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Kmart #4043, 4400 Fort Jackson Boulevard: 3 June 2012   76 comments

Posted at 12:11 am in closing

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This Kmart, accessible from Fort Jackson Boulevard, Devine Street, Crowson Road and Wildcat Road has been there for my entire, remembered, life (it is technically a little younger than I am), and was a place I went many times with my Mother over the years (though probably not as many times as to the Two Notch store). In the beginning, the left side of the Kmart building was occupied by a Big Star grocery and then by an Old America Store. Finally, in the throes of the last good idea the chain had, Kmart converted to a Big-K format store and expanded into the old grocery space. This status-quo lasted a good number of years, but recently there have been signs of malaise like closing and trying to rent out the auto service bays.

I want to like Kmart as I have good childhood memories of the place, but their current strategy seems to be to not have a strategy, other than, perhaps, closing stores when Wal Mart opens nearby. Now, I'm not saying I know what a successful stragegy for them would be, but good heavens, they have to try *something*! Go 24 hours, get Martha Stewart back, co-brand with The Food Channel, open in-store bowling alleys -- something!

And hire some staff, yes, that's expensive, but if you're in a "bet the company" situation (and you are, whether you think of it that way or not) you've got to make shopping easy. The last time I stopped at this store, I was in a bit of a hurry and found my item quickly, but it was in a locked display case with nobody in the department. The staff I could find in other departments were very friendly, but couldn't leave their area and nobody ever showed up who could make the sale before I had to go -- so they didn't make that sale, and I'm not sure they can afford to not make sales.

Anyway, as of Memorial Day, the place was not completely picked clean and still had some reasonable looking bargins. I noticed in particular, that if you need some alkaline batteries, now is the time to get your "Die Hard" AAA, AA 9V & Cs (didn't see any Ds).

UPDATE 6 June 2012 -- And, it's gone!

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UPDATE 11 June 2012 -- Pix from 7 June. The Devine Street roadside sign is gone, and the marquee sign is about to go:

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UPDATE 14 June 2012: Added full 7 June 2012 photoset.

UPDATE 20 June 2012 -- As these pictures from 8 June show, all the signage is now gone (also added full 8 June photoset below):

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Photosets:

Photoset 7 June 2012

Photoset 8 June 2012

UPDATE 7 October 2019: Add map icon, update tags.

76 Responses to 'Kmart #4043, 4400 Fort Jackson Boulevard: 3 June 2012'

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  1. I really hate to see this store go. Aside from the connection to my childhood (I have been going to this K Mart for 47 -- that's right, 47 years) it has been so much more convenient than WalMart or Target.

    A couple of years ago I was talking to an older lady working there, who I had seen there for many years. She said she was about to retire. I commented that I knew she had been there a long time, I could remember her being there going way back. She said "I know you too -- I've watched you grow up."

    Dennis

    1 Jun 12 at 6:33 am

  2. When I was a child, I had a gigantic Matchbox and Hot Wheels collection. Probably 95% of them came from this store. I went yesterday, just to see the old girl one last time and maybe pick up a MB or HW for old times sake, they had a few, and I figured at 50 cents, what the heck, but with only one teller open, and a sizeable line, I didn't buy. I just left.

    As Ted said, they didn't make a sale they couldn't really afford not to make.

    Sadly, that could be the current tag line for Kwhopper.

    tonkatoy

    1 Jun 12 at 6:53 am

  3. I stopped in yesterday for the last time also and found nothing I wanted. They have done a good job of clearing the place out. I was noticing while walking from the parking lot how tired the store looked. Like an old buffalo that ambles away from the herd to die in peace. RIP

    Terry

    1 Jun 12 at 10:50 am

  4. Terry -- Very nice image!

    ted

    1 Jun 12 at 12:06 pm

  5. They needed to close the St. Andrews store location.. not this one.

    Saturday's child

    1 Jun 12 at 2:59 pm

  6. I also still have my "Hop-a-long" Cassidy watch my Grandad bought me in 1964 from this particular Kmart. It still works too. Just one more childhood memory gone in the name of "progress".

