Have Your Say Archive [4 September 2010 through 31 December 2011] at Columbia Closings

Have Your Say Archive [4 September 2010 through 31 December 2011] 672 comments

Posted at 1:24 am in

This page is where you can leave general comments about the site, mention closings that I have missed, ask questions and generally 'have your say'.

Simple HTML constructs should work if you want to leave a link. However, having more than one link will get your comment placed in the moderation queue (since comment spam often has many links).

I always enjoy hearing from you (though I may not always respond, or implement your suggestion).

Ted

Written by ted on September 4th, 2010

Tagged with Uncategorized

672 Responses to 'Have Your Say Archive [4 September 2010 through 31 December 2011]'

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Folks, I have rolled over the Have Your Say page.

All the comments on the old page are still available at the link above.

Ted

ted

4 Sep 10 at 1:35 am
Ted...not a bad idea....

Andrew

4 Sep 10 at 2:15 pm
There's an article in today's State on the Biscuit House. It will live on by way of Corner Pantry stores in the area.

http://www.thestate.com/2010/09/08/1453955/legendary-biscuit-house-lives.html

David H

8 Sep 10 at 9:54 am
Two questions:

1. Was Shimmy's Restaurant on Lady Street, or Washington Street? Or neither?

2. Does anyone remember a place with a sign that said "Eat Boogie's Grill"? I'm thinking it was on Gervais near Harden, but I could easily be mistaken.

Jim

12 Sep 10 at 1:06 am
Jim - Shimmy's was on Lady near the northeast corner with Assembly. Right next to Moe Levy's. The space is now Wilderness Station (Moe Levy's outdoor store) and a little luggage shop.

Here's a rerun of my Jan. '09 comment:

Shimmy’s sticks out in my mind because it was so different from the usual “family friendly” places my folks took us to eat.

I remember it was sort of crowded and very dark inside, and they had a juke box(!) and a little corner bar with liquor(!!) and all the other customers looked like gangsters and their molls — at least to my 5 year old eyes.

When the waitresses carried steaks across the room they were on very hot metal plates so they sizzled loudly as they went by.

Dennis

12 Sep 10 at 6:13 am
Boogies Grill was about a block or two from Harden on Gervais, towards Millwood. If you were going towards downtown, the grill who's sign said "Eat Boogie's Grill Soul Food" was on your left. That sign was once featured in National Lampoon in the 1970s.

Tom

12 Sep 10 at 8:42 am
Thanks, Dennis and Tom. I think my parents took me to Shimmy's just once--I believe the owner's name was Shimmy Bloom (or Blume).

Jim

12 Sep 10 at 9:36 am
Ewwww! Boogie Burgers! I think I would have changed the name..

Del

12 Sep 10 at 10:44 am
Boogie's Bar and Grill became infamous when a police officer was shot there. Seems like he was off duty. Sometime in the late seventies, maybe.

That building is vacant now...

jamie

13 Sep 10 at 7:17 am
Heads up --****** **
Gotham Bagle on Main St is closed -- Sign in window -- What a shame this place was good!
**** **** **** ****

Kc

15 Sep 10 at 5:25 pm
KC this is wild. I walked by on 9/14 and the patio was half full and the inside was packed.

O'Reilly

16 Sep 10 at 9:55 am
An alert for you that Mushi Mushi hibachi and sushi bar in the Wal-Mart shopping center on Garners Ferry Road has closed. I was going there on 9/17 and, alas, no more....

Midnight Rambler

20 Sep 10 at 9:06 am
Home Furniture on Lake Murray Blvd. is closing soon...they're going out of business and sent out a letter to folks to that effect

Andrew

20 Sep 10 at 11:27 am
Ok folks Blockbuster Video has filed for bankruptcy . I don't know what this will mean for any area Blockbuster locations but it's best to be on notice

Andrew

23 Sep 10 at 10:43 am
You can reorganize a company which has a sound business model but was run into the ground by inept management or bad luck. I'm not sure how reorganizing helps you when your business model is broken..

ted

23 Sep 10 at 12:25 pm
Netflix definitely stole Blockbuster's thunder.

Terry Edwards

23 Sep 10 at 4:20 pm
Does anyone remember the name of the bar that was at 741 Saluda Ave. back in the mid- to late-90s? Currently it's Speakeasy and before that it was Monkeybar. This has been driving me nuts, and no one else seems to remember either!

nicole

24 Sep 10 at 2:12 pm
Doh! That should read 711 Saluda, not 741 Saluda.

nicole

24 Sep 10 at 2:13 pm
Elbow Room? No, probably not. where is that.

JBL

24 Sep 10 at 5:12 pm
This is @ Nicole I think the bar you have in mind was called The Stage Door.

George

24 Sep 10 at 6:07 pm
The Stage Door was on Harden Street. It occupied the "behind the screen" area of the old Five Points Theater.

Mike

24 Sep 10 at 9:47 pm
Stage Door was later Pugs.

O'Reilly

24 Sep 10 at 10:10 pm
Greetings Ted---

What an incredibly great site! I lived in Columbia throughout most of the 70's and this site brings back amazing memories. For restaurants I'd add the Elite Epicurian on Main Street downtown, The Villa on Harden Street, Columbia "down under" (which had restaurants and shops along the lines of the old "underground Atlanta"), and the Pizza Hut on North Main. There was also the mostly hippie gathering place at the Saluda River rapids. Also, the Groucho's location in the lower level of the parking garage of what used to be the Banker's Trust Tower building. Man, if I set my mind to it I can probably remember some other places...like...a great steak restaurant called the Circus Room in eastern Richland County which I believe was at the interchange of 76/378 and U.S. Hwy. 601. Keep up the great work!!! I'm adding ytour site to my "favorites".

John Merrell

Oh yeah, one more. King Arthur's restarant and pub near the intersection of Broad River Road and Greystone Boulevard. Plus, the favorite skinning dipping hole for a lot of us which was near by--the"Green Hole."

John Merrell

28 Sep 10 at 10:55 am
Thanks John!

I will be doing some of those places for sure.

ted

28 Sep 10 at 12:08 pm
The Circus Room was in the old Coronet Motel near Eastover which I think was somehow related to the motel with the same name on North Main. I know they used to advertise a lot on the radio and had quite a business at one time. I drove out to Eastover a few weeks ago and what was the Circus Room was a seedy convenience store in a no tell motel.

Tom

29 Sep 10 at 10:13 am
This one? (Not a good picture, I know):

ted

29 Sep 10 at 10:45 am
Tom---You are right. One thing about the Circus Room was that it featured USDA "Prime" steaks which is a rarity even for today. You could call in the morning and they'd marinate your steak all day for you. I live in Kansas now which is beef country and know of only one steakhouse type place out here where you can get USDA prime beef. John.

John Merrell

29 Sep 10 at 12:46 pm
I had forgotten all about the Circus Room. This was one of a few out-in-the-boondocks restaurants where we would eat on occasion when my father felt like driving out into the country (circa 1965-68). I remember the food being pretty good and it having a totally unpretentious atmosphere, but that was when gas was 25¢ a gallon, and it was easy to justify such a long trip for a good steak. I'm sure if the Circus Room had been a couple of miles down Trenholm Road, that would have been where we would have visited most often when we ate out, which at that time was once, maybe twice a month. Ancient and forgotten fond memories, thanks John.

Michael Taylor

29 Sep 10 at 9:02 pm
@ Ted, yep, the one near the gas station by the overpass on the Sumter Highway.

Tom

29 Sep 10 at 11:32 pm
I'll have to take some more pix when the sun is not totally against me. I've stopped at the little convenience store there to take a comfort break (and walked in on a woman using the unisex facilities -- door locks, use them people!) It seems to be one of those formerly good locations that only a family can make a go of nowdays.

There's another old restaurant building a few miles east down the Sumter Highway on the North side of the street. I think the last thing it was was a strip club -- anyone know what it was originally?

ted

29 Sep 10 at 11:51 pm
The Circus room is still back there, but the entire back part of the motel is living quarters for the people who run it. The woman told me they took the tent down when they moved in.

She also said the guy who built the motel back in the fifties still drops into the convenience store every day.

jamie

30 Sep 10 at 7:54 am
@ Nicole. Maybe Garrett's Grill & Grog? And before that it was Champs. Is this the place directly next door to Loose Lucy's? Garrett's moved to where Chubby's is now. My boy Wendell...

Jonathan

30 Sep 10 at 8:00 am
Anybody remember the old Cut Rate Fashions on Two Notch Rd.
There were three or more of them and then they were "antique malls" called Ole Towne Antique Mall. In three different locatioln. Anyway, what did they sell? I never went there but I can remember going past there on the way to Sesqui. Park.

David

9 Oct 10 at 1:07 am
I remember ads on tv for $2 jeans and stuff. They were at the bottom of the totem pole when I was in middle school... below K-Mart and Gold Circle.... Seem to remember "yo mama shops at cut-rate fashions" jokes or something like that. Middle school kids were just as cruel 24 yrs ago as they are now, definitely! Wal-Marts were small town stores back then, so they didn't get joked about.

They were defect resellers or something I think...

Dave

10 Oct 10 at 7:35 pm
Does anyone know the story of the "U" shaped building next door to LaBrascas? I ate at Julia's(German place) in there last night and wondered once again what was in the stores when it first opened. Looks like it must have been a very early strip mall. I never remember it really having man active tenants.

ChiefDanGeorge

17 Oct 10 at 6:16 am
According to Dennis it was a motel. I probably should move those pix out of the comments and into a separate post.

ted

17 Oct 10 at 12:49 pm
Corked wine store in the Sandhills will be closed by 10/31. He sent out an email last week saying all gift cards will be honored till then and starting today, the inventory/fixture sale starts.

cheryl

18 Oct 10 at 9:43 am
Cambridge Plaza Hotel, nee The Best Western on I-26 in West Columbia was forclosed on and some employees aren't getting paid according to this WLTX story:
http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=103081

Tom

18 Oct 10 at 6:22 pm
Ted Check out Art Shack Cafe on Rosewood

http://www.theartshackcafe.com/

My wife went there this morning and it was locked and all the furniture had been removed from inside. No sign yet but looks like this is another restaurant casualty.

Mike D

19 Oct 10 at 10:57 am
Any old Boy Scouts out there?

I recently found this Facebook site with some pictures of old Camp Barstow.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2283447901&v=wall

Dennis

20 Oct 10 at 2:59 am
@ Dennis. If you go to You Tube there are two videos of old Camp Barstow. the best one taken in the late 1960s-early 1970s.

Tom

20 Oct 10 at 10:14 am
Hi,
I was wondering if anyone knows what is going on at the old Service Merchandise shopping center on Broad River Rd. I noticed they have painted and paved also put in new landscaping. I know this is a blog about closings but since it deals a lot with retail I thought that I would ask. Also the medical center located on Harbison next to Chick-Fl-A is going to be torn down and replaced with a new shopping center. I looked it up on the website listed on the signs posted out front.

Thanks! I really enjoy this blog!

William

24 Oct 10 at 7:05 pm
Thanks!

Speculation here is that it's going to be a church.

ted

24 Oct 10 at 9:15 pm
@William, Ted did a post on this recently indicating that "what it is ain't exactly clear"...my mom is friends with the owner of Hook n needle and if I hear anything as a result of that connection, I'll enlighten my fellow Columbia Closings readers (btw I'm right at a year since I've discovered this blog and I have enjoyed the being a part of the discussions that ensue from some of the comments)

Andrew

24 Oct 10 at 9:21 pm
I found this link that mentions the Burger Chef and Lums chains that have been discussed here before.

http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/11/02/10-retailers-and-restaurants-we-really-miss/

Tom

2 Nov 10 at 5:22 pm
Hey:
I went by my favorite coffee shop on Friday and it is now closed -- Three Bean Net Cafe. It was one of the few coffee/internet cafes here in Lexington, and it's especially sad because it was local and always had a pleasant, relaxed vibe. The coffee was great, and the staff always seemed willing to go out of their way to help customers. I went there often and it was usually busy, and I certainly didn't notice of the Signs of a restaurant closing. I know you don't go out to Lexington much, Ted, but if you are in the area it was right beside the Publix on 378

Andy

7 Nov 10 at 10:32 pm
Actually I did get to Pizzaeria Uno on 378 today. Probably be a while till get back over there, but I'll look for it then -- thanks

ted

8 Nov 10 at 1:41 am
Ted,

Looks like Cloud Nine Grocery in The Vista will be closing on December 7, 2010 according to their facebook page.

Larry

8 Nov 10 at 1:48 pm
This isn't really a closing, but one of my fondest childhood memories (the early 80's) was driving around Columbia (mostly the Forest Acres area) at Christmas to see neighborhood decorations with my grandmother. On one of the streets off of Trenholm -in the neighborhood where many of the streets are named after colleges, but not too far off Trenhold -there lived a man who decorated his entire yard to portray Frosty the Snowman. I think he made all of the decorations himself. The Frosty song would play, and different figures in the yard would be spotlighted as the song played. People would get out the car to watch the "show." I was fascinated by it, and it was a definite stop every year when I was small. I guess this man must have passed away (I swear my mom said he'd been doing Frosty the Snowman since at least her high school days.) I looked for his display a few times as a teen, once I had a driver's license, but never could find it. Did anyone else ever see it, or know what I'm talking about?

JB

9 Nov 10 at 1:30 am
That was supposed to say, "not too far off of Trenholm" - not Trenhold. Thanks!

JB

9 Nov 10 at 1:31 am
Looks like Inabinet Glass and Mirror on N. Main is closed.

tonkatoy

15 Nov 10 at 8:11 am
There was a Shoney's on Harbison which was replaced recently by the new AT&T store. I couldn't remember what was there until I looked at Google Streetview. AT&T was in the Books-a-Million shopping center next door. They were in the middle among the smaller shops.

Also, there was a glass crack repair shop behind the Subway at Main and Elmwood that has closed. I noticed it because it has always struck me as odd how little space they had and how hard it appeared to be to get into their parking lot.

Matt

23 Nov 10 at 10:32 am
Heads up - the Play it Again Sports in Lexington is closed. It was located in that small strip in front of Walmart and across from Chick-fil-A on 378.

Elisabeth A

29 Nov 10 at 9:22 am
ted,
I know Village at Sandhills keeps you pretty busy. You could almost generate e new site called VillageClosings. Rumor has it Wild Wings may be closing soon. Keep your camera ready. The original owners of theat Wild Wings sold out a few years ago to the franchisee out of Augusta. WW Corp took the store over last year. Rumor has it may be gone in 2011.

O'Reilly

1 Dec 10 at 7:10 pm
For anyone interested in old Pictures of Forest Acres including the "classic" Richland Mall and Forest Lake Shopping center there is a new book in the "Images of America" series about the town. I glanced at it today (I saw it at the State Museum gift shop) and immediately put it on my Christmas wish list. BTW, according to a photo there was a Piggly Wiggly at Forest Lakes SC where the convenice store was.

Tom

9 Dec 10 at 4:53 pm
I don't know if anybody remembers an alternative music club (New wave, punk, rockabilly, mod) called 'The Beat' upstairs at 1308 Assembly St. in the early 80's. If you plan on adding it to this outstanding site, I can supply you with some pics of the inside.

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/photo.php?fbid=46635054591&set=o.45536315877&pid=1247804&id=776634591

Mitch

10 Dec 10 at 12:30 am
Is that this building, or was it torn down? (As far as I can tell, 1308 would now be the parking lot beside this building..)

ted

10 Dec 10 at 12:56 am
Looks like the Groucho's on Broad River Road is no more.

Thomas

11 Dec 10 at 11:16 am
Would you be interested in a 1965 photo of downtown Columbia facing the capital from across the street of the SCN Bank? Found your page when searching for status of the hotel seen across from the capital building. The Wade Hampton Hotel of course has since closed and the SCN Bank merged with the Wachovia banking system (don't know current status). The picture was taken during Christmas season on a visit from Sumter.

Ray

12 Dec 10 at 5:44 pm
Sure!

Just send a scan to "closings at columbiaclosings dto com"

ted

12 Dec 10 at 6:57 pm
Thanks for the memories. The Big Bird, The Golden Spur, The Twilight, and Keg O'Nails were favorites during my college days in the mid to late 70's.
Your list makes me think of other great places that have been closed a long time. There was a little pizza by the slice place near the law school. I think the name was MLJ's. Also, I can't remember the name of the place beside the Burger King near Main St on campus. Their pimento burger was almost as good as at the Big Bird.
One of my favorite Columbia restaurants missing from your list was the Elite Epicurean. They had a dish called something like "Island of Scorpios Shrimp". It was delicious. Also, the stuffed twice baked potato at the Elite Epicurean was very good.
Sadly, there are a lot of closings these days. I hope the new replacement places are good and will last.

Sarah

15 Dec 10 at 10:12 pm
Wasn't there a "Dairy Bar" with pimento burgers on Main where Miyo's is now? I know there have been several..

Eventually I'll do the Elite Epicurean

ted

16 Dec 10 at 2:24 am
You are right about the location of the Dairy Bar, Ted.

tonkatoy

16 Dec 10 at 7:29 am
The Dairy Bar was located in a building that's been torn down that was adjacent to the south side of the Miyo's building. The business was sold in the '80s and the new owner moved it to the building that's next to the Capitol News. A couple of years later he decided to move to California and that was the end of the Dairy Bar.

Mike

16 Dec 10 at 7:30 am
Ok folks the O'Charleys at Columbiana Station (150 Harbison Blvd) has closed...I went by there earlier and saw a blue tarp over the signage on the building and nobody was there..

Andrew

16 Dec 10 at 1:48 pm
CORRECTION: Today's the state talking shop article said that the closed up O'Charleys is actually 1000 Bower Parkway, not 150 Harbison Blvd. as I suspected

Andrew

17 Dec 10 at 1:00 pm
Also, people might enjoy noting this Daily finance story suggesting 10 retailers that won't do so hot this Christmas Holiday Season...

among the ones mentioned: Big Lots, Blockbuster, Borders, Sears....

Stay tuned...

Andrew

17 Dec 10 at 1:08 pm
Bower: Still the area I least want to go to, at least before Christmas!

Retailers: A number of them I had never even heard of. Borders is a shame -- it was always my favorite Big Box Bookstore and I used to stock up on tech books whenever I would travel to an area with one. Unfortunately they totally blew their online strategy over the course of more than a decade, and no e-reader. Even Books-A-Million has manned up and licensed to sell B&N's "Nook".

ted

17 Dec 10 at 1:53 pm
I saw the other day that the O'Charley's has closed on Harbison. I was really surprised when I saw this. I always enjoyed eating there.

William

17 Dec 10 at 7:49 pm
Hello,

Do you have any info on "The Manadarin", a chinese buffet restaurant on Beltine just down from Richland Mall? They had a killer buffet back in the 80's, and were in business for many years. I can remember back in the early 90's going to another chinese place out by Dutch Square, and the guy that either managed or owned The Mandarin (he was always there) was working there. The Mandarin was always packed, especially on the weekends.

Thanks!!

Mark

18 Dec 10 at 9:05 am
Whatta ya mean...The Palace was UNimpressive? Evidently you never had some of O'dell's chicken or slaw or a Knozitburger. Guess there's no accounting for taste. Regardless, have a happy forever. Knozit

Joe "Knozit" Pinner

18 Dec 10 at 4:30 pm
Welcome Mr. K!

I've moved your comment to the current "Have Your Say" page.

