, an air traffic controller that can't even post a simple comment on a computer. Remind me to drive next time I go on a trip.....

    Homer

    17 Jun 14 at 10:17 pm

  17. LOL, Oh well so much for posting on a cell phone.

    I knew the owner of Zestos and spoke with him many times. He still owned the property and the Record bar leased it from him. I could tell he regretted leasing the space out but I guess the property was too valuable to keep as a Zestos. It is in a prime location and contrary to other commentary was rarely empty.

    I left in '91 and had no clue it closed that very same year. We made a good profit the year before so that is surprising to me to say the least. Napster and the sale from Super club to Blockbuster surely where two things that store could not over come.

    Tahoe chick? Glad that you have never met a bad person in your life, must be nice to be surrounded by greatness. I went back and reread his rant "I thought it'd be packed full of college girls buying CDs." then I recalled he got fired for hitting on every girl that walked in the door. Being consistently late made it a simple task. He worked there for a couple of weeks not months, quite literally several shifts and was late on almost every one of them. He rarely rang anyone up because he was too busy scamming on the girls. He was offensive and demeaning to every woman he ever came in contact with. Trust me if a guy like that was hitting up on your daughter or more than likely GRAND DAUGHTER you would think he was a tool also.

    I take exception to a blog that has my likeness smeared in such a manner and I have a right to have my say. I have no problem with my posts being edited or deleted as long as Brian's is too. I enjoyed my time at Tracks with few exceptions. Meeting and dealing with people like this Brian was not of little significance to me. His posting of outright lies is what I have a problem with.

    PS Homer, No worries bud I retire in a year. I work in Albuquerque Center so if you ever travel west you been in my airspace. I found it funny such a worthless person as Brian would wish me ill will and how far off reality he was.

    I posted from my cell phone and as I walked out of the building at work it must have switched from wifi to cell and multi posted. I did a minor auto correct in my truck to discover 4 posts :p oh well.

    Don

    18 Jun 14 at 4:34 am

  18. @Don

    Sir,

    Please accept my humble apology for besmirching your likeness and character. My comments concerning you were hasty and in poor taste. It gives me great joy to hear of your many successes.

    Allow me to submit that it is possible that you may be conflating your memory of me with another employee from roughly the same time period.

    I beg you believe me that I come about this honestly... as I had zero game. Zip, zilch. Nada. Being your employee as a 16 year old, I was utterly terrified of even ringing up a vhs tape-rewinder or cassette single for any woman under the age of 70. So while I did say "I thought it'd be packed full of college girls buying CDs" I should have added "Not that I'd even be able to make eye contact without blushing profusely and losing the ability to speak". Terrified.

    So while I do take issue with your conflation, and perhaps with the whole "moron" and "loser" stuff, I take no offense. The intensity of your vitriol is certainly understandable when considering your offense at my prattling vague memories of a boyhood long past.

    In our own stories we are always the hero, and it's hard to be a hero without making someone a villain. Imagine my dismay at realizing that in your story I am but a villain! Albeit a minor one, but still!

    Again, I ask for your forgiveness.

    Lastly, I must vigorously insist that even if you disagree with any or all of my other memories of our brief time together, you simply must consider agreeing with me that the parking at Tracks totally sucked.

    Congratulations on your impending retirement. I wish you all joy in your future endeavors.

    Sincerely,
    Brian

    PS - It looks like you may check in every once in a while on this post. I'll put a reminder in my calendar to check back each June 14th to see if you've been satisfied by my apology. Since we would seem to find it mutually agreeable to have this whole thing disappear...I'll email Ted and ask him to delete our comments here if possible. Cheers.

    brian

    13 Aug 18 at 5:11 pm

  19. Remember this Zesto so well. Footlongs and soft serve cones—preferably a Nut Brown Crown!—before a movie at the Five Points Thetare. I loved the place. I actually wound up writing ads for Zesto a few years later when I lived in Atlanta. The Livaditi family's Zesto on Piedmont in Atlanta was the experimental mothership. They'd try out all kinds of crazy food ideas there. Occasionally, one stuck and got rolled out. It was one account I wrote lovingly about because of my fond memories of the Five Points location in Columbia. Said it's gone but time moves on. Emeories are still there.

    Ken Lewis

    7 Apr 20 at 1:44 pm

  20. I was in 1st and 2nd grade back in '89 and '90, and had fond memories of walking to Tracks w/ my dad and friends from 'up the hill' @ Carolina Gardens apts, to rent movies on VHS...

    In high school days, there were a bunch of "Media Play" stores up near me in Buffalo, NY... and they always reminded me of Tracks...

    I remember my parents showing me in the paper about the guy who slammed his car into the front of the store... I think they also took me by so I could see something that had been published in the paper "first hand"...

    I've been such a huge movie buff over the years, and again I can't tell you how many fond memories I have of Tracks!! Another buddy of mine, Camilo, even went on the film school @ UC Berkeley and is directing movies all over South America!! Can't say for sure, but I know that our trips to Tracks and excitement of watching movies rented from there played SOME role-- it had to!!

    After my dad finished his PhD @ USC here in Columbia, we moved ALL OVER-- mostly around Buffalo, NY, but also CA, IL, PA, NC, and even France and Zimbabwe......... now I've moved BACK to Soda City after my wife took a job as one of the ER docs @ Lexington Medical Center... so cool to bum around Five Points and elsewhere that I remember so fondly as a 1st and 2nd grader!!

    Don, or Brian... if either of you ever check back on this, shoot me an email-- would love to chat about Tracks!! I've been HOPING to find the owner (or a Manager, Don!), who might have some photos or be able to help draw a diagram (sounds silly, I know), etc... snyder.jeremy.business@gmail.com

    Best to all of y'all. Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane!!

    Cheers!!

    Jeremy

    4 Jul 23 at 1:11 pm

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