    Saturday's child

    1 Jun 12 at 3:22 pm

  7. This Kmart was never fully staffed. It reminded me of a Big Lots store. The Two Notch Kmart was the shizznit. The "Blue Light Special" never did go off in the toy department though. One way to distinguish Kmart from the others is to bring back the affordable soda fountain/luncheonettes inside the store.

    palmettopanic

    1 Jun 12 at 3:38 pm

  8. hat top to Joe on this one...

    Andrew

    1 Jun 12 at 8:36 pm

  9. I hear this space will be acquired by walmart and will become a walmart express location

    Michael

    1 Jun 12 at 9:26 pm

  10. I'd much rather it be Costco than Walmart...we already have 10 Walmart locations in the Columbia area

    Andrew

    1 Jun 12 at 9:54 pm

  11. I will also miss the old girl!! As a child I remember going to this store with my folks when it was the only one in town. To them, it was well worth the drive from Irmo to get the great deals they used to have at the time. We never went back after the Two Notch (and then Dutch Square) stores opened. I went there several years ago with a friend of mine that lived in the area and all I could think was how tired the store looked (Thank you Terry). I agree with Andrew. The last thing we need is another Walmart!! Maybe a Costco in the old Dutch Square store as well. No, Staturday's Child, they don't need to close the St. Andrews store. I shop there frequently just so I don't have to deal with the Harbison traffic to get to Walmart!!

    @tonkatoy - your comment brought back a memory. One of my treats for going all the way across town with my folks was a Matchbox/Hot Wheels car or a plastic model kit. Man, I wish I still had those!!!

    Homer

    3 Jun 12 at 1:42 am

  12. Homer, my MB/HW collection made it through my nephew largly intact, I think. I'll have to ask next time I go home.

    Latest I've heard was that this was going to be a Costco, but I have heard references to a Smallmart as well.

    tonkatoy

    4 Jun 12 at 7:06 am

  13. I hope like others, that Walmart wont take over this store.. there are too many Walmarts in Columbia anyhow. My roommate helped open the Kmart over on St. Andrews Rd, and from what I hear, it never did make all that much money in sales..So I'm surprized it's still opened. The old Cayce Kmart is pushin' 50 years old too and it's lived WAY passed it's prime. The Dentsville store is a waste of space and an eye sore too..along with Columbia Mall. If they wanna tear down something, then Columbia Mall gets my vote, then the Kmart across the street should be after that. If you wanna build something useful...then build a retro Drive-In from the 50's with lots of neon lights like it used to be.. At least it would be something new to look at.

    Saturday's child

    4 Jun 12 at 9:18 am

  14. Kmart is a division of Sears Holdings, Inc. and has been since ca. 2005. There have been rumors that Sears has been in trouble and I think you have a case for the idea that Kmart has been sluggish to adapt to the times...I'd go so far as to say that I don't think Kmart has opened up a new location since 1990.

    Andrew

    4 Jun 12 at 12:54 pm

  15. I'd like to see Sear's use some of the K-mart locations to try new format stores for the chain. These new stores would be similar to Kohl's, a new kind of department store. The K-mart properties are what are worth the most in many instances, probably including this one. Department stores have slowly been moving out of malls and building free standing stores again (in town centers and downtown areas). It would be cool if Sear's took a risk and opened some new format stores.

    Their current stores are very very outdated and rough looking.

    j

    4 Jun 12 at 8:00 pm

  16. Well, the Garners Ferry Sears a few miles down the road from here was an innovative format (for Sears..) and crashed and burned..

    It was sort of a Sears-Mart or K-ears.

    ted

    4 Jun 12 at 9:31 pm

  17. Since Ted took these pics, the Kmart signage has been removed from the building

    Andrew

    9 Jun 12 at 1:05 pm

  18. Oh yeah, I went to that Sears and felt it had a strange vibe. It actually reminded me of a K-mart inside, just with more items. It definitely wasn't upscale. I would hope for a nicer store that doesn't feel like a rehashed K-mart. Maybe a new logo and store layout would help. They should use Kohl's as a good example of what to do.