I do have specific page for The Palace as well.

ted

18 Dec 10 at 7:47 pm
I stumbled across this while trolling CL for weirdos :) Aww this takes me back. The Towers... they were ugly... but how can you tear them down.... Oh man I miss Cola....

Ashlyn

20 Dec 10 at 11:43 pm
Welcome Ashlyn, look around a while, check out the alphabetical list. You can find enough Cola here to keep you caffeninated!

ted

20 Dec 10 at 11:52 pm
Ted, Columbia Paint(I think that is the name) in the old Greenbax building on Gervais is closed. It closed in the last year or so.

Not sure if you'd ever noticed the Plant Barn on Two Notch or not. Drove past the sign for it yesterday, it's been closed for years now. Used to take my mom there to get her trays of plants.

ChiefDanGeorge

23 Dec 10 at 5:15 am
Hadn't noticed the paint store..

Here's The Plant Barn.

And I've noticed lately that Plants N Whatnots on Two Notch seems to be running some sort of non-retail operation now.

ted

23 Dec 10 at 11:56 am
Not really a suprise, but the grocery store in Celia Saxon is closing.

http://www.thestate.com/2010/12/23/1617095/grocery-in-celia-saxon-closing.html

tonkatoy

23 Dec 10 at 1:10 pm
Sadly, you can add "If It's Paper" on North Main to the list. Although, I understand it may reopen in a different location under new ownership sometime in the first half of 2011. (Fingers crossed!)

BethB

29 Dec 10 at 1:18 am
That's a shame -- that's where I got the 50% rag paper to print out my thesis. Nowhere else in town had 50% rag in sprocket-feed fanfold format.

ted

29 Dec 10 at 3:15 am
The "Mayflower Diner" was on South Main Street, across the tracks from the station, on land that's now part of the Swearingen Engineering Center property (the empty space between the phone lines and the track).

It was a great place to eat. A complete cross-section of Columbia would be there from students, to blue-collar, to state politicians. The food was really good 'meat and three veg' and served on willow-pattern plates and the prices were something a student could handle.

It's been about 30 years since the place was demolished in the name of 'progress' but I still miss it.

Peter Hoffman

29 Dec 10 at 4:28 pm
I noticed in yesterday's "The State" an ad for Colony House Furniture's forthcoming going out of business sale. I never bought from there, but I know my mother was fond of their merchandise.

David H

29 Dec 10 at 4:38 pm
Does anyone know what became of the large pictures that hung over the escalators in Macy's on Main Street? They were Southern scenes possibly of the Wade Hampton place.

Frank

29 Dec 10 at 10:22 pm
Based on a sticker on the door, looks like someone wants to open a restaurant in the old Cloud Nine location.

Oh, and that little diner on South Main was actually the "Mayfair" Grill. I think it was open till around '85. Across from it was the old SCE&G headquarters, currently occupied by USC.

badger

30 Dec 10 at 10:46 am
@ Frank-I read a story several years ago that when the art museum relocated in the building they sought out the paintings only to discover that somehow they had dissappeared. The sad thing is they were all historic vignettes of scens from Sc history painted by a Palmetto State native. Hopefully one day they will turn up.

Tom

30 Dec 10 at 11:47 am
To Mark (18 Dec 10 at 9:05 am):

If memory serves, the Mandarin was where Casa Linda is now. That's all I can remember.

Jim

30 Dec 10 at 4:51 pm
Ok The State Talking Shop reporter Kristy Epply Ruppon did a writeup on what to expect for 2011 and they seem hopeful that Richland Mall (and NOT Midtown at Forest Acres) will get some new tenants and Columbiana has weathered the storm of the bankruptcy of General Growth Properties amongst others...

Andrew

1 Jan 11 at 12:49 pm
There is still a Del Taco on Cherry Rd in Rock Hill.

JBL

2 Jan 11 at 3:05 pm
Looks like the Gervais Street Deli at 102 Gervais (above the Whig) might be closed. Will try to confirm.

Midnight Rambler

5 Jan 11 at 10:47 am
A few closings not listed:

Gotham Bagel on Main St. (closed Sept. 2010)

Doc's Gumbo Grill new location on Rosewood closed its doors Dec. 30, 2010

The Sly Fox On Gervais St. (not exactly sure when it closed, but as of Jan. 4, 2011 sign on door posted 'CLOSED')

P.S. Love the site! Keep up the good work!

Barb

9 Jan 11 at 5:10 pm
Thanks Barb!

Gotham Bagel is here. I hadn't heard about the other two. That wasn't too long for Doc's I'm afraid.

ted

9 Jan 11 at 6:08 pm
Hey Ted!
S&S cafeteria is going to close Jan 30 here is the link

http://www.thestate.com/2011/01/13/1644676/ss-cafeteria-to-close.html

Kc

13 Jan 11 at 3:40 pm
@KC Yah there's even a save Columbia's S&S Cafeteria Facebook Group:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1427680548#!/pages/SAVE-SS-Cafeteria/100339690043703

Mike D

13 Jan 11 at 4:45 pm
Oops that link cut off, shortened on bit.ly so it'd work, here it is again:

http://on.fb.me/ebLxf7

Mike D

13 Jan 11 at 4:47 pm
That's too bad -- the place goes back, in spirit, all the way to The Redwood Cafeteria in the first days of Richland Mall..

ted

13 Jan 11 at 6:21 pm
I went in S&S Cafeteria once about 14 months ago with two great aunts of mine and felt it was nothing special...but those feelings aside, this is a gargantuan blow to Richland Mall while Kahn tries to bring new folks in...I just wish I had the psychic powers to know what would(n't) work there...

Andrew

13 Jan 11 at 10:48 pm
I happened to see today that the Young Chef's Academy is closing (moving). Here's a picture from the door.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/65334/IMAG0244.jpg

I talk to the owner, she said they can't afford the $3000 (ouch) monthly rent. She said they would be working out of a storage shed doing day care visits and schools, etc. She said Forest Acres is a better area for them possibly.

Chris

Chris Craft

13 Jan 11 at 11:17 pm
@Andrew -- yes, that was my thought too. So far their big announcement since the takeover is that they have a coozie factory and are building a shed on the roof.

Nothing wrong with coozie's and vegetables, but it's not exactly "Macy's is coming"..

ted

13 Jan 11 at 11:26 pm
@Chris -- interesting. I was not aware of that place before.

ted

13 Jan 11 at 11:27 pm
Between it being a Redwood and an S&S it was a Hiers Cafeteria.

Tom

14 Jan 11 at 10:20 am
Tom, if you're referring to the S&S in Richland Mall, Redwood became a Morrison's. I don't think there ever was a Hier's in Richland Mall.

Jim

14 Jan 11 at 8:47 pm
It's too bad about S&S closing at the end of this month. I didnt know that they had been here in Columbia for 62 years. The only one I actually remember was the one on Gervais, but was told that they used to be back towards First Baptist area? or Lady Street? Does anyone know where S&S was before they opened the Gervais location in 1964? Any info. would be appreciated.

Del Bazemore

15 Jan 11 at 1:45 am
Does anyone remember the old Mimnaugh/Sherman House that was on Gervais across from (same side) as the Dunbar/Whaley House? What year was it torn down? I have a post card that has a picture of it when it was called "The Martha Washington", but it must have been torn down before I was born, or either I was really young and didnt pay attention to it.

Del Bazemore

15 Jan 11 at 1:50 am
@ Jim

Hiers bought out redwood in the late 1970s. They had a catering location on Main Street where the Greek Orthodox Church is being built and at the State Fairgrounds wgere Seawell's was before moving across the street. morrisions's had locations at one time or another at Columbia Mall, Dutch Square and Sumter St., but never Richland Mall.

Tom

15 Jan 11 at 10:02 am
I can say for sure that by 1975 Redwood was gone from Richland Mall, and S&S was in.

ted

15 Jan 11 at 12:46 pm
There seemed to be an inference that increased rent drove the S&S to close. It wouldn't reason that mall management would increase rent in a dead mall and bad economy.

joelc

15 Jan 11 at 2:15 pm
S & S was at by the corner of Marion & Gervais in the mid 80s. I ate a salad there almost every day since I worked right behind it. It was across the street from The Palace!

Kc

15 Jan 11 at 2:18 pm
Del-

http://www.inglewoodmanorsc.com/history.html

This house apparently has the original columns from the Mimnaugh House. No pictures of the original house though.

Jeff

15 Jan 11 at 5:28 pm
@joelc I hate to say that, but increased rent very well have played a role...I can think of several other places around town such as Charleston Crab House at Columbiana Station on Bower Parkway as well as the Dillard's that used to be in this mall that the increase in rent was the key reason that the location closed up...

Andrew

15 Jan 11 at 6:06 pm
@kc -- the Gervais S&S.

ted

15 Jan 11 at 7:11 pm
@ Del
The house that Sherman used as his headquarters was where the two story building that faces Gervais Street is in the Town House motel complex. It was torn down in the 1960s to make way for the motel.

buitl by a Kentuckian named Blanton Duncan who had a contract to print documents foir the Confederate government. He fled Columbia when Sherman neared. Later Duncan tried to sell his house to the legislature for use as a governor's mansion, but failed.

Mimnaugh bought the house in 1890 and dramatically remodeled it. The columns shown in the house from the link are from the 1890s redo.

Before and after pictures of the house can be found on page 181 of "Tales of Columbia."

Tom

16 Jan 11 at 7:14 am
Ted, I just found your site today and have really enjoyed it as you might be able to tell by my many postings so far. I will tell my friends.

Rick

16 Jan 11 at 6:20 pm
I MUST say Tom that you know your Columbia History right well actually. You sound like you know more than I do or even the Historical Foundation people. I went to the original Heathwood Hall House from 1964-1971. Too bad it was torn down in 1974 also. Have you seen the old plantation house in the Heathwood neighborhood? I think it was built in 1817 or there of if I remember from what I read when it was being restored. Looking at the colums on Lorick House in Irmo..I can tell from the pics. I've seen of the Mimnaugh/Sherman House that they ARE the ones. I wonder why the dummies in Columbia tore the house down to begin with? I'm afraid the same fate awaits the old Whaley/Dunbar House too if something isnt done soon to keep it from fallin' apart. I KNOW that place is haunted for sure! I would call Columbia "Historically Challenged" anymore..you? Where in Irmo is the old Lorick House? Thanks..Del

Del Bazemore

16 Jan 11 at 6:36 pm
A very good book to see pictures of Columbia of buildings and houses that are no longer around can be found in the Russell Maxy book called "Columbia..portrait of a City". It shows the old Mimnaugh House also. The Belk Family (John Belk ) bought Mimnaughs Dept. Store back in the early 1920's and it looked pretty much like it did originally ...that's until Columbia and I'm sure the Belk Family thought of the idea of "Modernizing" everything and that's when it changed the looks of the entire store outside wise which is the one everyone remembers now. I think it was dont back in the very early 60's? or could have been the late 50's even..not sure though. Does anyone remember the Jerome Hotel? where the DownTowner sits? It was built I think in 1962? But I'm WAY too young to remember the Jerome though..I would have been around 3 at the time before it was torn down..

Del Bazemore

16 Jan 11 at 6:44 pm
Thanks and welcome Rick..

ted

16 Jan 11 at 7:00 pm
@Del- The Roadway Inn on Main and Lady was the Downtowner. It has been remodeled several times over the years.

Tom

16 Jan 11 at 9:24 pm
Ted,

I am a long-time reader and first-time commenter. You might want to check out Doc's Gumbo Grille on Rosewood Drive. Their website indicates that they have closed.

Ben Higgins

17 Jan 11 at 10:11 am
Doc's Gumbo Grille website is funny. They changed the page to say that they closed, but they left the 2 bubbles at the top that list their Happy Hour and Brunch times.

Matt

17 Jan 11 at 4:28 pm
6303 Shakespeare Road location was in my day (late 1950s) Mr. Northcutt's Store. I remember it being pretty old even back then, but oh his candy selection was fab! He paid, I believe, 3 cents for each soda bottle collected on the roadside as I explored my neighborhood from one end (Columbia Mall) of Shakespeare to the other (the big sand pit).

Linda

18 Jan 11 at 8:38 am
Has anyone else heard that Chipotle is coming to Harbison? Somebody told me that a couple months ago; supposedly it will be in the same building as Starbucks.

Can anyone confirm that rumor?

E.J.

19 Jan 11 at 9:03 pm
@E.J. I checked the Site plan for Harbison Court , which is the shopping center that houses the Starbucks you're referencing and don't see any sign of a Chipotle coming in the former Alltell space there (that Alltell place closed a while back after initially downsizing to allow Starbucks and their location finder only shows the Trenholm Plaza location so I guess (just like with the new Vision Airlines service to Ft. Walton Beach we're getting soon out of CAE) we'll just have to wait and see what pans out...

Andrew

19 Jan 11 at 10:03 pm
WIS is reporting that a Facebook group has launched to try to save S&S that is over 600 strong. We shall soon see if the power of Facebook can keep them ticking somehow

Andrew

20 Jan 11 at 5:05 pm
I'm pretty sure S&S doesn't care how many Facebook supporters they have -- they need actual fannies on seats there..

ted

20 Jan 11 at 5:27 pm
For some reason, my previous link didn't work but this one should

Andrew

20 Jan 11 at 6:57 pm
@Andrew, Thanks for the info!

E.J.

20 Jan 11 at 8:52 pm
CLOSING ALERT: Arnold's Cleaners on 12th Street in West Columbia is closing on 1/31/11. I think this is a drop store. They have already posted a sign on the door.

Sam

23 Jan 11 at 9:20 pm
Ok folks the SCDOT is interested in hearing from you . They're reworking I-26 from around 'malfunction junction' out into Irmo...if any of you have any ideas as to what should/shouldn't be done, now is your chance to voice them...

Andrew

24 Jan 11 at 7:43 pm
Man, I would hate to see HOV lanes come to Columbia. Why not just fix malf-jay?

ted

24 Jan 11 at 11:08 pm
There in a flurry of activity in the Northeast with the following restaurants opening in the comming weeks or months:

former Micato location, 8909 Two Notch Road
There are signs of activity this week as contractors are beginning demo work/remodeling on what undoubtedly will be another restaurant at this location.

former Mangia Mangia/Shag Bistro location, 566 Spears Creek Church Road
A new restaurant is opening in this spot on February 1. It is called the Stonefire American Grill. The owners are supposedly somehow associated with Saluda’s in Five Points. What is not known is whether this restaurant is a franchise of a similarly named restaurant chain located in California.

former Capone’s/Pizza Lane location, 100 Pontiac Business Center Drive
There’s a sign that a new restaurant is opening in this spot: Carolina’s Southern Cuisine. Considering that the new Verizon Call Center has opened across the street, there should be the potential for increased foot traffic in the area.

Dunkin Donuts unfinished, never opened location, Wildewood Centre Drive
There is now a sign up saying "Opening Soon" Apparently, a new franchisee has obtained rights for the Dunkin Donuts expansion in the Columbia area. Since this location appears to be mostly completed, I would estimate the opening of the store here in 30 to 60 days.

Stewart

27 Jan 11 at 3:37 pm
If It's Paper will no longer be a closed business!!!

If It's Paper @ 2429 Main St Columbia, SC will re-open in mid February !!!! Please come and see us!!!

lisa

28 Jan 11 at 7:21 am
If It's Paper re-opens mid February @ 2429 Main St Columbia

lisa

28 Jan 11 at 7:23 am
Glad to hear it!

ted

28 Jan 11 at 11:46 am
What ever happened to Central Chevrolet? I dont remember the year it closed, but I sort of remember them being originally on Gervais back in the early to mid 60's, but not sure when they moved and closed on Beltline.. Anyone?

Del Bazemore

28 Jan 11 at 11:49 pm
@Del -- did they become Newsome Chevy World? That was on Beltline anyway..

ted

29 Jan 11 at 1:32 am
@Ted- You are right about Central Chevrolet becoming Newsome on Beltline.

Tom

29 Jan 11 at 10:34 am
I asked my Dad about it, and he told me that Central Chevy became Newsom Chevrolet .. there also used to be Nix Volks Wagon near there also back in the early 70's.

Del Bazemore

29 Jan 11 at 7:26 pm
Not really a closing per se, but does anybody else remember the big sign at the main SCE&G plant at Lake Murray? It was visible from the old, two-lane dam, before the new backup dam was completed. It was close to the Irmo side near the power plant itself, and it said something like, "South Carolina Electric and Gas: Power for Progress." It was made in the style of the Hollywood Sign.
It's a random memory from my childhood, but I remember being fascinated by it when I was younger, and I'm curious to see whether anybody else remembers it or whether it's a figment of my imagination.

BC

29 Jan 11 at 11:53 pm
It was definitely there, BC. I know one of the guys who was one of the geotechnical engineers on the big project, took us on a tour about halfway through. He's in NC now, I'll email him and see if he knows what happened to it.

JBL

30 Jan 11 at 11:07 pm
Is Belk down-scaling in apparel to compete with JCPenney? That's what I'm judging from their new logo. Tonight I was at Haywood Mall in Greenville and the elegant Belk logo has been replaced by a hideously cheap banner featuring their new logo:

Dustin

31 Jan 11 at 9:26 pm
[IMG]http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv212/dustyr87/CIMG0127.jpg[/IMG]

Dustin

31 Jan 11 at 9:28 pm
@Dustin, Belk decided to revamp their logo for the first time since 1967 and the tarp you are showing on your photobucket is probably a temporary move until something more substantial comes up. Belk did a temporary tarp like that when they initially changed over from JB White in September 1998 but a more permanent sign was put up shortly thereafter and that's what I think is going on here. Over the course of 2011, all Belk locations will feature signage of the new logo...

Andrew

31 Jan 11 at 10:18 pm
btw everything I mentioned above is per Belk's Wiki page

Andrew

31 Jan 11 at 10:19 pm
Thanks Andrew. On the way out of Greenville we drove past a standalone Belk in Simpsonville still featuring the old logo. Part of the reason the new logo in my picture is so ugly is that it's a cheap paper sign. I did find a picture of a mall in TN featuring a new fluorescent sign for the new logo, I wonder why Belk didn't have more of these ready to go. It's certainly sleek and modern, but a contrast from what it was before.

Dustin

31 Jan 11 at 11:11 pm
"Bout time to roll this one over again, huh ted?

JBL

31 Jan 11 at 11:49 pm
There was an editorial in the January Briefs Magaziine about a number of places downtown that have changed over the years. It's still online at http://briefsmagazineonline.com/Page_3.html (scroll down past February's Letter from the Editor and Staff, to January.)

AK

1 Feb 11 at 10:09 am
Regarding Belk, I'd have to say the best one in town is at Columbiana. It's so classy and organized:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UJQzmnjudgM/S2PLxPH_HaI/AAAAAAAAC3I/doDRwNzAS2w/s1600-h/columbiana_17_123009_whites.jpg

I understand JB White won an award for the store's design when it opened in 1995. The other Belk stores are not up to par. Dutch Square's is old, dated and frumpy. Richland's Belk has a decent downstairs but their upstairs is terrible. Sandhill's Belk has the newness feeling but it feels cramped and the ceilings reminded me of a wholesale store rather than an upscale department store.

Dustin

1 Feb 11 at 2:41 pm
Does anyone know exactly when the Memorial Youth Center on Blosson Street in Maxey Gregg Park closed? It opened in 1948 and was a very popular hang out for Columbia's white high school students all through the 1950's (everything was segregated in those days). It had a canteen, recreation room, juke box, stage and dance floor/auditorium. I remember it being demolished, but can't remember the year.

Walt

2 Feb 11 at 5:56 pm
@Walt-It was sometime in the late 1970s or maybe early 1980s. At the time the building had been condemmed and there were legal questions about who owned it and if it was meeting its conditions for ownership. The two memorial plaques that were in the building were placed on Blossom St.

Tom

3 Feb 11 at 9:27 am
Has there been much research into the abandoned down under Columbia and the Arcade building? I vaguely remember visiting downunder in the 70's after its heyday. The Arcade is fascinating with its architecture. I also would like more information about the supposed tunnel system in downtown.

joelc

4 Feb 11 at 10:08 am
Does any know or has heard what the fate of the old Dunbar/Whaley House on Gervais is? Is someone going to fix it before it falls apart?

Del Bazemore

4 Feb 11 at 11:33 am
When I did the closing for Dunbar, I found information online that suggested USC was buying the property for a Children's Law Center. There are no for-sale signs on it now, so perhaps they did buy it but haven't been able to move forward with the remodel. At any rate, the house is badly in need of some love and care.

ted

4 Feb 11 at 1:31 pm
In the alphabetical listing it shows the Starlite Drive-In at Two Notch and Pinehaven. That was the location for the Twilite Drive In. The Starlite was off Jackson Blvd near Crowson Rd and Rickenbaker Rd. I lived on Rickenbaker and sneaked under the fence many times at the Starlite.

Sammy B

4 Feb 11 at 2:57 pm
It's a matter of some controversy -- check out the comments on that page.

ted

4 Feb 11 at 3:18 pm
dick smith nissan is opening march 1st 2011 theres a billboard by the wal-mart on 2 notch rd

Javier

4 Feb 11 at 5:52 pm
@JoelC. Look at WOLO's Hidden Columbia webpage. They did a story on both those things.

Tom

5 Feb 11 at 10:26 am
Went by the Quizno on Harbison next to Barmnes & Noble yesterday. There was a notice on the door saying "Temporarily closed."

Tom

5 Feb 11 at 10:27 am
I drove by Rish Florist on State Street in West Columbia. They were cleaning it out and a sign is on the door now. I'm sad to see them go; the owner is a friend of my wife's family.

JB

5 Feb 11 at 12:38 pm
Just noticed American Apparel on Harden St. is closed but don't see any info or comments on your site. What's the "dealio" ?

Jennifer

5 Feb 11 at 2:34 pm
best buy on sparkleberry square will open march 26, 2011 heres a link: http://stores.bestbuy.com/1515/

Javier

5 Feb 11 at 10:01 pm
@Jennifer, American Apparel is closed? I was just there a couple weeks ago.

Dustin

6 Feb 11 at 1:08 am
It's gone. Butcher paper on the windows, no note on the door.

ted

6 Feb 11 at 1:22 am
max rave in columbiana mall is closed because i think they went liquidation

Javier

6 Feb 11 at 8:43 am
max rave closed January 28, 2011 or maybe earlier

Javier

6 Feb 11 at 8:44 am
Regarding American Apparel that's a shame. I did look on their website and now the closest ones are in Charleston and Charlotte. I liked them cause they were high end and sweatshop free.

Dustin

6 Feb 11 at 11:42 pm
@Andrew oddly enough on my lunch break today as I going to Chick-fil-A I had just enough time(well barely enough considering traffic to get back to work!) to get a couple (bad) snap and run pics:

Outside:

http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv212/dustyr87/CIMG0138.jpg

Inside(apologize for the blurry photo, but some old hag at jewelry kiosk was trying to make a sale):

http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv212/dustyr87/CIMG0140.jpg

Before:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UJQzmnjudgM/Sz2YcQ9bVTI/AAAAAAAAClw/1XPK4xpqfJs/s1600-h/dutchsquare_15_123009_jbwhite.jpg

I'm curious as to how Columbiana's Belk will turn out looking on that glass window. PS why does Dutch Square seem more alive than Richland? Also that store we mentioned that was selling counterfeit clothing is still open and had customers in it...

Dustin

8 Feb 11 at 10:18 pm
I see that Hudson's Bar B Que in Harbison has closed. I presume permanently. If so, that's the third restrurant in that location to fail. It appeared from the number of customers that it was doing great.

Walt

10 Feb 11 at 9:26 am
@Walt I was suspicious last week that Hudson's was closed on Parkridge Drive. I hate to see it happen b/c I thought Hudson's would work out there. But we'll have to wait and see exactly how this pans out...

Andrew

10 Feb 11 at 2:13 pm
@Dustin I haven't been in Dutch Square or Richand Mall lately so I am not in a position to judge whether or not Dutch Square is more alive than Richland Mall. If you go to their lease plan (per mall owner Phillips Edison) it shows a higher occupancy rate. I looked around and tried to find something similar for Richland Mall but all I could come up were lease plans for Richland Mall in Waco, TX and Mansfield, OH. That is unless you go to the mall map on midtownatforestacres.com but something tells me that the map you find there isn't 100% up to date.

Century Capital Group in conjunction with Alan Kahn is trying hard to get new tenants into the former Midtown at Forest Acres and has the strongest sense of optimism I've seen in some time about it. I'd like to think it's genuine and don't have a reason to believe it isn't but we're going to have to wait and see b/c these decisions are being made in company corporate offices that are in totally different states typically. I'd like to see Macy's but their corporate headquarters are in NYC, Chicago and Cincinnati (not 100% sure of the arrangement) so someone in one of those cities would have to make such a decision. JC Penney is another one I'd like to see but they're headquartered in Plano, TX.

There are plenty of other possibilities for Richland Mall but I don't know about too many of them as I don't know much about the retail world outside of Columbia. Sadly, not too many stand much a chance at coming to fruition.

Andrew

10 Feb 11 at 2:32 pm
The Hudsons closing was a false alarm. I went by there today and it was open. Checked further and found that they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays

Walt

10 Feb 11 at 3:09 pm
@Walt: thanks for clearing that up!!! I guess one day (not Monday/Tuesday) I can make it to that one God willing...

Andrew

10 Feb 11 at 4:43 pm
Does this site cover closed ABC liquor stores? I was just curious after recently driving by one that looked boarded up, but then again there was two more opened around the corner. As I just moved to SC last summer I must say the state has rather draconian alcohol laws. Heh I guess I miss the luxury of buying vodka in a regular grocery store on a Sunday.

Dustin

10 Feb 11 at 10:04 pm
PS Sandhill's Belk has the new logo now, just put up tonight:

Dustin

10 Feb 11 at 10:17 pm
PS Sandhill’s Belk has the new logo now, just put up tonight:

http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv212/dustyr87/CIMG0138-1.jpg

Dustin

10 Feb 11 at 10:18 pm
The Dutch Square Belk is in the process of changing logos right now and I have to think that Richland Mall & Columbiana Centre will follow shortly thereafter

Andrew

10 Feb 11 at 11:05 pm
@Dustin -- there's no set rules. Idealy it's something that interests me or I think will interest people, but when I get close to the end of the pictures I have on file, it's liable to be anything..

ted

10 Feb 11 at 11:20 pm
Just noticed the new logo on the distribution center out in Blythewood yesterday.

Dave

11 Feb 11 at 12:39 am
Dustin, what state allows vodka sales in a regular old grocery store any day of the week? Just curious.

JBL

11 Feb 11 at 11:54 pm
@JBL mostly western states--California, New Mexico, Arizona, and increasingly Colorado just to name a few. On the flip side they have Native American reservations most which maintain prohibition era laws except at their casinos.

Dustin

12 Feb 11 at 12:46 am
Florida does, as well. Heck, I used to buy all my booze at Walgreen's when I lived down there. Alcohol was available around the clock except for midnight to noon on Sundays.

Jason

12 Feb 11 at 4:11 pm
Alcohol laws were left up to the states after prohibition ended so what you have is a patchwork of very different rules and then the states leave some issues up to local cities or counties. That is why you can buy beer and wine on Sunday in Charleston (and now Columbia) but not in most other places on Sunday. Some states sell alcohol (beer included) only in state run stores. In PA, at one time you could only buy beer at a state store or a bar, which meant you went to the local bar to buy a 6-pack not the grocery store.

Larry

12 Feb 11 at 4:39 pm
PA's laws are still that way. No alcohol in the grocery stores, unless they have a separate bottle shop attached.

BC

12 Feb 11 at 4:42 pm
When I was in Pittsburgh 3 years ago, I couldn't find anyplace that sold beer except for a bar that had a license to sell it for carry out. Of course, it was at their price. The state run stores are hard to find and close at 9:00.

Dallas has areas that are dry. You have to get a restaurant permit to buy a drink. The Houston Galleria mall is partly in a dry county. I was dumb enough to spend 5 dollars on a membership card to be able to buy a margarita with my meal. Most of Alabama is dry, especially in the northern part of the state. In Michigan, you can buy hard liquor in convenience stores.

joelc

12 Feb 11 at 5:21 pm
I know where the old Captain's Kitchen was on Decker, but where was the other one? Was it on the old Charleston Hwy? and if so, where? is the building still there?

Del Bazemore

14 Feb 11 at 2:58 pm
@Del, look at the ad here. Google suggests the street number is now a daycare though I don't know about the building.

ted

14 Feb 11 at 5:08 pm
No offense to SC drivers, but who on earth told you guys to stop inside the intersection? Or drive slow in the left lane?

Dustin

15 Feb 11 at 9:02 am
@Dustin I'm a lifelong SC resident and it doesn't make sense to me. I hate it when I'm driving right at the speed limit and it people pass me like I'm the slowpoke. The thing that gets me the most is everyone wants to stop behind me right on my bumper. Thankfully I haven't been rear ended that way yet but one of my biggest fears is that I will find myself involved in such a collision.

Andrew

15 Feb 11 at 12:23 pm
Hello folks I am moving to Columbia and am considering an apartment a few blocks from the old Decker Mall; looking on this site it seems like it used to be a nice place. Is that a bad neighborhood now? Or is it not too bad? Thanks!

Chris

15 Feb 11 at 2:41 pm
@Chris: Decker Blvd in my opinion is a dicey area anymore. I seldom travel down Decker Blvd anymore as a result. A lot of businesses that used to be on Decker Blvd. has moved several miles up Two Notch Road and that started something that caused the area to go downhill as well.

Andrew

15 Feb 11 at 3:06 pm
The statistics point out that Decker and Parklane is the most dangerous area in the county. Yet, I've never felt unsafe driving down Decker and shopping at the Bi-lo or Foodlion or getting gas at Sphinx. I wouldn't venture into any nightclubs or something lowbrow like that.

joelc

15 Feb 11 at 3:13 pm
@Andrew
Thanks for the info. That's a shame I hate to see nieghborhoods go downhill like that. I'm really excited to move to Columbia but I have been a little disappointed having done some research on the crime rates, especially violent crime. I'll probably end up getting a place up closer to Elgin, it seems a little safer out there.

@joel
yah I don't mind driving through some sketh areas, but I probably won't want to live there! :)

Chris

15 Feb 11 at 3:36 pm
@Chris
It depends on where you will be driving to each day, but Elgin will be an interesting commute if you are trying to head toward downtown Columbia. If you are working in Blythewood, Elgin or Camden it won't be bad though. There are some apartments on Parklane out closer to 277 and Farrow Rd that don't look very bad though.

Matt

15 Feb 11 at 4:12 pm
@Matt
I am in the Army so I'll be commuting to Ft. Jackson. Yeah I'm looking at a few apartments in that area as well, around "Windsor Lake." They seem to be more in a residential area, so that might be a little better; it's hard to say tho I know some places I've lived there will be a nasty street and just a block or two away perfectly safe neighborhoods, whereas in other places the crime filters out into the surrounding community.

Chris

15 Feb 11 at 8:10 pm
@Chris
Windsor Lakes isn't bad. I would steer clear of anything near Percival Rd between Forest Dr & Decker. Forest Dr has a nice complex (42 Magnolia) that is just down the street from the main gate of the fort.

Good luck with your apartment hunt.

Matt

15 Feb 11 at 9:16 pm
The problem with Columbia is that the housing authority has a policy of spreading Section 8 throughout the city, instead of locating it in one area. While well intentioned, the net effect is that it makes the whole town a bad neighborhood.

tonkatoy

16 Feb 11 at 7:34 am
The better apartments in town tend to be pretty expensive, on the order of house payments. I've known people to live in ethnically diverse apartments and have had absolutely no problems living there. The perception of a bad area is just that. I'd stay clear of ones with known gang and drug dealers present.

joelc

16 Feb 11 at 11:37 am
Ladies and gentlemen, it is now official, Borders Group, Inc. has filed for bankruptcy. I have no memory of any Borders bookstores being around Columbia but I'll be happy to hear from some of you that do (if you do). Scroll down and you can find the list of Borders Bookstores that shall be closing in the weeks forthcoming.

Andrew

16 Feb 11 at 6:12 pm
That's a shame, I've always liked Borders, especially out west. I remember when I first visited Greenville's Haywood Mall that mall had a Borders Express that eventually closed. I had preferred Borders to Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million(which is non-existent out west) oh well.

Dustin

16 Feb 11 at 10:22 pm
PS Borders owns Waldenbooks, and I remember them a few years ago closing all Waldenbooks stores that were deemed "too close" to a Borders store.

Dustin

16 Feb 11 at 10:23 pm
Borders never opened a store in SC, though they came as close as Augusta and Charlotte. I was introduced to the chain in Kansas City when I was making a lot of business trips out there, and loved it -- I could get all kinds of technical books that weren't available in Columbia. Same for the one at Pentagon Center in DC -- I could take the metro from my hotel and spend the evening there browsing and drinking coffee.

The internet hit them hard, especially since they adopted the unbelievably stupid strategy of letting Amazon handle their internet business, and on top of that never got an e-reader strategy. After I could get any book I wanted any time, the thrill was gone, and last time I saw the Augusta store, it was looking kind of sad.

ted

16 Feb 11 at 10:40 pm
I'm a voracious reader, but rarely buy anything from brick and stone bookstore. New and used (I LOVE the Amazon used books option!) I get from Amazon, and new novels I get at Wally-world.

i guess bookstores and video stores are going the way of the buggy whip.

tonkatoy

17 Feb 11 at 7:39 am
Hi ted -- FYI I went by my favorite Subway today only to find the dreaded "temporarily closed" sign. This is the one at 2313 Beltline, kinda behind the Forest Drive Kroger.

Bruster's Ice Cream has already come and gone at the other end of this building. I do not understand why they built it backward -- facing away from the very busy street. I think a LOT of traffic goes right by without even noticing there are businesses there.

Dennis

17 Feb 11 at 9:04 pm
That Kroger should buy the building the Subway is in and expand it out a little if they want to remain competitive but they'd also have to buy the little 'L' shape building at the intersection itself and raze that...From what I've heard, it does have a steady stream of cars parked in the lot to the point that finding a parking place would is difficult so does a good business but I wonder how long it can remain competitive as I feel the Kroger itself is kinda hidden. I don't understand why they closed their former location at 4305 Ft. Jackson Blvd. except that Edens & Avant must have ran them out to redevelop the site and those plans never came to fruition.

Andrew

17 Feb 11 at 10:33 pm
@Dennis -- yeah that is odd design. It took me a long time to realize there was in fact a Subway there. I'll check it out.

ted

17 Feb 11 at 10:36 pm
the thing that intrigues me about this Subway closing is that they are still going at Dutch Square somehow but then this one folds up...

Andrew

17 Feb 11 at 10:48 pm
This article in The State today says that Blue Martini will be closing...

http://www.thestate.com/2011/02/18/1700926/woody-windham-opening-club.html

Summer

18 Feb 11 at 11:30 am
The entire Blockbuster Video chain is now up for sale according to a story I saw on CNN last night. A group of creditors are belived to have the inside track on buying it.

Tom

22 Feb 11 at 5:42 am
@Tom you beat me to it! I heard on the radio last night that part of the deal would involve Blockbuster closing 600 retail locations. No word yet on which would be affected but keep your ears open for word of any others that will close and if
I hear anything, I'll enlighten the Columbia Closings community...

Andrew

22 Feb 11 at 10:50 am
Herb's Bar and Grille on Broad River Rd. Went there in the early 80's. Great fried chicken and cold beer.

Also, what was originally where the mexican restaurant is on Beltline? Late 70's?

scott z

23 Feb 11 at 9:17 pm
Hey do you remember that pizza place LaStradda's?(sp) It was in Decker where strip mall where the Winn Dixie use to be. Was open in 1980. I ate there once after watching a movie at Spring Valley movies.

Tim

23 Feb 11 at 10:13 pm
Got a closing to report on! The SC Place Gift and Embroidery store location at Columbia Place Mall is closing up shop with store closing and final clearance signs up. Unlike their location at Columbiana which is usually packed all the times I've seen it no one was in it besides the employees. I don't believe the Columbiana locale or their others are closing. Ironically a giant job fair was taking place right across the hall in what looked like a former large junior anchor.

Dustin

24 Feb 11 at 2:50 pm
I didn't even realize there was an SC Place store at that mall. Too bad I like that store and Big Thursday.

Stan

24 Feb 11 at 9:40 pm
Hasn't that store closed before? I bought a denim shirt with a palmetto tree logo there years ago at a going out of business sale. Seems it was 2003 or so.

tonkatoy

25 Feb 11 at 7:38 am
There was a restaurant downtown that was famous for their Pimiento Burger. What was the name of that place? I used to eat lunch there every day when I worked for the SC Retirement Systems. I still remember those big juicy burgers PILED with Pimiento cheese spread...yummm

Brooke

26 Feb 11 at 9:18 am
That was in the late 80's, 87/88 I think

Brooke

26 Feb 11 at 9:19 am
Brooke,

Was that the Palmetto Sandwich Shop, in the bottom of the parking garage on Sumter Street? It was a sad day when they retired.

Larry

26 Feb 11 at 9:59 am
Sounds more like the "Dairy Bar". They may have moved a few times, but were on Main about where Miyos is now at one time.

On Harden, Pawley's Porch's Fried Green Tomato BLT with pimento cheese is very good!

ted

26 Feb 11 at 12:25 pm
Yes that was the Dairy Bar. Their first Main St. location was a building that's since been demolished which would have been adjacent to Miyo's current location. Sometime in the '80s it moved north of the Capitol to the storefront that's between the newstand and the building on the corner. After a few years the owner moved to California and the downtown Dairy Bar was no more.

Mike

26 Feb 11 at 6:25 pm
The Blockbuster on Forest Dr has a going out of business sign. Their discs are all of questionable quality when they are new, so I don't know who would buy them.

the Sally Beauty Supply in the Bi Lo shopping center on Devine is long gone. I noticed last night while going to Ruby Tuesday that their sign is turned around backwards and then noticed that the store didn't exist anymore.

Matt

28 Feb 11 at 9:11 am
Ted, saw your spot on WLTX and have enjoyed surfing your site. Have you ever done anything with the old Rupert's Blue Dog? It was at Main and Gervais after The Frog closed, and before The Whig opened. Blue Dog had the best burgers and home fries! Rupert now cooks at the American Legion on Pickens Street hill.