    Thanks for reminding me about that one Ted.

    j

    9 Jun 12 at 10:49 pm

  19. I used to go here as a kid for summer clothes...here and Richway in the early 80's...Kmart had $1.88 jumpers that had elastic waists and were made from small flower prints, similar to the feedsack dresses of the 30s& 40s. Got my first Garanimals there! Remember those? And they had those round double tall racks of clothes as a kid I would crawl into and hide in! This was well before the current straight or square only ones used now for clothing. Used to ride the mechanical horse for a quarter when I was good whrn we left. Miss those days!

    Autumn-Skye

    1 Jul 12 at 8:25 pm

  20. WLTX has posted an article referencing this closure and announcing the closure of Kmart #7410 (6169 St. Andrews Road) which I am not looking forward to at all

    Andrew

    20 Feb 13 at 12:26 pm

  21. The Kmart website no longer lists the Irmo location. So that should take all of the guesswork out of it. The only three listed in Columbia are Lexington, West Columbia and Dentsville. I don't recall ever going to the Lexington or W. Columbia stores but the can close the Dentsville store anytime they please. That place is filthy IMHO.....

    Homer

    22 Feb 13 at 2:19 am

  22. folks, the liquidation of Kmart #7410, Seven Oaks Shopping Center, 6169 St. Andrews Road is now underway...the pharmacy has closed with records being transferred to Bi-Lo #442 (6021 St. Andrews Road) and the guys with signage announcing the liqudation are now out in full force....

    Andrew

    3 Mar 13 at 6:11 pm

  23. There is an ad in today's State newspaper announcing the liquidation sale. Doesn't refer to anything much except for jewelry. I guess they want to get rid of those uber-marked up items asap. There is an article in the Greenville newspaper about the Irmo store as well as one in Greenville. It stated that the clearance sales would start March 3rd and the closing date for both stores will be May 19th.

    Homer

    3 Mar 13 at 10:45 pm

  24. They ran similar ads when the Ft Jax Kmart was closing. The sales sucked, really. I couldn't say they persuaded me to buy anythiing, and I really wanted to buy a Matchbox one last time for old times sake.

    tonkatoy

    4 Mar 13 at 8:01 am

  25. If I had the money, I would redevelop this whole site with restaurants that are no where near this side of town. Outback, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, O'Charley's, Brixx, Cheesecake Factory, Tsunami's and now TGIF since it closed up in Richland Mall. I'd also buy out the older buildings beside Applebee's and put more restaurants there. I believe the money on that side of town would support it easily.

    Sidney

    9 Apr 13 at 5:52 am

  26. Sidney, you must not be familiar with that side of town. Sure, there's money there, but not enough to ustain those restaurants.

    tonkatoy

    9 Apr 13 at 6:35 am

  27. My dearly departed grandmother lived in Rosewood and one of her laments was that the area lacked the type of eating places that Sidney proposes.

    I have envisioned restaurants like the ones Sidney describes for that area. Frankly, though, I don't know if I'd eat at them as I don't like to eat at restaurants like that by myself for some reason...

    Andrew

    9 Apr 13 at 11:14 am

  28. Andrew, you must not be a drinker. Any drinker can sit at the bar and eat and drink by himself any day. I always had a problem eating alone before I was a drinker too. Now I am a problem drinker who eats alone, lol.

    tonkatoy, with Red Lobster, Olive Garden, O'Charley's all being at least 20 miles or more away from this area, I think it will do good there. You have USC, Ft Jackson and then Shandon, Trenholm Rd area, etc. Of course, you also have your Garners Ferry Rd and Lower Richland area. There are already 2 Ruby Tuesday's on that side of town, Applebee's, and Buffalo Wild Wings. They seem to be doing just fine. I am a firm believer in "if you build it, they will come". But, hey, I don't have the money to do anything like that, so I won' t make it happen to prove either one of us right. ;)

    Sidney

    10 Apr 13 at 5:35 am

  29. Sidney, you're right in concluding I am not a drinker. Be that as it may, I've envisioned a slew of restaurants like you envision for this ≈10 acre piece of property...I've even thought of it becoming a Kohl's or even Roses.

    Roses is getting ready to open in Sumter Mall in the former Sears there and the way I read the press release, they are looking to grow a little further. I could see Roses opening up in Columbia at one point.