Ellen

2 Mar 11 at 10:42 am
Speaking of WLTX did anyone see the story of an alterations shop here in Columbia that suddenly has appeared to close up shop with people orders still inside including one desperate bride trying to get her wedding dress back? No one knows what happened, not even the shop's neighbors. It seems the owner has simply vanished off the face of the earth.

Dustin

2 Mar 11 at 8:27 pm
Does anyone know what the building behind Cici's in Sandhills was? I was recently up there and for some reason realized that the Cici's building was constructed against this old tore up building on the back. I mean, windows broken, doors broken, ceiling fixtures hanging, etc. I've tried a google search, but no luck. Cici's address is 715 Fashion Drive in Columbia.

Megan

9 Mar 11 at 1:05 pm
Did you mention the old "Columbia East Movie Theaters" on Garners Ferry Road on the site somewhere?

Jesse

14 Mar 11 at 12:31 pm
It's come up in the comments recently, but there's not an entry for them. In fact, I had no memory whatsoever of there even being theaters over there..

ted

14 Mar 11 at 12:51 pm
I don't remember the name of the business, but the big building on Elmwood Avenue just off I-126 (by Pavillion Towers) that has been closed for many years looks like it's being torn down. There was a backhoe type machine tearing the back wall off earlier today. If you want to memorialize that one better step lively with a camera--it might not be standing much longer.

59 Ford Wheelman

14 Mar 11 at 4:30 pm
Looks like Al Amir in Irmo is gone.

E.J.

14 Mar 11 at 7:17 pm
There most definitely was a movie theater in Columbia East. I would guess that it was closed by the early 90's. I am almost certain it was a multi-screen. It became a $1.00 movie place and later a nightclub. Next time I go by I'll see if there is anything left of the ticket window. Anyone remember the liquor store next door. I remember the owner had a red Jag convertible. I think it is great that the church is using the space and it is not being Walabandonmarted.

Frank

14 Mar 11 at 7:39 pm
Columbia East Theater had at least two screens, but I think maybe four. I know for sure that I saw "Moonstruck" ('86) and "Running Scared" ("87) there.

In the early '70s that same building was a honky tonk called The New South Music Hall. Lots of good local musicians hung out there.

Dennis

14 Mar 11 at 8:36 pm
@EJ -- interesting. I saw the guy I always figured was the owner at the Sandhill location on Saturday, and never had seen him at that branch before.

ted

14 Mar 11 at 9:37 pm
Columbia East was a part of the (I believe) Roth theater chain that also had the Spring Valley Theaters. In the 80s this seemed to be where we saw many films on Sunday. I think that there were 4 screens.

We saw many movies there, of the ones I can recall are FX, Dreamscape, Revenge of the Nerds. Not sure when they closed as I rarely saw that side of town after about 92.

Larry

15 Mar 11 at 8:39 am
@Larry. The Roth's theatres were orignally owned by Irwin-Fuller, a local chain who eventually found it hard to compete with the big national ones.

Tom

15 Mar 11 at 9:08 am
I went to the Columbia East a couple of times. Was probably the second worst I-F theatre in Columbia, after the Gamecock in Cayce. They were noted for having played the Gene Wilder-Richard Pryor film "Silver Streak" for over a year there. (Yes the same film on the same screeen for over a year.) They also showed Star Wars during its second run.

Tom

15 Mar 11 at 9:12 am
59 Ford, I think you may be talking about Noland's. I think I posted its closing date in the archived version of Have Your Say. I believe it was some sort of plumbing fixtures place, because they had a big white clawfoot tub in the display windows forever.

tonkatoy

16 Mar 11 at 6:51 am
If it's the same place, I seem to remember it as "Wickes" when I was a kid.

badger

16 Mar 11 at 8:20 am
tonkatoy, that's exactly it. I thought I saw mention of it on here, but couldn't find it. I happened by again today, and the back is definitely coming off. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

59 Ford Wheelman

16 Mar 11 at 3:33 pm
I think badger's right about the Wickes, too, but I'm not betting on it. Reason why is I'm thinking maybe that's where Dad got bottom washers for his old VK pump back in the 70s. it was a bad time for quality leather washers.

tonkatoy

17 Mar 11 at 6:36 am
I always remember it being Noland, with the red triangle logo or whatever it was, but I'm finding my memory is not as good as I give it credit for....

59 Ford Wheelman

17 Mar 11 at 8:31 pm
Hey just wondering but what use to be in the Columbia Point shopping plaza behind Gold's Gym on Broad River at I-26 exit 102? I know there is still a Tripp's cleaners here but the the place otherwise vacant for a locale right off the Interstate. It looks like it use to be a grocery store possibly Publix. Anyone know?

Dustin

19 Mar 11 at 11:22 am
Dustin, the shopping Center I think you're referencing is called High Pointe Centre and is a former Piggly Wiggly (store #80)

That particular shopping center is located at the intersection of Lake Murray Blvd. and Columbiana Drive. Columbiana Drive used to stop at Lake Murray Blvd. but they expanded it to accommodate Piggly Wiggly when it opened. I can still remember the light at Lake Murray Blvd. with covers on the Gold's Gym side.

Andrew

19 Mar 11 at 11:49 am
Ah thanks Andrew. Whenever I leave Columbiana mall to exit out on I always take Columbiana drive out instead of the nightmarish Harbison out so I always drive past that place. Never knew what it was.

Dustin

19 Mar 11 at 3:18 pm
Does it count as a closing if I managed to close down a couple bars down in Five Points last night for the St. Patrick's Day festivities? ;) All kidding aside, I hope everyone had a safe night we left the curiously underpopulated Bar None at about 1:15am just as it started raining and it was hellish trying to get out of there. They should have kept the streets closed.

Dustin

20 Mar 11 at 7:00 pm
The old Moore for Less car lot on Two Notch @ Arcadia Lakes is no more. They demolished the building and the parking lot last week. There is already materials in place to start new construction. No idea what is going there.

There is soon to be another empty Taco Bell in the old style. The one on Decker is going to relocate to the corner of Decker and Trenholm. This is where the old Grandy's was that was torn down. I saw a coming soon sign this morning on the way to work.

Does anyone know if the new Best Buy out near Sandhills (old Circuit City) is a new location or are the moving out of the one by Columbia Mall?

Matt

21 Mar 11 at 2:22 pm
Somewhere in the comments someone asked BB and they said it was an additional location.

ted

21 Mar 11 at 3:24 pm
@Matt, I contacted Best Buy Corporate last September and I was told that the current Best Buy at 7006 Two Notch Road (store #270) will continue to operate as is. I had the chance to speak with someone who works at that particular location and he said it did better than the one at 370 Harbison (store#264)

If you read Best Buy's writeup on the new Sparkelberry Square store (store #1515), it specifically says that the other Two Notch Road location will continue to operate in addition to the other 3. They are calling the existing one Two Notch and this one Spring Valley.

The New Spring Valley/Sparkelberry Square Best Buy (store #1515) will open on March 26, 2011 (Easter 2062)

Andrew

21 Mar 11 at 4:55 pm
I am hoping that you or someone might have some info an old five point bar called Don's or more officially Don's Marching and Music Society.

J DANIELS

22 Mar 11 at 5:21 pm
Does anyone know what the deal was with Cribbs' Bakery on Harden. From a glance thru Google News Archives, the lightning strike was in April 2003. The only other update I found was from July 2003, which quoted the owner as saying that two insurance companies were "haggling over the coverage." It never reopened, so I wonder if he just said "To heck with it," and took his settlement home with him.

badger

23 Mar 11 at 9:53 am
Hello Ted---

I wanted to comment on the Lion's Head Restaurant which, during the 1970's, was a really great place to eat in Five Points on Saluda Avenue. The Lion's Head was especially famous for its steaks and it arguably had the best salad bar in Columbia. It was located on Saluda sort of around the corner from the legendary Joyful Alternative. My former boss took me to dinner there as part of a job interview. If I still lived in Columbia I'd e-mail a photo to you of the row of buildings where the Lion's Head was located. Maybe I can do that on my next visit there! Thanx for such an excellent web site!

John Merrell

26 Mar 11 at 1:40 pm
Thanks John,

I've heard of The Lion's Head, but never went there. If I can find some old ads for it, perhaps I'll do a post on it.

ted

26 Mar 11 at 5:13 pm
I think The Lion's Head was the same building that was Timothy's.

Dennis

28 Mar 11 at 5:25 am
The Lion's Head/Timothy's was on Saluda where Delaney's is now. In it's day the Lion's Head was one of better upscale steak places in Columbia. It was still around in the mid 1980s.

Tom

28 Mar 11 at 5:32 am
I Rode The "Valley Park" (MLK) miniature train as a kid!
Just like the one that had the tragic accident in Spartanburg.
I wonder if any body else remembers? I would love to see a picture.

"Bo"

29 Mar 11 at 7:17 pm
I noticed this evening that the 76 gas station on the corner of Trenholm and Forest Dr is no more. This must have happened very recently since I got gas there about a week ago.

There is caution tape strung up among the pumps and the building. There is already a roll off dumpster in front, so I assume that the turn around is going to be rapid. This station always made me think they got their pumps second hand or they just didn't want to spend anymore than they had to. There were some pump handles that were missing parts and most of the time the receipt printers were busted.

I also noticed last week that their storage building close to the Rite Aid drive thru is actually an old 18 wheeler box trailer with plywood nails around the bottom.

Matt

2 Apr 11 at 12:38 am
Interesting! I drove by several times today and didn't even notice!

This was a Gulf station for most of its life (that I am aware of). It actually has not been a 76 station since at least last October.

And yes, they removed the locks from the pump handles so you couldn't let go of the handle while wiping your windshield or whatever.

ted

2 Apr 11 at 12:49 am
On the top deck of the Richland Mall parking garage, there is a farmers market that was built last fall. It's close to the entrance off of Beltline. This article was in The State but all I can find was a cached copy on Google. (http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:soxs4Jd0LesJ:www.thestate.com/2010/09/23/1478244/richland-mall-lands-new-tenant.html+richland+mall+farmers+market&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=www.google.com)

I went by today and it looks like it's out of business. The article said they would be open year round 6 days a week. The enclosed shed looks empty of plants. There isn't any kind of sign on the outside of the structure as well. I was looking forward to shopping there but had never had time to stop by.

Matt

2 Apr 11 at 8:48 pm
Well, that was their big news at one time. While I wished the market well, I didn't think building a shed on the roof was much of a turnaround plan..

ted

2 Apr 11 at 9:08 pm
The Simply Irresitable consignment shop at the intersection of Lake Murray Blvd and Woodrow Stree in Irmo has a going out of business sale sign up.

Tom

4 Apr 11 at 4:10 pm
The Forest Drive Blockbuster is in its final days. It will be closed by April 10th. This is one of the two local locations currently closing.

Thomas

4 Apr 11 at 11:54 pm
Where's the other one?

ted

5 Apr 11 at 12:08 am
My understanding is the location on Emmanual Church Rd is also closing.

Thomas

5 Apr 11 at 9:52 am
La Fogata (later changed to El Meson... I think thats how its spelled) mexican restaurant at 4545 Broad River Rd (in the old Lizards Thicket building across from SLED) is closed.

IrmoJeff

6 Apr 11 at 10:40 pm
Anyone heard of what happened to the Hot Rock Massages, there was 3 locations in Columbia. I bought 5 family members gift cards at their lexington location for Xmas and 4 had not used theirs.............. now they cant as all 3 locations are gone overnight.

1812 Augusta Hwy. Phone: 803-957-1250

Lexington, SC 29072

120 Sparkleberry Crossing Phone: 803-708-4848

Suite 5

Columbia, SC 29229

10 B Clusters Court Phone: 803-749-4649

Columbia, SC 29210

Jimmy

7 Apr 11 at 9:55 pm
Thomas Mentioned earlier in the thread that the Blockbuster on Emmanuel Church Road is closing and I checked my brother since he lives in Cayce and he told me that it is indeed closing. This Blockbuster is located at 2916 Emanuel Church Road in a shopping Center called Sandy Ridge Square*

* although the loopnet listing says Sandy Ridge Shopping Center, the signage there says Sandy Ridge Square (go figure)

Andrew

7 Apr 11 at 11:31 pm
@Jimmy I checked their website and it says the shop is closed for maintenance

Andrew

7 Apr 11 at 11:36 pm
Andrew and Jimmy, That's an odd way to say they are closed for maintenance - "Our Shop is down for maintenance," sounds more like the shopping cart of their website.

Larry

9 Apr 11 at 6:56 pm
This pertains more just outside of Columbia than Columbia itself, but as we've discussed Peebles here before and the closed Columbia Goody's locales this might apply. The company that owns Peebles stores has bought and is resurrecting the Goody's name, including by re-branding its unique Newberry locale store as a Goody's. Although Peebles has a good what ten to twenty stores across SC, its Newberry locale was unique it that it carried more upscale brands and had an Este Lander counter than the average Peebles.

Dustin

9 Apr 11 at 8:22 pm
Ok here's what I gather to be going on:

Peebles is owned by Houston-based Stage Stores Inc.

If you read their About us page You'll notice that they own Bealls, Goody’s (which was acquired in their bankruptcy in 2009), Palais Royal, Peebles and Stage

Much like the Systemax group acquired Circuit City's, Ritz Interactive acquired Boater's World and Raymond Zimmerman acquired rights to Service Merchandises and each of them is continuing operation under their respective (dot)com names. Linens N Things is another one that continues to operate online after closing up their traditional stores.

Looking at Stage Store's store locator it currently turns up Peebles locations in Newberry, Batesburg Leesville, Winnsboro and Chester with a Bamberg location of Goodys. While this is the case at the moment I am typing this out, this could very well change as they decide what works best where.

Columbia had 3 Goodys locations: Northpointe Coomopns (10060 Two Notch Road), Westside Plaza (2307 Augusta Road (US#1)(West Columbia)) and Columbiana Station (1120 Bower Parkway). The Northpointe Commons location is now a JoAnn Fabric (with a remainder of it becoming a Citi Trends) but the other two are up for the taking if Stage Stores would like to set up one of their brands in these former locations. Their opportunities aren't limited ot that, either depending on what their growth plan winds up being but we shall see how it turns out as time progresses (since I don't have the psychic powers to know what will become of these places).

Andrew

9 Apr 11 at 8:59 pm
Thanks for the further research Andrew. I am familiar with Stage stores as well as the Bealls stores back in New Mexico and Colorado. The interesting thing is while Stage stores like Peebles tries to sell somewhat higher brands, the old Goody's catered more to lower income with no-name brands and less than stellar merchandise. Even the Goody's in Newberry from the junk mail I got about (I don't know why I don't live in Newberry!) appears to be selling the exact same things Peebles does due to being sister stores, I understand most people remember Goody's as being a junky store.

I'm wondering then why rebrand some stores with a store name that has a lousy image from the past and went bankrupt. This is a recipe for disaster and Stage Stores is headed in the wrong direction here.

Dustin

10 Apr 11 at 9:31 am
I think Columbia might possibly hold a record for dead or dying malls. The city had way too high of aspirations in the 70's and 80's for the actual need or population. Out of five malls, only one is doing well, but if the city could have just two good malls that would be enough.

Stan

11 Apr 11 at 4:40 pm
I doubt we have any kind of record..

And each mall had some kind of plan for how they were going to survive, and sold that plan to the initial investors. And in fact, the plans worked for most of them. Dutch Square & Columbia Mall did very well for years. Even RFM did OK for a while. In some cases the plans were wrong, in other cases, circumstances changed.

ted

11 Apr 11 at 5:03 pm
Richland Mall was/is and always will be a "community" Mall.. It was never near anything other than Forrest Dr. and the area that surrounds it. The Hiway wasnt even bein' though of at the time it opened in the early 60's. Dutch Square was good from 1970-1985 or there of, Columbia Mall only did it's best from 1978-1990, then it died. Columbiana does well because it's all about "location, location, location".. And forget about Sandhills..it never has done that well because it's too far out past Spring Valley, and it's TOO expensive anyhow and too upper-end for the average shopper.

Del Bazemore

11 Apr 11 at 5:11 pm
Columbia has been definitely overmalled though. At one time in the 1990s there were seven malls total, too many for a city of this size. I thought Belk's buyout of Parisian in 2006 would have doomed Columbiana as ratty JCPenney came in but it was saved by some other high end stores coming in.

Stan

11 Apr 11 at 8:35 pm
In addition, Columbiana is growing old and tiresome to me at least. For a real pleasuring shopping experience one must go to Haywood Mall in Greenville or SouthPark mall in Charlotte

Stan

11 Apr 11 at 9:07 pm
I, for one, do not care to drive all the way to Charlotte or Greenville to go shopping. I live in St. Andrews area and while I don't mind going to Lexington, Ballentine, Northeast Richland or Garners Ferry to shop, I refuse to make the drive to Greenville or Charlotte to shop. Unfortunately I am not able to afford much anyway so it is almost a non-issue for me.

Dutch Square and Richland Mall desperately need new life. It doesn't make sense to me how Richland Mall is located in Forest Acres with a high occupancy rate except said mall. Right as Walmart #4379 opened at 1326 Bush River Road there was hope that Bush River Road would start to have new life but Dutch Square hasn't had much luck.

Andrew

11 Apr 11 at 9:58 pm
Sheesh yes Haywood and especially SouthPark are fashion powerhouses but go up there to shop regularly? With the now ever skyrocketing price of gas? Last I checked all the luxury chains were scaling back and there is always online ordering. Look at Saks 5th closing shuttering regular stores left and right including the one in Charleston yet opening more Off/5th stores. Columbiana currently works well as a blend of middle (ie JCPenney, Aeropostale) and upscale (ie Abercrombie&Fitch, Banana Republic) stores. Perhaps more upscale stores will appear in future, better economic times.

Columbia Place and Sandhill should be merged to make a brand new mall.

Wal-Mart at Bush River is laughable, none of the self checkout lanes are ever opened and the store closes at 10pm while the Harbison is 24 hours. Someone I think mentioned they liked Hamricks, but when I went in there it smelled like a diaper and looked decayed.

Dustin

11 Apr 11 at 11:08 pm
I'm so happy to know I'm not the only one that is not impressed with Hamrick's. They used to have a jingle ♫ "nobody knows clothes like Hamrick's" ♫ on their commercials. The site where Hamrick's is used to be a thriving outlet mall but one by one, the tenants closed up shop. Now it's a lot of office suites. My mom likes to shop at Hamrick's as do two of my great aunts but I got to where Hamrick's wasn't very inviting to me anymore so I've gotten to where I simply ask they go without me. There have even been several cases where I've actually waited in the car while one of my parents goes in there and shops.

At one point, Hamrick's was supposed to open on Garners Ferry Road but that never came to fruition.

Andrew

11 Apr 11 at 11:19 pm
There was a Hamrick's at Hazelwood and Garner's Ferry back in the eighties. It is now a bank.

tonkatoy

12 Apr 11 at 7:03 am
I'm drawing a blank on that one. I was thinking it was in the old Wal-Mart shopping center, in the location previously occupied by Brendles. Before that, it was across from the VA Hospital, where the Save-a-Lot is now.

badger

12 Apr 11 at 10:45 am
I beleive it moved to landmark square, in the HQ building.

tonkatoy

12 Apr 11 at 2:10 pm
The Hamrick's location you are referencing was before my time but tonkatoy said there is a bank is where it was now and I can't for the life of me find a bank that's near what Tonkatoy is referencing.