    Another potential Roses spot for me is the former Kroger #409 (817 St. Andrews Road) as the one year anniversary of that one's closing approaches.

    I'd like to think that the advent of Whole Foods Market at Cross Hill Market has set in motion a series of events that will result in something new here and in the general vicinity along Ft. Jackson Blvd. but I remember people trying to project similar optimism about Bush River Road after Walmart #4379 opened that hasn't come to fruition like many had hoped.

    Andrew

    14 Apr 13 at 3:02 pm

  30. I heard a rumor this was going to be subdivided into a 'high end' strip mall.

    tonkatoy

    17 Jun 13 at 11:52 am

  31. tonktoy, that does seem plausible...especially with the advent of Cross Hill Market nearby...

    believe it or not, I've had visions of it becoming a baseball stadium but I wonder if has the size required

    Andrew

    17 Jun 13 at 2:57 pm

  32. tonkatoy

    11 Oct 13 at 8:54 am

  33. Here we have the answer to the ever present question of what was the grocery store named!

    http://digital.tcl.sc.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/rmaxey/id/528/rec/1203

    Kmart Food!

    tonkatoy

    11 Oct 13 at 9:21 am

  34. Grocery store at Kmart on Fort Jackson Blvd was also operated by Colonial Stores, Inc and called Big Star.

    Robert Sproul

    11 Oct 13 at 11:48 am

  35. tonkatoy

    15 Oct 13 at 9:28 am

  36. Strip malls (that's all Woodhill Mall is now) seem to be the future for retail developments.

    tonkatoy

    15 Oct 13 at 11:02 am

  37. This looks like the type of thing my late grandmother would have welcomed...she used to lament that all the decent stores found their way out to Northeast Richland and/or Harbison/St. Andrews but bypassed Garners Ferry/Rosewood...she made it just long enough to see Woodhill get redeveloped and was pleased with the final product...I think about that when I shop that Target nowadays...

    Andrew

    15 Oct 13 at 11:24 am

  38. I noticed on the link that tonkatoy provided Fort Jackson Blvd. is listed vs. Jackson Blvd. There is a discussion about that somewhere on this board.

    Terry

    15 Oct 13 at 3:06 pm

  39. Terry, It stems from the recent closing of The Diner across the street...they say it's for renovation but I'm not sure we should hold our breath for it to come back...

    I wonder if Kmart will get demolished or will they reuse the shell of the building (like they did for Whole Foods Market at Cross Hill Market as well as Trader Joe's #753).

    Andrew

    15 Oct 13 at 3:24 pm

  40. I remember when the Ft. Jackson Kmart looked this way. And NOW I remember that Grocery side also. The one over in Cayce had the same thing. I grew up over in the old Church Hill Heights Neighborhood in the early to late 60's, and remember the Lumber yard/business that was there before Kmart was built. Does anyone remember the name of the Lumber place?

    CayceKid

    15 Oct 13 at 3:30 pm

  41. CayceKid has me wondering if the Seven Oaks Shopping Center Kmart had something like this at one point...

    Andrew

    15 Oct 13 at 3:38 pm

  42. @Andrew - Did Whole Foods use the old building? For some reason I thought it was demolished. Does anyone remember the old Starlight Drive in?

    rick

    15 Oct 13 at 3:41 pm

  43. My family moved to that side of town in 1961. What I remember about this K-mart. The garden dept. sold birds, parakeets, etc. My parents bought me a bird from there when I was less than 10, I named him Tweety, guess where I got that name from.

    The Record Dept. was great, they had all the latest albums, or as I find amusing, phonograh records. I wish I had saved all I had.

    The Automotive Dept. was equally amazing. They sold Mini Bikes. Ooohhh... When I was 11 years old I wanted a mini bike so bad. I applied for a job delivering the afternoon newspaper, at the time called, "The Columbia Record". It was the afternoon addition to The State Newspaper. Many may have not heard of it. I delivered the paper on my bicycle 6 days a week only making $35.00 a month, and I had to go out once a month and collect the money from my customers. Sometimes going back several times to catch them home. My route was Pinewood Park and St. Marks Wood.

    After more than a year I was able to buy my mini bike. I was so proud. The auto dept also sold under dash 8 track tape players. Who remembers 8 tracks? After I started driving at 15 in 1972, I bought mine and a couple of plastic box speakers for the rear deck of my car. The speakers were called "Bass 48's" and the 8 track was called a "Mini 8" because it was smaller than some of the others sold at the time. I installed it myself in my Mom's 1972 Mustang. I eventually went on to own a Car Stereo Shop here in Columbia back in the 80's that I named Auto Sound Lab. Must have been an omen. The first tape I bought was by the Ventures. They did a song called "Wipe Out" that I liked.

    From what I remember, there were not many places to shop back then. There was Sears Town on Harden St, Trenholm Plaza, The Origional Richland Mall which was cool, I could go on about that place, And K-Mart. My family shopped at all of the above.

    So, with many fond memories of The Fort Jackson Boulevard K-Mart, I must say, "I'll miss it." sniff sniff.

    rick

    15 Oct 13 at 4:46 pm

  44. Rick, there was an article in The State talking about it...initially the plan was to tear down the old Kroger but then Whole Foods wanted one less out-parcel than Edens* had planned which meant losing $175K a year in rent costs. So Edens decided to reuse the Kroger building vs. tearing it down to save approximately $700K-$750K in construction costs to soften the blow.

    * Edens started working with Whole Foods Market back in 2004 and it took several plans before they finally found one that works...and we are now approaching the one year anniversary of the grand opening of Whole Foods Market at Cross Hill Market (I was so excited to see it, I braved the grand opening crowds to see it on opening day).

    Edens also redeveloped Woodhill, working with Target to get them to remain where they are (vs. moving further down Garners Ferry Road) and completely close for a period of about 9 months while the site was redeveloped...stating that rarely is a shopping center worth redeveloping for an anchor tenant but Woodhill is "a unique exception", a vision that my grandmother was thankful to have witnessed in the closing months of her life...she was pleased with the final product and was good about keeping me in the loop during the construction as to where everything stood and I sense her presence the times I'm in that Target.

    Andrew

    15 Oct 13 at 4:46 pm

  45. btw some of the decor in Whole Foods was done as homage to the fact that it was once a drive-in theater as pointed out in http://youtu.be/WXG8JHBrfJk

    Andrew

    15 Oct 13 at 4:53 pm

  46. Andrew, My son got his first job at the Gamecock Bi-Lo across from Whole Foods working in the produce dept. The Manager of the produce dept. really liked my son. The Manager applied for and got the job of Produce Manager at the new Whole Foods store and took my son with him when the store opened. My son is now the "Team Leader" of the produce dept and as he tells me, it is a great place to work. I will not say here, but most may not have any idea how much money managers make in the grocery business, not just Whole Foods. By the way, my son is not a Manager.

    rick

    15 Oct 13 at 4:59 pm

  47. Andrew, Nice clip off U-tube. I have not seen that before. I'll show it to my Son. He's prob seen it though.

    rick

    15 Oct 13 at 5:10 pm

  48. I think your son would see many colleagues in this video that he knows/enjoys working with (that would be the appeal for me if I were in your son's shoes on that video)...I've heard that people with good connections in retail (in general) can do well for themselves, especially if you have good connections...

    Andrew

    15 Oct 13 at 5:45 pm

  49. Andrew, As the saying goes, "It ain't what you know, it's...." someone finish it for me. "Disclaimer"... you still gotta be able to do the job.

    And yes, Andrew, he will know all. He has been there since well before day one, training etc.

    I like WF's, I shop there all the time.

    rick

    15 Oct 13 at 6:00 pm

  50. How many on here remember when Kmart first opened? My Dad and I went to it..and all I can sort of remember is the BIG CROWD and not enough places to park. They had Helicopters or a Helicopter drop "ping pong" balls on to the crowd that had some kind of "prize or coupon" in them. What made it funny, is that all the wind/turbulence from the blades of the helicopters scattered those light weight balls everywhere and people runnin' around chasing them down. I think that was the summer of 1963 or there of. The old Drive In was still there where Kroger/Whole Foods is now until around 1981, it was torn down and Family Mart (Part of A&P) was built, but it didn't last long, and then Kroger moved into Columbia. This side of town had the first Kmart, the first McDonalds, the first A&W, Carolina Skating Rink, the first Hardees and the Drive-in. Burger Chef MAY have been on Rosewood back then too..but I don't remember for sure.