So Brendle's was in Landmark Square at one point as well? I recall stumbling across something with that name when I was in 5th grade and they were already gone by that point...

I had heard Hamrick's would open up at East Pointe Plaza but no luck so far...

Andrew

12 Apr 11 at 2:52 pm
Brendle's was in East Pointe until the mid 1990s. I don't know if they ever had any other locations on that side of town. Hamrick's was in Landmark until the late 1980s. They [Hamrick's] might not have ever made it to East Pointe.

badger

12 Apr 11 at 4:02 pm
Thanks Andrew. I wonder if the other Hamrick's locations are better. I get the Spartanburg stations WYFF and WSPA in addition to the Columbia channels and they get a lot of advertising on those two stations. I wasn't too impressed with the selection either, Marshalls and TJ Maxx both offer a whole lot better.

Dustin

12 Apr 11 at 10:06 pm
Andrew, i thought it was a bank, but it might be an SCE&G place where you can pay your bills in cash. But it is on the corner of hazelwood and garner's Ferry. First it was a skateboard park, then a Hamricks, then whatever it is now.

tonkatoy

13 Apr 11 at 6:53 am
in Gaffney.There is also a Hammericks in Surfside beach. There used to Business in Myrtle Beach, but I am not sure if it is till there.be one on US

The Main Hammerick's is in Gaffney SC on I-85. The building was built in the 1980s and is about as big as a Wal-Mart Super Center. It replaced a snall brick building on US 29 in Gaffney.

Hammerick's startered out as an outlet shop for Hammerick Mills, a large textile company in Gaffney that made clothes for many national name brands and featured "irregulars." As the US textile industry got shipped overseas, the Hammerick family turned their store into more of a closeout/outlet type operation. I pass by it every time I visit my parents and the parking lot at the Gaffney one is always packed.

Tom

13 Apr 11 at 8:39 am
Heads up, just heard Blockbuster on at Forest/Sunnyside is closed...

chiefa

14 Apr 11 at 10:51 am
A little confusing on Dick Smith Ford. I could be wrong but last time I checked Dick Smith Ford on Two Notch near Beltline (formerly Pulliam Ford) was still there.
The picture is of Dick Smith Nissan on Beltline, and I think what moved was the used car part of Dick Smith Ford.
If I am correct you need to make it more clear as to what part of Dick Smith moved.
The real reason businesses are moving is because the City of Columbia is taxing them to death. I know, because I work for a business and the City taxes are outrageous and that does not include all the extra fees etc. that City officials are slamming on businesses and homeowners in their power and water bills.
Pretty soon, Columbia will be another Detroit full of crime and empty buildings.

Mark

15 Apr 11 at 6:45 am
Well, I haven't said anything about Dick Smith Ford. The post was about Dick Smith Nissan..

ted

15 Apr 11 at 1:32 pm
Ok folks if any of you have dead electronics that are lying around that you are waiting to unload, on April 30, 2011, there will be a <a href="http://ecyclesc.com/pdfs/flyer-midstate.pdf" big e-recycle day at the SC Farmer's Market at 3483 Charleston Higway

Andrew

17 Apr 11 at 11:41 pm
Ok folks if any of you have dead electronics that are lying around that you are waiting to unload, on April 30, 2011, there will be an e-recycle day at the SC Farmer’s Market at 3483 Charleston Highway

* Edited to make the link live and correct a minor spelling error

Andrew

17 Apr 11 at 11:45 pm
I am currently living in Alabama. I was recently telling my girlfriend about the Cromer's Peanuts at Dutch Square and the MONKEYS! does anyone happen to have a picture of the store when it was still open? one with a view of the monkey enclosure? I tried google but came up with nothing. maybe someone has better google skills than me, or a picture in a shoe box somewhere that they could scan and put on the site. thanks!

Keith

19 Apr 11 at 2:25 am
Everybody remembers the monkeys, but apparently nobody took a picture of them!

ted

19 Apr 11 at 3:27 am
The lack of monkey pics is a sign of the different world we live in. Up until cameras were included on cellphones, people just did not have cameras with them for a trip to the mall. Or if they did it was pretty rare. I guess the intersection of person carrying a camera at dutch square in the early 90's, took a picture of monkeys, and reads this awesome site is a pretty small subset of people.

Larry

21 Apr 11 at 6:03 pm
Here's a fun fact - if you GIS "cromers p-nuts monkeys" you get what must be a very complete archive of columbiaclosings photos. After page 3 - i think all the results are from here.

Larry

21 Apr 11 at 6:09 pm
Not only that, Larry, developing film was expensive, so who was going to waste a shot at the mall?

Electrons are cheap!

tonkatoy

22 Apr 11 at 6:39 am
Hi Ted,

I wanted to alert you of a closing. The Bubble Tea place on Bower Parkway (same shopping center as the Columbiana Grande theaters, but closer to Jewelry Warehouse) seems to have closed. I went by there and there was no one home one afternoon, all lights off, etc.

Yours,

Chris

Chris

29 Apr 11 at 8:39 am
A fascinating site! My family and I moved away 26 years ago, but I have memories, good and bad, of Columbia in the 1970s and early 1980s.

I don't imagine that there's still a Jerry Webber tobacco shop at the Dutch Square mall, is there? They had this wonderful El Camino pipe tobacco that I've never been able to duplicate.

Don

1 May 11 at 10:53 am
Quizno's on Sumter is now closed...The owner left a note on the door that he has closed immediately due to health concerns. He always had a smile on his face, and I wish him a speedy recovery.

Jonathan

2 May 11 at 1:08 pm
Since we all love old pics of Columbia, how about some silent footage from a 1968 parade that had Jame Kirk?...

Enjoy

http://library.sc.edu/mirc/playVideo.html?i=57

Jeff B.

2 May 11 at 4:27 pm
One more (there are others on the site)...a 1926 flight over Columbia and Owens field

http://library.sc.edu/mirc/playVideo.html?i=45

Jeff B.

2 May 11 at 4:40 pm
@Jeff. I was at that parade!~ BTW, I showed it to my wife and she said "Strom Thurmond looked old even then!"

Tom

2 May 11 at 4:47 pm
Very nice! I wonder how many of those kids posing in front of the airplanes are still with us?

ted

2 May 11 at 5:27 pm
@Tom-

Very cool. I figured there would be a chance that someone on this board that may have been at the parade. Unfortunately I was about 1 when the parade was going on and living in the lowcountry. I'm trying to get pictures of Assembly street from the 80s and earlier (to about the late 1930s) and during my search came across these.

Jeff B.

2 May 11 at 6:15 pm
I was at that Carillon parade, too, standing in front of the Capitol Cafe. I don't see myself in the newsreel, though. Might be worth a trip to the university to see the whole thing.

Jim

2 May 11 at 6:55 pm
The Curtis Wright hangar at Owens looks pretty much the same.

Nice GTO Cap'n Kirk was in!

tonkatoy

3 May 11 at 6:38 am
Great find! I am sure I was at that parade even though I do not specifically remember that year. I was in the sixth grade in the fall of '68. We were there for the parade every year, the day after Thanksgiving. The routine was to ride into town very early with my dad, who dropped us at the Toddle House on Gervais St. (now WIS' parking lot, across from S&S Cafeteria) and went on to his office. We ate breakfast and stepped outside to watch the parade. We were always jealous of the parade watchers who somehow got on S&S' roof across the street. Then there was a loong day of hiking up and down Main St. Christmas shopping. Dad would try to meet us a Tapp's for lunch.

Dennis

3 May 11 at 7:37 pm
Check this out!

http://library.sc.edu/digital/collections/jwp/

Search by Street or category.

tonkatoy

6 May 11 at 8:22 am
heads up, the ladies boutique across from Med. Tea Room on Devine has closed. I don't know name, just saw people carrying stuff out other day... chiefa

chiefa

6 May 11 at 10:45 am
Looking at those pics, I am amazed at how many Corvairs there were in Columbia.

tonkatoy

6 May 11 at 12:32 pm
Saw closing signs on the Wood Zone on 378.

Larry

6 May 11 at 2:21 pm
tonkatoy, that was a nice link. I clicked on the 'browse photographs' link and checked out about 30 shots and it looks like a who's who of condemned buildings in Columbia.

Terry Edwards

7 May 11 at 3:43 am
Here's a trivia question for you guys.
Does anyone remember a restaurant (very small in nature) on Ft. Jackson Blvd. called the "Rest-Runt?" I'll check later and see if anyone can remember it, and then give you the background on it....how's that?

cjlb

C.J.L. Brooks

7 May 11 at 9:03 pm
An obscure one for you... a take-out place in Irmo in Friarsgate Plaza (7949 Broad River Road) called Joe's to Goes (not a type-o) closed in the fall of 2010. They had great burgers, fries, and BBQ sandwiches. We loved to get burgers on Sunday night during football season between the end of the 4:15 game and start of SNF at 8:15.

Heath

8 May 11 at 12:14 am
Another Friarsgate Plaza closing from the summer or early fall of 2010 - Monterrey Mexican Restaurant. They were located there since at least the early 2000's - after buying out Tez's Mexican Cantina that was located there from sometime prior to 1990 or 1991 when I first knew of it. This Monterrey's was owned by the same group that owns the location on Knox Abbott Drive in W. Columbia, and had slightly different recipes than the other group that owns the Vista, Columbiana (Afton Ct.), and Killian Road locations. The El Monterrey location you see on Broad River near I-20 (and possibly still open on Parklane?) is yet another splinter off of the other Columbia locations.

Heath

8 May 11 at 12:25 am
http://www.opryglowgolf.com/news.htm

Between Dutch Square, Richland Mall, and Columbia Mall, Columbia could have three world class par 72, 6000 yard layouts. Think of the tournament money!

JBL

8 May 11 at 6:37 pm
I stumbled across your site today. I left Columbia in 1988 after graduating from USC. Quite a bit of nostalgia for me to see the old 1101 Harden Street building torn down.

While in college, I waited tables with my best friend at The Last Catch. When the last Catch fell on hard times and was going to close, we proposed a concept called "The Hollywood Grille" for the building. The owners bought into it, and we opened The Hollywood Grille in 1988.

We, of course, were naive college kids and didn't know much about business, so we sat and let the owners dupe us out of everything. We left only a few months after the restaurant opened, never to return, never making a cent for all of the hard work and creativity we put in.

The owners of Yesterday's bought into the restaurant, but were unable to make a "go" of it, thus it closed after only about a year.

I had no idea what happened to it after that. I just thought I'd write in because I saw one of your post-ers say they remembered the Herman Muenster sandwich, which we indeed had, along with "Taters of the Lost Ark" and lots of other fun items. (Hint to future restauranteurs: Don't smoke pot when you write a menu, as it will end up being waaay too long!)

Gary Johnson

10 May 11 at 12:11 pm
"Taters of the Lost Ark" -- gotta love it!

ted

10 May 11 at 12:57 pm
Hey Ted -
Not sure if you saw it when you were out on Bower Parkway, but the GameStop location there closed. It had mostly to do with the high cost of rent in that shopping center and dwindling sales. They closed April 24th.

Jason

14 May 11 at 6:14 am
There is another GameStop in Columbiana Station between buy buy baby (fmr. Circuit City) and Micheal's. I don't know if that one's still there but I found it odd that Columbiana Station had two GameStop locations. Columbiana Centre has one around the food court still.

GameStop appears to be one of those that has popped up everywhere (much like Walgreens did 2002-08)

Walgreens had a phase in which they opened a new store somewhere in this great nation of ours every 18 hours

Andrew

14 May 11 at 4:20 pm
I know everyone on this site enjoys photos of old businesses. Here are some photos of a local car show held yesterday.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/2297229/2nd-annual-schneider-electric-car-truck-and-bike-show

Terry Edwards

15 May 11 at 5:25 am
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Floor it Now at 7740 Broad River Road in Irmo is about to close up shop...

Andrew

15 May 11 at 12:29 pm
Of course you realize, Terry Edwards, that most people who read the link before clicking on it will be expecting pics of an "electric car" show! :)

JBL

15 May 11 at 4:02 pm
JBL, that is what I thought too, when I first saw the ad piece for the show. Schneider Electric could have listed it differently. It would have been nice to see a new Tesla!

Terry Edwards

16 May 11 at 4:43 am
That would have been cool. But there were some nice looking cars there, anyway.

JBL

16 May 11 at 9:42 pm
We just wanted to tell everyone that we are working on bringing Three Bean Net Cafe back! You can help us out and get cool swag!!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1567591229/three-bean-net-cafe-will-live-again-help-us-go-mob

3Bean

18 May 11 at 1:26 pm
We just wanted to tell everyone that we are working on bringing Three Bean Net Cafe back! You can help us out and get cool swag!!

3Bean

18 May 11 at 1:26 pm
hey ted i like how you explore more cities. try I-20 business in florence a lot of stuff is closed in magnolia mall.there is also an old walmart that closed i think in late 2008 which is located in front of magnolia mall.P.S. love the web site

Javier

18 May 11 at 9:07 pm
I looked at Magnolia Mall's directory and it looked like a fairly decent mix of tenants were operating in said mall.

I looked the area up on bing! maps and found that the Walmart you're referencing was an older 'pre-supercenter' Walmart that moved less than half a mile up the road where a Sam's already was at N. Beltine Drive across from West Florence High School. It is in a shopping center called Crossroads Center across the street from Magnolia Mall. It also appears that my parents and I have eaten ath the Red Lobster in this area on our way to a weekend at the beach at a relative's beach house in Wilmington, NC.

Andrew

18 May 11 at 9:53 pm
I could do a whole site on grand-strand closings, though I tend to dole them out pretty sparingly here so as not to dilute the focus. Also if something catches my eye on a trip or vacation, I may well post it. Check out the Grand Strand and Out-of-Area categories.

ted

18 May 11 at 10:11 pm
the hibachi grill at crossroads center is so much better than the one in garners ferry rd

Javier

19 May 11 at 5:01 pm
Here's a somewhat obscure location: The B&B Corner Bar (506 Frink St, corner of State) in DC (that's Deep Cayce) has not had any activity in several days, and might be closed. I've never been in the place, so I don't know much about it and there's some rusty sign outside that says "Bait and Tackle," so it might have been a "corner store" at one time. Anyway, what I most remember about it is that for years, there was a mural outside of the "Lizard Woman." But when the new owners took over a few years ago, they painted over it.

badger

24 May 11 at 11:41 am
That used car 'dealership' just down Frink Street is also closed. It used to have a telphone pole sticking through the middle of the building.

I also see the old Ace Hardware bldg is for sale.

tonkatoy

24 May 11 at 12:11 pm
It would be helpful if you would put the most recent comments first. Jsut sayin'.

palmettopanic

24 May 11 at 3:27 pm
Did anyone mention Jake's on Devine yet?

Also, @nicole - McKenzie's Pub. ("Where the beautiful people go to get ugly.")

Monterray Jacks which has been several things and now is The House.

Tiffany's Bakery on Devine, too.

no name

24 May 11 at 3:51 pm
@no name:

Monterrey Jack's, Tiffany's.

See the Alphabetical Closings Page for more.

ted

24 May 11 at 4:03 pm
My grandmother worked at Stone Manufacturing on North Main(?) from the late 70's til the early 80's. She use to bring us grandkids those fake "Umbro"soccer type shorts that used to be so popular.(I guess that was what they were sewing at the time. It was a HUGE sewing room, and when she worked there there was no air conditioning, they ran these large fans all day...can you imagine?!?!

Leslie

26 May 11 at 9:31 am
Athena Technologies -- whatever that is/was -- their building (a small old brick house) at 3700 Rosewood (the corner of Rosewood and Prospect) is no more. Nothing there but dirt. Richland County tax record says that the lot is owned by the same person who owns the lot next door, Wash World

Dennis

26 May 11 at 8:04 pm
There''s a building on Calhpoun between Main on Assembly that I just noticed had a for sale/lease sign on. Never noticed what was there, but the fromy entrance on that building is rater oddly situated.

tonkatoy

27 May 11 at 6:58 am
Don's was inquired about here recently. Yes, it was a great Five Points Harden Street bar and I used to visit often during late afternoon happy hours offering fifteen-cent cold drafts circa 1973 and earlier. In my archives I still have my Don's Marching and Music Society membership card allthough that concept did not last long. Both the air conditioning and juke box were always comforting in Don's.

Office Roger

27 May 11 at 5:51 pm
ted i found out something the taco bell on decker blvd will move to a new place close to the entrance from 2 notch rd and like others just because of the new design so get the camera ready.

Javier

27 May 11 at 6:47 pm
here's a Columbia opening so to speak...what's that large building they are building at Sandhill? It looks big enough to be another department store.

Dustin

28 May 11 at 1:57 pm
dustin i saw a billboard at the entrance by sandhill station and its going to be an Academy sports+outdoors

Javier

28 May 11 at 3:00 pm
Ted, I just wanted you to know how much I love this site. You should do a story, if you already haven't, on snakebit locations - the ones that change every year or two. I volunteer the Steak and Ale site on Forest Drive, which has been several average restaurants, the current Henry's on Devine St and whatever the hell is currently in the Crazy Buffet on Knox Abbott. I'm sure unaffordable rents are the culprit, but if you could shed some light I would be very appreciative.

And I'm stil po'd that the Five Points sewer project closed down the Parthenon. Great food and nice owners.

south mauldin

30 May 11 at 3:25 pm
South,

Thanks!

I've done most of those here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

ted

30 May 11 at 5:35 pm
There is a Parthenon in Lexington which is, I believe, owned by the same family as the Five Points Parthenon was.

Mike

30 May 11 at 11:28 pm
I don't think so -- the Five Points Parthenon folks are at "Zorba's Express" on Broad River Road. Still great pizza, but way far away (for me).

ted

30 May 11 at 11:34 pm
Does anyone know anything about the Holt Dr. Grocery? It was a store in the lower Rosewood/Edisto area and it was open in the 30s and 40s. I'd love any info that anyone has. Thank you!

Sarah M.

6 Jun 11 at 3:40 pm
Did the End Zone Grill f/k/a Jerry Kelly's on Rosewood Drive close?

south mauldin

6 Jun 11 at 4:20 pm
It looked closed last time I drove by, but I did not have time to stop and check it out...

ted

6 Jun 11 at 5:17 pm
re: End Zone grill,
I heard that it has from a guy I play cards with that was a regular.

Also Mary on 713 Saluda is apparently closed too, heard from a friend, haven't independently confirmed but very reliable source.

Mike D

6 Jun 11 at 6:56 pm
Uh oh. Looks like Yo Burrito on Devine St has closed. That place was a favorite of mine and the waitresses were very attractive. And they had dollar beer.

south mauldin

7 Jun 11 at 12:02 pm
I suspected that when I started getting reports from Google Analytics that people were coming to columbiaclosings searching on "Yo Burrito closed"..

ted

7 Jun 11 at 12:36 pm
Any news on Holt Dr. Gocery?

Sarah M.

7 Jun 11 at 3:32 pm
Is this a closing site or a blog to complain?
I used to like this site but trashing the Jackson Blvd K Mart has nothing to do with CLOSED BUSINESSES.
I shop there a lot when in Columbia and I like it. I have never had a problem finding someone to help me.
How about doing a story of someone who had a good site and then turned it into a complaint blog to get revenge?
It always happens, someone starts an interesting site and then turns it into a soapbox for their personal views.
What next, political comments and anti-Obama rants?