    CayceKid

    15 Oct 13 at 10:27 pm

  51. Oh, and the Kmart at Seven Oaks Shopping Center opened in the mid 70's...but didn't have a Grocery Store from what I remember..only the Cayce store, Dentsville and Ft. Jackson stores had them.. I think.

    CayceKid

    15 Oct 13 at 10:29 pm

  52. and to show how good my memory is for my age (55), there used to be an "out door" yet covered Roller Skating Rink across the street( where Food Lion used to be) where the Cayce Kmart is..when the Lumber Yard was still there. This was in the VERY EARLY 60's..around 1961-62....I think.

    CayceKid

    15 Oct 13 at 10:31 pm

  53. I had heard that the old Carolina Skating Rink on Ft. Jackson Blvd closed in the early 70's due to Integration, and the man that ran the place refused to do so, and so he closed it up, it was torn down soon there after, and the building that's there now was built..but I don't remember what it was originally. But the old Skating Rink was a great place for us kids back then to have a Birthday Party. I had several there.

    CayceKid

    15 Oct 13 at 10:35 pm

  54. How many remember "Star Lanes" Bowling Alley on Senate Street across from the Carolina Coliseum?

    CayceKid

    15 Oct 13 at 10:37 pm

  55. OOOPS..not Senate Street, but Assembly Street.

    CayceKid

    15 Oct 13 at 10:38 pm

  56. CayceKid, when you say "the BIG CROWD and not enough places to park" when talking about the opening, that describes what I went through when both Whole Foods Market at Cross Hill Market and Trader Joe's #753 opened. Both required police to direct traffic in/out and I've spoken
    with several folks that tell me they would rather let the dust settle than brave that kind of crowd.

    I think it's been mentioned that the Ft. Jackson Kmart opened in 1963...apparently they had fulfilled a 50 year lease and the cost of a new lease more than Kmart could handle so that's why it closed (which is a fairly common occurrence in the world of commercial real estate...it's why Dillard's left Richland Mall in 2003). The thought I remember having was that it opened the same year Whitney Houston was born (she was born August 9 that year) and its closure was announced shortly after she died...

    Now, as we await 2014, we can look forward to seeing Rosewood Crossing take shape and I know that if my grandmother (who lived in Rosewood for most of her adult life) were still with us, she'd welcome this new development as this is the type of thing I think she felt Rosewood/Garners Ferry lacked (especially when it comes to that area vs. Northeast Richland and Harbison/St. Andrews).

    Andrew

    15 Oct 13 at 11:14 pm

  57. "As God is my witness, I thought ping-pong balls could fly.."

    ted

    15 Oct 13 at 11:33 pm

  58. @CayceKid - The Dutch Square Kmart also had a detached grocery store.

    Homer

    15 Oct 13 at 11:36 pm

  59. @ted - that was one of my favorite WKRP episodes of all time!!!!

    Homer

    15 Oct 13 at 11:43 pm

  60. I'm wondering if the Cayce Kmart has a similar 50 year lease, because if so....

    tonkatoy

    16 Oct 13 at 6:38 am

  61. Another article about the former K-Mart site confirming a new Marshals...

    http://www.thestate.com/2013/10/15/3039725/former-kmart-on-fort-jackson-boulevard.html

    MrBO

    16 Oct 13 at 7:31 am

  62. @tonkatoy, I don't know the details as far as the leasing term is concerned but I've read that the remaining Kmarts have leases that expire within the decade...

    Andrew

    16 Oct 13 at 11:02 am

  63. MrBO, Concerning the aerial photograph of Whole Foods Market, that was in your link confirming a new Marshals, showed the perfect property lines of the old Starlite Drive Inn Theater from years ago. We can see the gentle curve behind what is now the WF's store. It defined the outer most reaches of the parking area from the movie screen, that was located close to the intersection of Ft. Jackson Blvd. and Devine Street.