Jim

7 Jun 11 at 3:38 pm
@Sarah, from what you said before, it sounds like the Holt Grocery would be before the lifetime of most folks here. The third floor of the RCPL does have telephone books and city directories that go back to that era, so you may find some useful info there.

@Jim, I'm sorry you feel that way. I'm human; I have opinions. From time to time I may render some. Rest assured there will never be any politics here however.

ted

7 Jun 11 at 4:12 pm
LOL@ the guy who complains about there being too many complaints.

IrmoJeff

7 Jun 11 at 4:27 pm
I hate to hear that Yo Burrito closed. I have not been there in quite a while, but the food was always good and they had a more eclectic menu than el burrito (Rajun Cajun, made with shrimp). And their salsa was always good. We just don't get to that side of town much anymore...

Jonathan

7 Jun 11 at 4:33 pm
I ate at Yo Burrito a couple of weeks ago and the quality had really fallen off.

ChiefDanGeorge

7 Jun 11 at 5:29 pm
This has been a great walk down memory lane. My husband and I were just sitting here remembering the old Mr. Poppers at Richland Mall and I decided to see if I could find something about it. I did not see anything on Cogburns. It used to be downtown and later moved to West Columbia. My parents took us there just about every Friday night. I grew up thinking steak was always served in pieces as the waitresses cut ours up before they served it. They had great food. I would love to taste the french fries and onion rings just one more time.

Lynn

7 Jun 11 at 7:51 pm
Lynn,

Discussion about old Richland Mall is all over the place here, in various posts and comments, but this might be the place to start.

If my folks ever took us to Cogburns, I can't remember it..

ted

7 Jun 11 at 9:54 pm
Jim must be the manager of the cporting good section of the Ft Jackson BLVD K-mart, LOL.

tonkatoy

8 Jun 11 at 6:33 am
The April issue of Columbia Metropolitan Magazine has photos of the old Market Restaurant on Assembly, Drakes at the corner of Forest Drive and Millwood and the dining room of the Old Jefferson Hotel for those who are interested.

Tom

8 Jun 11 at 9:01 am
I ROFL to your comment tonkatoy

Javier

8 Jun 11 at 1:07 pm
The VERY Old Ft. Jackson Kmart's hey day was back in the early to mid 60's..maybe through the very early 70's too, but now it's showing its age. There's only so much one can do to update the way a building looks on the outside AND inside. I'm surprized it still does the business it does actually.

Del Bazemore

8 Jun 11 at 10:58 pm
What happened to the Star Market on North Main just past the trestle?

Frank

9 Jun 11 at 6:54 pm
@Sarah, My grandmother lived near the Holt Drive grocery and apparently from what my dad and I figured out tonight, it was on Holt Drive at the end of S. Wacammaw with approximate GPS coordinates of 33.9814886616815, 81.00907841022587. Plugging that into Google Maps produces an address of 2028 Holt Drive. From the way dad was talking, it appeared to be going into the late 50s/early 60s if not later. It was simply a typical 'bump in the road' grocer of the era...

Andrew

10 Jun 11 at 9:23 pm
I don't know about the Parthenon ownership now, but Tony, who founded the Five Points location worked at and ran the Lexington one for years, while his brother(?) Gus(?), I think took over the Five Points location. May no longer be the case.

badger

11 Jun 11 at 3:17 pm
Tony and Gus BOTH founded the Five Points Location. Tony left to go to Lexington and Gus stayed in 5 points.

Gus is now the owner of Zorbas Express.

michael

11 Jun 11 at 4:11 pm
Blue Sky art gallery on Saluda in the heart of 5 pts is closing there's a thanks for your patronage sign already up

Mike D

17 Jun 11 at 1:28 pm
Add Lake Murray Marina in Ballentine to your list. It is about to become a large apartment complex. Due to some dealings I don't exactly understand, if the apartments don't take off the way the developer (Ben Arnold) hopes, the place will become low-income housing paid for by area taxpayers.

Mike

19 Jun 11 at 8:48 am
Do you know the name of the giant highrise hotel that used to be on the west side of Assembly Street, near The Vista? When I first moved to Columbia in 2004, the building was sitting empty. I moved away in 2005, and then returned in 2006 and the building had been demolished. I am curious about the history of this building.

Lee

20 Jun 11 at 5:55 pm
Somebody help! I think it was a Radisson. USC took the building over for the welcome center and offices for a while. I believe it stood in the parking lot north of the Arnold School of Health.

Frank

20 Jun 11 at 8:02 pm
Found this link with brief history: http://www.emporis.com/building/carolinaplaza-columbia-sc-usa

Frank

20 Jun 11 at 8:16 pm
Carolina Plaza implosion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng_60QG2yDQ

Mike

21 Jun 11 at 2:05 am
YouTube apparently has several different angles of the Plaza implosion: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=carolina+plaza+implosion&aq=f

Mike

21 Jun 11 at 2:09 am
Ah, the Carolina Plaza. I interviewed there for an assistantship during my grad school days...aside from how awkward the interview was, I remember how the office in which I was interviewed/grilled looked exactly like a former hotel room that had the bare minimum done to turn it into an office. That helped throw me even more off balance, I believe.

I think because of how disastrous my one experience was there, it felt cathartic when they imploded the place.

Alaska Jill

21 Jun 11 at 11:24 am
Wasn't it originally known as the Carolina Inn @1980?

badger

21 Jun 11 at 11:45 am
Feature story on the Blue Sky Gallery closing in 5pts in the State:
http://www.thestate.com/2011/06/21/1867333/sun-setting-on-blue-sky-gallery.html#storylink=omni_popular

Mike D

21 Jun 11 at 2:55 pm
The State reported this morning that the Roadway Inn on Main and Lady, Nee-The Governor's House Hotel, nee The Downtowner Motel, will be converted into upscale apartments.

Tom

24 Jun 11 at 10:08 am
follow up to 2028 holt drive. i own the building located at 2028 holt drive. to my knowledge it was a grocery store until the early 60's. afterwhich it has been several other establishments that havent lasted more than a handful of years apiece. i bought the building in '06 i think, and since have renovated into a very nice modern residence. i do currently have in under contract with a nice young couple and should be closed in the next few months.

will

30 Jun 11 at 2:54 pm
@will -- thanks for the info! Good to see the building stay in use!

ted

30 Jun 11 at 4:16 pm
Hello. Have you looked into the Dutch Door Hobby shop, that was at Boozer shopping center for many years. I loved that store and almost cried when I saw it was closing. There was also a Dutch Door shop at Boozer that sold art supplies.

Thanks for providing the great site.

David Dalton

1 Jul 11 at 9:10 am
Does any one know what happened to FM 94.3, The River?

Terry Edwards

1 Jul 11 at 12:11 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWNQ

tonkatoy

1 Jul 11 at 12:23 pm
Speaking of Dutch Door, there was a shoe store my mother used to take me to all the time in the outbuilding of Boozer next to the Dunkin' Donuts. It was open in the mid to late 1970s, and was named Lottie's Shoes. There was a rectangular sign bearing the name, surrounded by polka dots, over the front door. Anybody remember that one?

59 Ford Wheelman

1 Jul 11 at 3:00 pm
David Dalton -- Dutch Door Hobby Shop was owned and run by Wendy Wells' dad. I think at some point he also bought out Leisure Time at Columbia Mall. Wendy now owns & runs City Art.

59 Ford Wheelman -- yes, I bought lots of shoes there.

Dennis

1 Jul 11 at 7:37 pm
I have often wondered what the story is on the abandoned Club Rondavue [sic] building close to Blythewood going up Farrow Rd. There's also an old motel called the Hudson Motel up there which looks abandoned but was showing signs of some of activity last time I was there. Anyone know anything about either of these?

Kenneth

2 Jul 11 at 3:31 pm
Re: Dutch Door Hobby Shop, I remember that place because it advertised in the hobby shop listing of "Fine Scale Modeler" for a long time. In August 1990 we came back through Columbia after a vacation in Wilmington and used that listing from a recent issue to try to find the shop, but when we got there, it had vanished. (Though we did go next door to Dutch Square Mall and looked around for a while. I so remember that goofy split-level Waldenbooks and still have the book I bought there.)

Alaska Jill

2 Jul 11 at 9:31 pm
That Waldenbooks is here.

I only went in DDHS a few times since I never had any money back then, but as I recall they had Estes & Centauri model rockets which I always coveted. (Along with radio controlled glowplug planes which I was smart enought to realize I would crash almost instantly even if I could afford one).

ted

2 Jul 11 at 11:25 pm
The Radison, ne Sheraton, at Bush River and I-20 has been rebranded again as a Double Tree by Hilton (?)

Tom

3 Jul 11 at 11:54 am
Since it was first closed a few years back, the Goodyear's on 12th Street has been a car wash place and an AAA service center, but it appears to be closed and up for sale/lease again.

tonkatoy

5 Jul 11 at 9:07 am
Hey Ted...Junior Apprentice Closing Spotter, 2nd Class IrmoJeff checking in :D

I thought i'd toss this out there, in case you are ever out towards Irmo/Balentine again. 8027 Broad River Road is the address of a little triangular piece of land that sits at the intersection of Broad River Road and Woodrow Street, sort of just behind where Tez' used to be. I drove by there the other day, and it looks like whatever business was in there most recently is closed up. I became aware of the building when i was just out of high school in the early 90's when a friend of a friend opened Smokey Joe's BBQ. Im not sure what was there previously, but i dont think Smokey Joes was the original occupant. The owner used to joke that he couldnt afford to charge me a flat rate for the all you could eat buffet, that he would have to weigh me going in and coming out :). Anyway after Smokey Joes closed, it was a catering business (or possibly a restaurant) for a while, run by the Catering By Dupre guy i'm pretty sure. I'm also pretty sure Dupre was somehow involved in Smokey Joes, possibly a silent moneyman or something. After that i lost track, but a quick Googling found all these businesses associated with 8027 BRR:

Bill Hinson Auto Sales
Clayton's Cars
Irmo Properties
Palmetto Glass
Columbia Credit Corp (listed as 8025 BRR)

Im also pretty sure i remember a flower shop, or maybe a gift shop there at one point. I also thought i remembered a car title place there at one point, but i could possibly be confusing it with the Columbia Credit Corp.

I added this pic to clarify which building i was talking about

http://i54.tinypic.com/23izbyu.jpg

IrmoJeff

9 Jul 11 at 5:58 am
Nice site! Think I've exhausted searching for old pictures of the elevated pedestrian ramp that connected the USC campus and the Blatt PE center and Crossed Blossom and Wheat streets. It was torn down probably because it was dangerous. Think someone died on it being struck by a fast moving bicycle. The part that now crosses Blossom is still there.

Howard

9 Jul 11 at 7:30 am
@IrmoJeff I thought I saw a sign indicating that something called Hickory Point would be coming soon there...

be that as it may, it is one of my fantasies to see the SCDOT (or whoever is responsible for that area) buy some of the land to reroute Woodrow Street so it intersects Broad River Road at a safer angle much like what was done at Kennerly & Hollingshed a few years back as well as Old Barnwell and Watling Road in West Columbia

Andrew

9 Jul 11 at 2:04 pm
@IJ -- I'll try to check it out sometime!

@Andrew -- I'm pretty sure I have better fantasies than you :-)

ted

10 Jul 11 at 12:49 am
Ted, it is disturbing to see all these alias posters on the site. What do you suppose is their intent?

Terry Edwards

10 Jul 11 at 3:48 am
@Howard: Somewhere in my sea of junk is a group of pictures I took of the George Rogers mural back in the day. There's a chance I *may* have some pictures with said ramp in it. I'll look first chance I have. I do remember that walkway, and may have traveled it once, an awful long time ago.

Alaska Jill

10 Jul 11 at 7:21 am
Terry,

They are all automatically generated spam. In general they want you to click their "name" which goes to a spam web site. The spam filter catches a lot more than get through, but apparently they have recently upped either their efforts or skill..

ted

10 Jul 11 at 12:46 pm
I heard Perkin Beans at the top of Horrell Hill will be closing this fall. Interesting building. It was a gas station (probably thirties era), a magistrate's office, antique store, etc. I heard they had really good food, but never got by there.

tonkatoy

11 Jul 11 at 6:48 am
I think it was like a convienence store/gas station of somekind back in the 60's when I lived in the Church Hill Heights neighborhood in the early to late 60's.. I'm sure it's been remodeld though over the past 45 years.. But when you're that young, you dont pay attention to buildings that much.

Del Bazemore

11 Jul 11 at 2:29 pm
Does anyone know for sure if there use to be a Belk store in Parkland Plaza in Cayce? All my research points confirms this and at one point due to Belk stores being so decentralized in the past the owner Mr. Howard flipped it call the store "Howard's" yet continued to carry Belk merchandise. This store was probably where Burke's Outlet is today.

Dustin

11 Jul 11 at 9:44 pm
I remember the Howards Sports jingle ♫ We got it all... at Howards Sports ♫ on the radio and I remember it being at Parkland Plaza in Cayce but never shopped there and don't know about any affiliation with Belk. I don't know much about stores and their merchandise but I remember reading when Belk took over Columbia's 3 JB White locations in 1998 in an article I came across is that JB White and Belk carried similar brands.

A little digging yields these articles:

Howards Returns to Downtown from 2004 that profiles their timeline...

Belk Sign Covering Howards for closing at Family's Existence from 1999

Belk Brands Not Completely lost to Columbia from shortly after their departure in 1995

Andrew

11 Jul 11 at 10:29 pm
Ah thanks Andrew for digging that third one up. The first two I couldn't see due to it asking for a username and password, where was these published at originally? At least we can prove its existence!

Belk use to do partnership stores, so this particular store would have been known as Belk Howard. At some point it was only signed as Belk before becoming Howard's. Hence why the Belk sign went up later when the store closed.

Dustin

11 Jul 11 at 11:11 pm
for some reason the username/password request is hit and miss. Try again and it might work...but not immediately.

They were all The State articles from a site called NewsBank that I have access to as a USC student and sometimes it'll let me read it completely but sometimes it won't. So keep your eyes open...

Andrew

11 Jul 11 at 11:41 pm
"@Andrew — I’m pretty sure I have better fantasies than you :-)
ted" 10 Jul 11 at 12:49 am

Now that's funny, I don't care who you are!!

JBL

11 Jul 11 at 11:50 pm
Thanks Andrew I tried again and it worked. Also found the articles through the State archive available for purchase on NewsLibrary ($2.95 though? I remember NewsLibrary use to charge $1).

Dustin

12 Jul 11 at 12:38 am
Yep, Howard's was in the Burke's spot and the vacant bay to the left as you look at the front of the store. Howard's Sports was in the next bay and was connected to the Howard's department store. Oddly enough, when the Ace Hardware cam in the first time, it appeared to join up with the sports store. A hole was punched through the wall and the spaces were connected. The emphasis went from ball-sports and paraphenalia to hunting, fishing and outdoors stuff. I never figured out if it was still Howard's at that point, or Ace.

In other Parkland Plaza related news, I saw Tony's had a closed for remodeling sign out front. Couple that with the fact that my wife went by there and ordered a hamburger and got the 'we're out of hamburger' response, and it looks like Tony's may be heading out. I did, however, see lights on inside, so maybe it is just a remodel.

tonkatoy

12 Jul 11 at 6:36 am
@ Andrew:

Hickory Point is apparently a SC based convenience store chain...

http://www.midlandsbiz.com/articles/7980/

IrmoJeff

12 Jul 11 at 9:49 pm
Looks like Tony's in Parkland Plaza actually WAS remodeling and will reopen today. Sorry for the false alarm.

tonkatoy

13 Jul 11 at 6:42 am
Love your site! I lived in Columbia from 1972 to 1985, as a undergrad and grad student, with short breaks for actually working. :->

Does anyone remember these....????

--The Body Firm on Harden (now moved to Lexingon as The Firm). Founder Anna Benson died of cancer in 11/09, BTW. I worked as a Body Firm instructor in 1985.

--Opus and Opus II. The Opus I knew was Opus II on Rosewood in the 70's. The original Opus is where the law school is now, old Opus-ites told me back in the day.

--Bones, steak restaurant in Five Points.

--Night club Sylvester's (formerly Mama's Little Pump Room (early 70's) and the Purple Onion (late 70's). Was near the 221 Pickens veggie restaurant on Wheeler Hill. I drank oceans of beer at Sylvester's over the years....

I'm sure I'll think of more!!

M Chastain

13 Jul 11 at 12:26 pm
Someone pointed out to me that on the side of the Liberty Tap Room building facing the Hampton Inn there is a painted sign that says "Lincoln Street Cafe." Anyone know anything about it?

Tom

13 Jul 11 at 1:05 pm
Lincoln Street Cafe was a short-lived (maybe less than a year), somewhat upscale, restaurant in the mid to late 1990s.

badger

13 Jul 11 at 1:59 pm
@ Badger -Thanks!

Tom

14 Jul 11 at 9:57 am
@M Chastain -- I think I remember The Body Firm. If I recall correctly the sign had very toned and shapely woman (without a head) on it, and it was in the torn down 1101 Harden complex.

ted

14 Jul 11 at 5:40 pm
Two recent closings on 378 in West Columbia I noticed this week...

The San Jose Express in the building that houses Jersey Mikes and Hailies hand dipped ice cream (near the zoo entrance) has closed already, it wasn't open very long!

And Mommy's Place, the maternity consignment store (across from Brookland Baptist Church) looks closed. This closing makes me sad, I was a frequenter last year when I was pregnant! And I wonder what happened to all the clothes others had left to be sold?

MB

14 Jul 11 at 8:46 pm
I was curious... Ted have you thought of implementing a feature where we can post with our facebook accounts? I've posted a link before to your site, but since a decent percentage of facebook friends are still in Columbia and I'm sure they'd like to get in on a conversation.

OverMachoGrande

20 Jul 11 at 10:40 am
Cabo Fresh Taco on Sumter Street near MCafe has recently shut down; in its place will be an Anthony's.

Payne

20 Jul 11 at 10:50 am
I've really resisted joining facebook, though I'm happy to say I do get a lot of links from there. And you don't need a login to comment here..

ted

20 Jul 11 at 12:16 pm
The Huffington Post is reporting that Quizno's is on the verge of going bankrupt. It says Quizno's is carrying a massive debt and closed 1500 out of 5000 stores last year. Part of the problem is they are more "high-end" than Subway and have not been able to compete in this troubled economy.

Tom

23 Jul 11 at 5:32 am
Columbia is down to only two Quizno's locations:

Blue Cross/Blue Shield Atrium
Store #11754
2401 Faraway Dr
Columbia, SC 29219

Spring Valley
Store #3805
10008A Two Notch Rd
Columbia, SC 29223

Both are generally in Northeast Richland

I am not one to darken the door of a place like Quizno's very often...

Be that as it may, fmr. Quizno's locations at Harbison Court as well as Springdale Plaza in Camden are listen on each of those shopping center listings as 'dark' if you look at ther respective site plans on ddr.com

Andrew

23 Jul 11 at 1:08 pm
The Harbison one was actually evicted by the landlord for failure to pay rent.

Tom

23 Jul 11 at 7:06 pm
Found video of WIS-TV bluegrass Sunday morning show from 1961.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5SSOa-iKBE

Joe

23 Jul 11 at 11:24 pm
Best Staek Houses in Columbia EVER were Shmmy's just off Assembly St and Cogburns near the USC Campus. What ever happened to them? Can anyone tell me?