    I can't stop myself from mentioning that I parked in the back many times as a teenager on dates. I just can't help it.

    rick

    16 Oct 13 at 4:50 pm

  64. And to the Mom's and Dad's of the daughters I dated who may visit this site, and think they know who I am. I was always a gentleman, in the "Up Most", and "Hardest", sense of the word. Thank you very much, I'll be here all week.

    rick

    16 Oct 13 at 5:23 pm

  65. Time will tell about the old Kmart area.. I personally think the "Diner" building should be torn down, and rebuild the Carolina Skating Rink where it was for a very long time. I'm surprised too that with things being built up in this area, that someone hasn't thought of building a NEW "Retro" Drive-In that's all 50's.60's style with the old car window speakers. But "today's kids" wouldn't know what a Drive-In theater was if it walked up to them and smacked them in the head.

    CayceKid

    17 Oct 13 at 4:47 pm

  66. I think the Cayce Kmart opened either in 1965 or 1966. I don't remember for sure.

    CayceKid

    17 Oct 13 at 4:48 pm

  67. Odd, they've black-topped and relined the roads leading into the old K-Mart (I'm not sure, but I think the parking lot too.)

    I would have thought that'd be the last step taken as tearing down the old building, cranes, bull-dozers, cement trucks and the like would just tear that stuff up again....

    MrBO

    17 Jun 14 at 4:03 pm

  68. I'm beginning to wonder when construction will actually commence on Rosewood Crossing. I want to think that the plan is to have PetSmart, Marshall's and Micheal's online in time for the Christmas Holiday shopping season but I wonder what the plans are.

    Andrew

    17 Jun 14 at 4:14 pm

  69. Today is the official opening of Rosewood Crossig according to the developer. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say they might not make it. http://fletcherbright.com/shopping-centers/sc/421

    badger

    6 Sep 14 at 6:19 am

  70. I've been wondering when construction will commence...it seems to me as if they are operating at least 6 or 8 months behind schedule...

    Andrew

    6 Sep 14 at 12:09 pm

  71. It appears to me as if the Rosewood Crossing construction is finally underway...the Kmart facade is being removed and landscaping work is underway..

    Andrew

    30 Sep 14 at 4:19 pm

  72. A significant portion of the front portion of this building has been removed and it appears as if things are being gutted down to the steel studs (especially with the section that housed the awning) almost making me wonder how it isn't cheaper to go ahead and raze the building and build something new.

    The floorplan had me thinking that some smaller tenants (Five Below, Kay Jewlers and Bottles are among those planned for that space) would utilize the section of the building that once housed the auto service bays but it appears as if plans are in the works to build something else for that.

    Jersey Mike Subs is also listed as a tenant...frankly I'd expect them to remain in their current location at 4717 Devine Street though...

    They also have another building in the site plan (it backs up to an Advance Auto Parts that was rebuilt a few years ago) that they have listed as an 'anchor' that they are saying is about 12,000 square feet so anyone with a vision for something that is about that size that the Rosewood/Garners Ferry area lacks can dart around guesses as to what it will wind up occupying it.

    I know we still have about 1½ months left in 2014 but one of things that we'll have to look forward to in 2015 is seeing the new Rosewood Crossing take shape and understanding what this facility will feature.

    Andrew

    10 Nov 14 at 5:22 pm

  73. I thought that given the complete gutting it got to become Trader Joes that it would have made more sense to tear down The Columbia Athletic Club. Apparently not though.

    ted

    10 Nov 14 at 7:24 pm

  74. Steel studs that will separate Marshall's, Micheals and PetSmart are being installed...The building is down to the steel studs and not much of the front wall remains. Looking forward to seeing Rosewood Crossing take shape in the months to come...

    Andrew

    20 Nov 14 at 1:59 am

  75. As the main Rosewood Crossing building takes shape, it appears to me as if the building behind Advance Auto Parts (which can been seen in the background of the Devine Street signage pics) has been razed. I'm inclined to think that Fletcher Bright has a plan for that portion of the property but am unclear as to what at this point..stay tuned.

    Andrew

    25 Nov 14 at 9:11 pm

  76. Great memories in this store. My mom and I....RIP Bea and RIP Kmart:(

    Tonya A

    3 Jun 18 at 8:11 pm

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