David

24 Jul 11 at 12:26 pm
Does anyone remember "Willoughby's" across from Richland Mall (or whatever Richland Mall is called now)? This was another one of those places that I was surprised to still see open sometime in the 2000's (I think).

In the early 80's, I have vivid memories of eating there and telling my parents about these two awesome songs called "Apache" and "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" because they played WNOK in the background. I think I tried to keep them there until one came on -my odds were pretty good in '82 that I'd hear one during any half-hour period on WNOK.

OverMachoGrande

24 Jul 11 at 3:12 pm
Oh, yeah. Woody and Leo played those two songs constantly. Another one they played was "Eugene," by Crazy Joe and the Variable Speed Band, which, thankfully, someone has loaded to youtube.

Willoughby's closed and was rechristened briefly as "MacGregor's," but that soon closed when one of the principals in the business died in a freak accident. If I recall the details correctly: He had stopped to help change a tire for a motorist on I-126. Some completely uninvolved passing vehicle hit "something" in the highway (like a piece of tire tread), which sent the piece of debris flying like a projectile, crashing into (Mark's?) head.

badger

24 Jul 11 at 3:52 pm
@OverMachoGrande: the place you mentioned was before my time but I figured I'd speak up and let you know that it went back to Richland Mall (after a 4½ year stint as Midtown at Forest Acres) about a year ago

Andrew

24 Jul 11 at 5:07 pm
Wow, "Eugene"... I BARELY remember that and I just took the audio from that youtube video and made an mp3 out of it(since it's only available on vinyl)! I had no idea that was Ace Frehley, either. That'll help me get through the work day!

Thanks for the info on Richland Mall, too, Andrew... what's funny is that if it was in it's orignal format now before it was bulldozed and turned into Richland Fashion Mall, it'd probably be successful. That type of open air mall is trendy! Someone with money should buy it, tear it down, and rebuild it almost exactly like it was before -and instead of a time capsule in front of the movie theater, they could put a plaque that says "We're so sorry."

OverMachoGrande

24 Jul 11 at 6:12 pm
I've still got that "Eugene" 45.

Jonathan

25 Jul 11 at 10:45 am
This is just outside Columbia in the outer suburb of Chapin but their Dollar General closed and moved to a new locale as well as their True Value store.

Dustin

25 Jul 11 at 7:58 pm
It isn't just Chapin. At Richardson Plaza on St. Andrews Road, Dollar General did something similar (moving across the street). At Platt Springs Center (Platt Springs & Emmanuel Church Road, near the airport), Dollar General moved out of that shopping center into a building on an outparcel. It seems to me that there are other examples around where they've done but I can't think of any others

True Value moved closer to the outskirts of Chapin on US Hwy. 76. They strike me as similar to ACE Hardware but I haven't made it in. For some reason, I have a vision of a Walgreens opening up on that site. Time will tell what becomes of all that though...

Andrew

25 Jul 11 at 8:10 pm
I've noticed that Wells Fargo signs are going up atarea Wachovias now.

Tom

28 Jul 11 at 5:27 pm
Can you please remove our name from your closing list? Bubble Tea Cafe is OPEN for business at 1260 Bower Parkway, Columbia. Thank you!

Daisy Newson

28 Jul 11 at 6:16 pm
Done!

ted

28 Jul 11 at 11:40 pm
It's about time for Wells Fargo to finalize the takeover. I've been a Wells Fargo card holder for years. When I moved out to SC a year and a half ago it was weird because even though Wells Fargo owns Wachovia, Wachovia had odd and unusual restrictions trying to access a Wells Fargo account. Like I could withdraw but not deposit(?!) In fact they still do, and I was highly disappointed to learn SC is the LAST state to switch over fully to Wells Fargo, the final date being in September.

Dustin

29 Jul 11 at 9:49 pm
I thought you would appreciate this. I've been looking for a full version of the "Sandlappers" song for quite a while.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbVkkvxHA_g

Bill C.

2 Aug 11 at 11:06 pm
Coburg Dairy, based out of Charleston, has been sold Borden's (of Elsie Cow fame.) For us old timers, Coburg bought out Edisto Farms Dairy, based in Orangeburg, which used to to deliver milk door to door in Columbia.

Sadly, I think Coburg was the last SC based dairy.

Tom

3 Aug 11 at 7:29 am
I'm currently looking to see if Columbia shopping centers have any mini-malls or shopping arcades inside of them. Nothing as big as what Decker Mall is I don't think, but I've heard there is one inside Parkland Plaza. Is that true? Anyone know of any others?

Dustin

4 Aug 11 at 7:21 pm
I am very familiar with Coburg dairy. When I was a kid in the late 60's early 70's Coburg use to deliver to our house. Growing up in Walterboro I passed by the local Coburg dairy plant everyday on the way to school.

Funny how nostalgia can make one happy and a tad sad all at the same time.

Jeff B.

4 Aug 11 at 11:17 pm
@Dustin, Capitol Centre used to have one and you might count Blacklion at Richland Mall.

ted

5 Aug 11 at 12:07 am
Looks like the Piccadilly (formerly Morrison's) cafeteria in Columbia Mall (or whatever that mall is called nowadays) is closed.

Bobby G

12 Aug 11 at 1:49 pm
What about the old Polo Rd. Theater? Maybe you have it listed some other way, but I have no idea. It's gone from being a theater to Monster Storage, but has had a sign up for a couple of years saying a funeral home was coming soon.

Miz T

12 Aug 11 at 3:28 pm
Oh, and the Sunbeam Bread thrift store at 7311 Parklane has closed. :(

Miz T

12 Aug 11 at 3:32 pm
Here's The Movies At Polo..

ted

12 Aug 11 at 5:35 pm
@Miz T, anytime you have a question about anything Ted has posted, you should consult the "Alphabetical Closings" tab at the top and it lists everything in alphabetical order that he's covered...

Andrew

12 Aug 11 at 7:26 pm
Cabo Fresh Taco on Sumter street has closed.

Todd

12 Aug 11 at 7:44 pm
@ Andrew...didn't see it, that's why I asked. Thanks. Ted, appreciate the link, you're a sweetie.

Miz T

13 Aug 11 at 6:12 am
Was there a hotel/motel where BiLo is now on Devine St? I think I remember staying there. Thank you.

Maribeth Van Patten

13 Aug 11 at 6:51 pm
I think it might have been called "The Swamp Fox" or something like that. It would have been razed sometime between the late 1980s, and the mid 1990s.

badger

13 Aug 11 at 9:04 pm
I don't remember the name but I remember staying there. I think it was a Best Western

gary

13 Aug 11 at 9:26 pm
Maribeth Van Patten

check this previous post:

http://columbiaclosings.com/wordpress/?p=531

Dennis

14 Aug 11 at 12:53 am
Soo..I wish I'd known about this site earlier...like day before my birthday. Then I would have gone to take my road test earlier. I am super disappointed that the dmv was moved. I've failed my driving test twice in camden and twice at decker for small mistakes. I finally have the entire decker route completely down pat, tell everyone I'm going to retake my test and the only way im failing is if a tornado comes through and what awesome luck i have, an invisible tornado comes through and takes the damn dmv down the road to and even more congested area! >o Now if i fail some where else guess who gets to take another four months off from starting college, lose money, not get a job, and have the love of my life for over 7 years leave me because i'm too stuck at a standstill in my life!!!...Thank you South Carolina for a great start to my life. 19 years down maybe 70 or more to go!!..love it.

ps. sorry for the rant I do love your site it's quite helpful ^_^

Ellie

15 Aug 11 at 4:33 pm
Ellie....failed the driving test 4 times? take a cab!

Todd

15 Aug 11 at 10:32 pm
SCDMV has a lot of rural offices. I remember back in the day thinking it would be better to take the road-test in Camden or Georgetown or anywhere other than Shop Road in the afternoon..

ted

16 Aug 11 at 12:14 am
The "adult" bookstore in the white building across from the St. Andrews branch of the RCPL has a for sale sign in front of it.

Tom

17 Aug 11 at 9:15 am
WLTX is reporting the CiCi's pizza that opened with "fanfare" last year on North Main Street has closed.

http://www.wltx.com/news/article/147820/2/CiCis-Pizza-on-Columbias-North-Main-Street-Closes-

MB

17 Aug 11 at 7:36 pm
Guess that move from Decker wasn't such a great idea after all..

ted

18 Aug 11 at 1:24 am
LOL! Who couldn't have called that one. I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did.

tonkatoy

18 Aug 11 at 6:41 am
Tuxedo Road near Leitner Road in Leesburg. Does any one have any information about the open air market that was located there?

Frank

20 Aug 11 at 8:54 pm
About that hotel....from what I remember it was a Best Western called in Columbia "Host of America". Within the hotel was a bar called "The Swamp Room". The Swamp Fox was Francis Marion!

Office Roger

21 Aug 11 at 2:24 pm
Do you know what happened with Brunches on Knox Abbott? They put a notice on their sign that said "Location Closed" which implies that there are other locations (that I am not aware of). I can't understand why they'd be closed, the place was always packed when it was open. I was wondering if maybe there was a family issue going on. Anyway, you should definitely check it out and do a post on it!

julie

25 Aug 11 at 8:07 pm
@Julie, apparently it's undergoing changes of ownership...and relocating to Lephart Road...check out the comments on the page about The Shrimper (which it was prior to being Brunches) for details...

Andrew

25 Aug 11 at 9:14 pm
FYI. Hobbytown USA on Bower Parkway in the Harbison area is in the process of closing. The store is hidden around back of Wild Wing Cafe. Signs on the door said they were closed through August at least. I then confirmed with the staff at the Hobbytown USA location on Two Notch. The Harbison store is in the process of closing. High rents. Bad location. Seems to be a running theme in that Columbiana Station strip.

Mitch

25 Aug 11 at 11:02 pm
Hi there! What's the story on The Diamond Disco and Cracker Jacks? Don't see them on your list! thanks!

Cindy

27 Aug 11 at 7:05 pm
What's the story on The Diamond Disco and Cracker Jacks? Don't see them on your list! thanks!

Cindy

27 Aug 11 at 7:05 pm
@Cindy, I think the consensus is that this was the Diamond Disco though I never got around to adding that to the many names in the post title.

ted

27 Aug 11 at 11:03 pm
I asked a while back about Howard's at Parkland Plaza once being a Belk store and found out the answer was yes(it was in the 70s and 80s and again '98-'99). Now I have another question; was Bi-Lo in Parkland Plaza originally
a Winn-Dixie?

Dustin

29 Aug 11 at 4:44 pm
@Dustin, Winn Dixie pulled out of SC as part of a company reorganization in 2005 following a bankruptcy filing. At the time of their pullout, they had the following locations:

- Parklane Road & Trenhom Rd. Extension (became a comedy club of all things)
- Congaree Commons in South Congaree (closed for a little while before Food Lion decided to buil
- Parkland Plaza in Cayce and Chapin Center on US#76 both were bought by Bi-Lo in Winn Dixie's bankrupty proceedings and remain Bi-Los to this day

If you want to shop at a Winn Dixie, you'd have to go to somewhere in Florida or the Southern portions of Georgia, Alabama or Louisiana. (Winn Dixie's store locator on WinnDixie.com can fill you in on the details)

Andrew

29 Aug 11 at 6:00 pm
Evidently Logan Raye in the Vista closed after about 10 years in business. Not entirely surprised - last time I was there (earlier this summer), there were very few stylists working, and the place looked pretty shabby.

Beth

31 Aug 11 at 2:26 pm
stivers subaru of columbia, sc looks like it closed. website is down.

JohnBom

1 Sep 11 at 9:10 am
Logan Raye salon closed on saturday

Michael

1 Sep 11 at 2:31 pm
Well the Logan Raye website says nothing but Thanks for 10 Great Years.

Larry

1 Sep 11 at 2:38 pm
That's because McDaniels Subaru has opened at the former site of McDaniels Acura on Two Notch. The Subaru dealership is supposed to be the exclusive dealer for Subaru in Columbia.

The Acura dealership has moved out to Killian Rd. where they also have or will have a Mazda and a VW dealership.

Mike

1 Sep 11 at 4:00 pm
Kimbrell's Main Street location is going out of business

Thomas

1 Sep 11 at 10:48 pm
Does anyone know what is moving into the old tweeter's building on harbison?

Price

6 Sep 11 at 7:45 am
@Price: Check Andrew's comment here.

ted

6 Sep 11 at 9:38 am
HELP! Can anyone help me with finding a hi-res picture (2mp or better) of the South Carolina State Mace. My daughter is doing a school project and the mace is part of that. I am looking for a picture that I can blow up to poster size and all the online ones i have found are too small. I am stuck in Charleston for the next few days so getting my own picture may be out of the question. Thanks for any help you can give.
I can be reached at renjudice at gmail.com. Thanks again.

Larry

10 Sep 11 at 6:34 pm
What about Crazy Zack's? They used to be where California Dreaming is now (in the old train station). After that they moved to Harden Street (in the building that would later be occupied by Rupert's Wings and then Clyde's Wings). They used to host the Z-96 jello jump.

DanCan

12 Sep 11 at 10:57 am
When did the Wade Hampton Hotel increase its size. I think I remember when they added on to the hotel, but I could be wrong. I was born in Columbia in 1950 and my memory goes back to the age of three but some details of the early 50's are a bit fuzzy. I also have a great interest in the old Columbia Hotel that was probably the first structure in Columbia to be imploded. I saw that in person in late November in 1971 on a cold Sunday morning. Thanks

melton

12 Sep 11 at 12:10 pm
Well, you can see here that it did, but unfortunately none of the pictures was dated.

(link fixed..)

ted

12 Sep 11 at 12:17 pm
Just discovered that Rudy's Upper Deck in West Columbia is closed...spoke to the owner a couple of months ago and he told me they were probably gonna close up in October but I stopped by yesterday and they are already gone. Sure wish they'd had a going out of business sale and publicized it...ah well....

On a similar note, I miss Racetime (was near Silver City), Stan's Excellent Comics (downtown) and Sports Classics (across from the VA hospital.... ) :(

steve

13 Sep 11 at 3:05 pm
@steve, where was Rudy's Upper Deck???

I know my way around West Columbia farily well but am having trouble placing where it is...

Andrew

13 Sep 11 at 7:44 pm
It was next to a Subway down the street from Ed's Editions on the opposite side of the street...I believe there's a Lil Cricket gas station across the street...

steve

14 Sep 11 at 8:55 am
CMC construction supply located at 500 Huger Street has closed. They are still in there cleaning out the business but the last day they served customers was August 31.

Danny

14 Sep 11 at 4:26 pm
What's the deal with the stench at the Columbia end of the Blossom Street bridge? I see they are doing work to the south of it, is it sewer work?

tonkatoy

15 Sep 11 at 6:32 am
Just got an email that the AAA Superstore on Forum Drive will close effective 9/23. For car care you will have to go to the Irmo location, and they are "reopening" the travel/insurance
agency on Forest Drive.

cheryl

15 Sep 11 at 6:47 am
The Forest Drive store will be a car care center as well.

Of course, that's how they caught it on fire last time..

ted

15 Sep 11 at 10:15 am
Danny - Are you sure that CMC is closing? I rode by there yesterday, and it seemed like they were pretty busy. It didn't look like they were clearing out the warehouse or anything.

David

16 Sep 11 at 8:18 am
Neither the Columbia or Charleston locations for CMC Construction Services are listed on their website anymore.

Matt

16 Sep 11 at 10:49 am
Big news about San Jose! So through a friend who works at a San Jose restaurant I have discovered the Columbia area chain has directed that ALL seven locations be closed on Mondays to save on labor costs. As I posted in Signs Your Favorite Restaurant is About to Close is this the beginning of the end? Stay tuned...

Disgruntled

17 Sep 11 at 6:06 am
Labor costs? At San Jose? Uh-huh. . . .

badger

17 Sep 11 at 8:26 am
Well put Badger. That poor excuse for a San Jose on Forest Drive was open this past monday. But the main owner of the San Jose's (Greg) owns Panchos on Forest Drive and it was closed on monday.

As much money as they have spent on buying their buildings (Sparkleberry local, Hard Scrabble and Panchos.) No way in hell San Jose closes.

michael

17 Sep 11 at 3:12 pm
yafood in two notch road changed its name to hibatchi buffet

Javier

19 Sep 11 at 8:29 pm
I think that is the third renaming of the Yafood restaurant - can't remember the name prior to Yafood though.

Blaine

21 Sep 11 at 10:42 pm
Ooops, I guess that would be SECOND renaming...

Blaine

21 Sep 11 at 10:43 pm
Tropical Smoothie on Bower Parkway is closed. Site in window from owner. Also eviction notice. This place was one of the origianl tenants in this development. They held on longer than most. Also, the hobby store next door has odd sign. Place is fully stocked, but sign says it will not be staffed until late August and to visit their other store.

O'Reilly

22 Sep 11 at 7:25 am
Here's a picture worth looking at! This is Belk's downtown location in 1992 right as it closed. Behind it you can see the old downtown Macy's location which was still opened until 1994 I believe which is when Macy's closed it due to a bankruptcy filing that year.

http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv212/dustyr87/belkmacyscolumbiasc.jpg

Today part of this building is now part of the Columbia Museum of Art. Perhaps we'll see more pages of old downtown locations soon?

Dustin

22 Sep 11 at 6:42 pm
Very nice picture!

As to more downtown, search for "Main Street" in the Alphabetical list, also "Gervais Street" etc. There are a fair number, and yes, more will be coming. (You can use the tag cloud too, but many older postings aren't tagged).

ted

22 Sep 11 at 9:41 pm
Does anyone recall Haltiwanger's Dept. store on Main Street? I do not see it listed in the Alphabetical list.

Terry Edwards

23 Sep 11 at 1:50 pm
Thanks! I believe both buildings have been torn down now in place of the Columbia Museum of Art I think.

Dustin

23 Sep 11 at 1:50 pm
@Terry -- I recall the name (and it's a *great* name, isn't it?) but that was not one my mother frequented, and to the best of my recall, I never visited.

ted

23 Sep 11 at 1:57 pm
I had heard that what's left of the old Belk's store became or is that Bank that sits on the property...but not sure though. If it is, it's the only part of Belk's left, and I also think that what's left of Macy's IS part of the M-O-A.

Del

24 Sep 11 at 10:29 am
Haltiwangers was on the SW cornor of Main and Hampton, across the street from Belk's. (Where the bank building is now.)What's left of Belk's (another bank building) was not a part of the original building, but a latter addition.

Tom

24 Sep 11 at 11:11 am
@Terry, Haltiwangers was on the SW conore of Main and Hampton where a bank building now stands. Belk's was across the street from it.

@ Del- The bank near Assembly and Hampton was a part of Belk's but it was a later addition and not a part of the original structure.

Tom

24 Sep 11 at 11:18 am
Haltiwanger's is a great name. When we moved here my brother adopted it as a term of negative connotation as in "You really haltiwangered that time".

Terry Edwards

24 Sep 11 at 3:59 pm
The original bank at the southwest corner of Main and Hampton was First Union, but it went thru a number of name changes. It had very, very large "FIRST UNION" letters across the side facing Main St. One year, a pair of red-tailed hawks built a nest in the "O." (And earlier, they had built a nest in the fire escape of the old Y on Sumter St.

badger

24 Sep 11 at 4:58 pm
Who remembers Kohn's, which, if memory serves, was across Main Street from Belk's?

Jim

24 Sep 11 at 8:08 pm
Not sure if this has been mentioned already, but Kinbrell's on Main Street is closing.

Tom

29 Sep 11 at 5:28 am
Bistro in Lexington @ Shops at Flight Deck has closed. Word is Department of Revenue forced them closed.

O'Reilly

29 Sep 11 at 8:31 am
@Tom, yeah, Thomas mentioned it a bit above. I've got some pix and will get a few more when they shut the doors..

ted

29 Sep 11 at 10:50 am
did burger king on two notch (close to Walmart) closed?

Javier

29 Sep 11 at 7:28 pm
@Javier, I was in Northeast Richland earlier this week and thought the BK you're referencing at 10030 Two Notch Road might be closed because no one was home and there were what looked like wet floor signs blocking the entrance.

Around 2001 there was a fallout with who was the franchise owner of BK at the time and that one remained opened while the others closed. Brandi, Inc. took over the franchise and continues to operate in many of the same locations today and even in some that didn't exist under the old owner. Be that as it may, the old owner had a BK at 650 St. Andrews Road that Brandi decided not to reopen that is now Zaxby's. I think it's been mentioned that there are several other BKs in Columbia that didn't come back, either but I am not 100% sure of the details...

Andrew

29 Sep 11 at 9:09 pm
I was wondering about the BK on 2Notch too. It looks like they are either tearing it down or redoing it. No for sale sign, and no sorry we're closed sign either.

cheryl

30 Sep 11 at 7:30 am
Speaking of fast food, does anyone know if the mcdonalds on 378 at i-26 is closing when the new one on 378 at Corley Mill opens. Theere is a sign out front of the first one advertising hiring at the new one. They are within miutes of each other but both have interstates nearby so I guess both would be viable.

Larry

30 Sep 11 at 9:51 am
thanks for the information Cheryl and Andrew

Javier

30 Sep 11 at 3:13 pm
@Larry, when it was announced that the new McDonald's you're mentioning was going in, I remember reading that the idea was to have two Lexington locations.

Waffle House has locations both at McSwain Drive & US 378 (near I-26) and another one between Cromer Road and Leaphart Road (closer to I-20). Recently, when a new Pitt Stop/BK opened at US 378 & Leaphart Road, I thought it'd mean the end of the other Brandi, Inc. BK at US 378 and McSwain Drive but both Brandi, Inc. BKs are still ticking at this point so I could very esily see McDonald's following suit with this new location near Corley Mill Road and the other at the intersection with Chris Drive.

Andrew

30 Sep 11 at 7:04 pm
There were some questions about and discussion of the Les Truands high school fraternity a while back.

The State has an article about them today.

ted

1 Oct 11 at 2:21 am
The Ramada, nee Holiday Inn, at the intersection of I-20 and Two Notch is closed. All Ramada signage has been removed.

Tom

2 Oct 11 at 9:40 am
This one?

ted

2 Oct 11 at 12:37 pm
@ Ted. Yep. I thought it had reopened again as a Ramada.

Tom

3 Oct 11 at 5:30 am
Signs 2 Go on Knox Abbott has bitten the dust and, ironicly, removed its sign.

tonkatoy

3 Oct 11 at 6:42 am
Ted, I don't think your spam has ever been this bad. It is almost taking up the entire recent comments column.

jonathan

4 Oct 11 at 9:18 am
It got a little better when I updated askimet, then the arms race escalated again.. I don't want to move to captchas as that drives people away..

It could be worse. The filters have caught and junked without displaying 1033 spam comments in the last 12 hours..

ted

4 Oct 11 at 11:58 am
The Signs 2 Go building started out as a florist, but I don't remember its name. My dad was one of the owners of Cayce TV and Appliance Co. just up the street and the owners of the florist were his customers so we always bought our flowers from them. I believe the florist closed in the late 1970's. The wife of the young couple who owned it was Japanese and her family had been successful in the floral business in Columbia for many years, but I can't remember her maiden name. Gary

melton

5 Oct 11 at 1:54 pm
Tokanaga? They had a place on Millwood (its on this site).

tonkatoy

5 Oct 11 at 2:22 pm
Forgot to add to the Burkett post but the gas station next door recently changed from a Li'l Cricket to a Scottsman.

Larry

6 Oct 11 at 4:34 pm
@ Ted ...I just found your site and it is wonderful. I also like to go around to landmarks in Columbia and Lexington that are closed and take pictures. My favorite was the old mental hospital campus on Bull Street. I am really excited to see someone else around here that enjoys this hobby too. Thanks for the great pictures.

marie

10 Oct 11 at 9:17 pm
Do you know anything about the history or have photographs of the old Assembly St. Farmers Market?
I would love any leads..............thx

David Wm. Fechter

12 Oct 11 at 5:05 pm
Do you know anything about the history or have photographs of the old Assembly St. Farmers Market?
I would love any leads..............thx

David Wm. Fechter

12 Oct 11 at 5:05 pm
I'm afraid not. You might check the local history room at RCPL.

ted

12 Oct 11 at 7:27 pm
@Marie -- Thanks!

I have thought about the old State Hospital, but the Free Times did an article a while ago indicating that it is not a very photographer-friendly area.

ted

12 Oct 11 at 11:00 pm
I took pics. at and of the Old State Hospital, and no one stoped me or asked me what I was doing.. Always look like you know what you're doing and very serious about it..no one will bother you. I walked all the way around the buildings and the old roads in between the buildings.. nothing happend to me. Just go during the day time..it's safer. Speaking of the Assembly Street Farmers Market, the only place you'll find pics. of that are in books on the history of columbia, or on old postcards.. When they tore them down for the last time in the 40's (I think), that's when they moved out across the Fair Grounds and the Stadium.. and now THAT'S gone too.

Del

13 Oct 11 at 6:36 pm
Farmer's Market on Bluff Road opened in 1953 or 54. IIRC, the final straw for the Assemly Street site was when an ammonia chiller on a banana cooler blew up and killed some people.

That Farmer's Market on Chas HWY at Frink has some pics of the Assembly FM that I hadn't seen in books before.

tonkatoy

14 Oct 11 at 6:39 am
Years ago (this would have been about 1997 or so) the State Museum's gift shop had old black and white photographs of Columbia you could buy, and one of them was a scene at the old Farmers' Market with the State House off in the distance. I bought one and framed it, and it was a favorite piece of decor for years. I haven't been to the State Museum in a long time, so I don't know if it's something they would still have around; too bad if they don't, because they were nice items.

Alaska Jill

14 Oct 11 at 7:01 pm
looks like Ye Olde Fashioned on Garner's Ferry road has closed. My husband and I used to stop in on occasion. Really good burgers and ice cream. Not sure what happened; we haven't been by to look at the little sign on the door, but it's obvious they've shut down. A pity; it was a nice place to go on a sunday afternoon. Looks like they're only in charleston again.

ginagate

17 Oct 11 at 9:19 pm
We don't have a Doug Broome's article yet, do we?

I found some wonderful photos of one of the locations. Is this in Five Points?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23117774@N04/2570564387/in/photostream/

Dennis

18 Oct 11 at 6:25 am
I "rolled" by the old Cycle Center/Rent N Roll store on Broad River Road this morning and noticed the signage for King's Discount Liquor/Beer/Tobacco. Seems to be a niche for that store there, and I am sure it will do well....I am surewe will read about it soon in the paper.

I remember the posting for the building, but can't find it in Alphabetical Listings so it must have been under what it was prior to Cycle Center. I guess move it to its proper place once it is located.

Jonathan

18 Oct 11 at 9:25 am
@Dennis, the location given for Doug Broome's in the text for that photo, 831 Harden, is the same address as Gene's Pig & Chick (ie Harden & College, now a convenience store).

Those certainly are great pictures. I'd eat there in a heartbeat.

ted

18 Oct 11 at 9:58 pm
Virginia's Grill at 6039 Monticello Road closed some years ago. The State newspaper had an article on the owner and business just before it closed. i couldn't find it, but maybe Andrew can with his mad skilz.

Anyway, that's a target rich environment for you, ted, what with a dead Amoco and a few vacant stores in various states of disrepair. be careful, though, it isn't the nicest area.

tonkatoy

27 Oct 11 at 7:27 am
I was going too fast down Meeting St yesterday but noticed just a tad too late that out front of the Subway in that stripmall where TopDeck and the other posting you recently did all of the yellow subway booths were stacked on a trailor. Could be a remodel or perhaps a sign of a troubled strip?

Peter

27 Oct 11 at 10:50 am
Weird you would bring that up, Peter. I noticed yesterday that the Subway on Meeting Street had a "Busines Closed" sign on the door. I was going to post it, but have not had the chance.

Jonathan

27 Oct 11 at 12:06 pm
The Ollie's in Lexington has closed & the sign says the new tenant will be WingNuts. Yet another chicken wing place.

John R

28 Oct 11 at 8:53 am
I went to the San Jose on Forest Drive last night and they said today would be their last day! I was surprised by this as I saw no signs until last night! I will miss it so much as I loved the family that ran this one and the food was good and they were the only place that had free kids meals on the weekend too!! Just thought a heads up would be good! So sad to see it go and too far for me to go to the other one unless I am on the other side of town.

Mrs. SK

31 Oct 11 at 11:14 am
What ever happened to the Standard Savings Bank Building? I know it was just up the street from the original Richland County Library. Any ideas?

Del

1 Nov 11 at 6:40 pm
mrs. SK Panchos up the street towards Ft.Jackson is owned by the guy who owns all the other San Jose's. I am willing to bet that the food will be exactly the same.

michael

1 Nov 11 at 9:23 pm
@Del, the one on Washington between the Palmetto Bldg. and the old Security Federal building is long gone. The one at the cornor of Main and Washington is now owned by the city.

Tom

2 Nov 11 at 8:38 am
Any ideas as to when the C&S bank building was torn down? Or is it still there? It was near Assembly St. going towards the Coliseum or just across the way from where Star Lanes bowling alley was.

Del

2 Nov 11 at 9:48 am
Do you mean the one at Park and Lady? I haven't been by there lately to know if the building is still there, but for a long time it had become a First Citizens.

badger

2 Nov 11 at 1:38 pm
I think that's where it was..but not sure of the street off hand. To me it looks as if it's been torn down, but not sure. I'll have to take a gander at it next time I'm in that area of town.

Del

2 Nov 11 at 3:42 pm
So what was torn down at the north-west corner of Taylor & Sumter Streets recently? I saw the vacant lot and some sort of construction activity but for the life of me can't recall what was there.

ted

2 Nov 11 at 4:11 pm
@Ted, are you talking about teh area behind the old Berry's on Main? If so, it has been a parking lot for years. At one time there was a yellow brick building that was used by Southern Bell, but sadly it was condemmed years ago despite efforts to preserve it.

Tom

3 Nov 11 at 5:29 am
Just a heads-up, I heard from a co-worker this morning that the Shoney's on Bush River Road, across from the old K-Mart, is closed. I haven't had a chance to verify it yet, but if I'm out today, I'll take a look.

Matthew

3 Nov 11 at 8:33 am
Someone told me and I think I have seen it, that the old Zayre building is still standing. Has anyone seen it? and what year did it close? Any ideas?

Del

3 Nov 11 at 8:54 am
@tom, this one.

ted

3 Nov 11 at 9:27 am
@Matthew I wouldn't 100% surprised if that one closed because it went through a period where it wasn't open for dinner anymore. Then I'd go by and it seemed like very few people were home. It shows up still on Shoney's store locator on their site at 600 Bush River Road but no telling how much longer that'll be the case.

There was a lot of optimism when Walmart #4379 opened up at 1326 Bush River Road that there would be new life for Bush River Road but sadly, much of the optimistic views that were conveyed haven't come to pass. Case in point:

Since Walmart #4379 opened, Dutch Square has lost the following: Gaby's Pizza, D'Avino's, A Slice of Italy, Chick-Fil-A, Radio Shack, Dollar Tree, Maxway, Burger Time, Picadilly, GameStop, Kitty's Hallmark, Waldenbooks and perhaps a few others I'm unaware of. A place called Stuft-Stuff is supposed to be opening up at the food Court in the spot that was once A Slice of Itlay/Davino's/Gaby's but didn't find anything but Caspar the friendly ghost when I went to see what it was about (but that was ≈2 weeks ago now). On paper, it looks like it has a significant amount of space leased and all is humming along but when you walk through the mall, you are one of less than 50 people it seems walking said mall.

The former Kmart at 99 N Arrowood Road has sat vacant for 2 years now. My understanding is that it had management issues and last time I was in there the intercom sounded like it was worn out and produced nasty feedback and the store looked like a mid-late 90s era Kmart layout.

Key West Grill closed at 1736 Bush River Road sometime in the 2002-04 time frame (before Walmart was announced) but has sat vacant longer than I thought it would.

At 1540 Bush River Road (where Bush River meets Jesse Lee Lane) , there's a former daycare that has sat vacant that I haven't seen anything attempt to do anything with that I thought something would happen, but again, to no avail.

The former Circuit City building continues to sit vacant just before I-20. It was an apparel store for a brief period of time but it was difficult to figure out exactly what they were about.

I know Walmart has helped revitalize the former Bush River Mall site but it hasn't snowballed out further along Bush River Road the way folks were hoping it would.

Andrew

3 Nov 11 at 11:53 am
Del-

the Zayre's building is right where it's always been. Hard to see it from Harden St. since it's way off the road, and it's hard to see from Colonial Drive because another building has been built right in front of it in what was Zayre's HUGE parking lot. It is now offices/warehouse/garage for City of Coulmbia.

I'll send ted a photo and maybe he can put it here somewhere.

Dennis

3 Nov 11 at 12:11 pm
Thanks Dennis, I'll try to do a Zayre's post. I did go out looking for it once, but couldn't find it.

ted

3 Nov 11 at 12:28 pm
Thanks..I thought it may still be there, but wasnt sure since you cant see it now. Does anyone remember "C-Mart"? It was just up from Zayre's store pretty much in front of it but across the street in a bunch of little stores. Are those buildings still there too?

Del

3 Nov 11 at 3:02 pm
@ Ted, I think it has been a parking lot for years.

Tom

3 Nov 11 at 4:43 pm
@Andrew, Thanks for that! That was an interesting read. Restaurants are such a fickle business that it doesn't surprise me at all that many of them have closed, and as for the mall, those things are dying quicker than a canary in a coal mine at this point. On one hand it's a shame Columbia can't support multiple malls, but on the other hand, Columbia had no business with... 5 malls at one point?

As for Shoneys, I drove by at lunch yesterday, and they were doing a... well, a booming business for that Shoneys. So they may just be closed for dinner like you said. Sorry about the false alarm.

Matthew

4 Nov 11 at 7:52 am
I noticed that the Li'l Cricket on Sunset is now a Scotchman. Apparently, both chains have been under the same corporate umbrella for a while, so I wonder if they're phasing out the Li'l Cricket brand completely. Have you ever taken a look at Li'l Cricket's logo? Remind you of any other famous crickets?

badger

7 Nov 11 at 10:52 am
Just got word that Z Pizza in Lexington will be closing. Not sure of the date but the owner stated that he's moving the store to Aiken. Not really surprised since they stopped serving lunch last month.

Elisabeth A.

7 Nov 11 at 8:40 pm
@ Elisabeth - Z Pizza closing may have something to do with the new Mellow Mushroom in Lexington?!?!?

Uscnurse97

8 Nov 11 at 8:16 am
Could be...I will say that the owner of Z Pizza was VERY vocal on facebook and twitter about his dislike of Mellow Mushroom and didn't understand why anyone would eat there. Guess he doesn't like competition.

Elisabeth A

8 Nov 11 at 8:50 am
Pizza is one of those many things that people are willing to when it's cheaper, even if it's low quality. I remember back in the late 1970s and early 1980s a number of local pizza delivery people: Gino's, Pizza Express, Chanelo's, for starters. And one by one they fell to the big boys. All three of those that I can remember had better pizzas than Domino (which was pretty much what killed them), but Domino's was cheaper. Pizza Hut then got in the game with their delivery concept called "DiLiveri's." Get it? Then they changed them all to Pizza Hut. My personal favorite pizzas in town are from the various Greek restaurants.

badger

8 Nov 11 at 9:12 am
Yea, pizza is an interesting dish. I love Zorba's, Gina's in Irmo, the place in Ballentine, etc., but the bottom line is it is a $20 pie for a large. Granted, you get eclectic toppings, but still....When you are in a hurry, and you don't even have to get out of your vehicle, Little Caesar's fills that void for $5. And the kids don't know the dfference. Never cared for Dominos, Papa Johns, etc. Even I have my standards. I'd rather have the $9.00 refrigerated pizza from Kroger, in the deli case.

Jonathan

8 Nov 11 at 9:27 am
Yeah, pizza is a funny animal. There are a lot of places that use good ingredients and careful preperation to make a pizza that I just don't care for. The recipe is very important.

Never tried Z (frankly wasn't aware of it -- Lexington is mostly off my radar). Mellow Mushroom is acceptable (though often a bit under-done) and are serious about staying open for their posted hours. Rosso in Trenholm plaza makes a very good pizza, but they are too afraid of looking down-scale to have toppings that people might actually want (like, um, pepperoni!). Za's is decent, but a bit tomatoey and very small. Brixx is good for late-nights, but somehow the toppings are never hot. Uno is good for a change-up with deep-dish. I was never impressed with Pie-Stanza on Polo. I actively disliked Pizza Man the one time I tried it. The best pizza in the Columbia area is probably still Zorba's Express on Broad RIver, where the Parthenon folks went, but it is way the heck on the other side of everything.

At the beach, the clear choice is Landolfi's followed by Pastaria-811...

ted

8 Nov 11 at 2:51 pm
Z's also suffered from being tucked in the armpit of the little strip mall beside Walmart. Not the best location to say the least. I would go by there occasionally to pick up a slice or two for lunch. The first bad sign was a couple of months ago when I went there & was told they didn't sell slices anymore. The next sign was when they posted on the door they were reducing hours to be open only for dinner. Although a bit pricey, it was good pizza & close to home for me.
On the subject of pizzerias now long gone... does anyone remember Frodo's? Back in the early 80s it was near Richland Mall. Man, they made a great pie!

John R

8 Nov 11 at 3:21 pm
I've never been to Zpizza but I am not sure I am a fan of the way they do their crusts. It appears that they'll stay with their vista location, soely. I haven't read any of the facebook postings where the owner actively went against Mellow Mushroom but I would be turned off if I did.

I enjoy Mellow Mushroom as their crust has a special kick to it. My brother and I had lunch at the Lexington location this summer and it had a very eclectic atmosphere that I enjoyed and hope to make it back one day...

My late grandmother went to Pizza Man one time and informed me she wasn't impressed. I've been to Dano's a couple of times and enjoyed that as well. My grandmother and I had dinner there once before she died and it was the only time she went but it was a decent experience but their slices are very long...

I have never been to Rosso or The Pizza Joint on Forest Drive but I am interested in trying The Pizza Joint. I went to Italian Pie once and don't remember anything special about it...

I had hoped to try Stevi B's but never made it. I enjoy CiCi's but only on an occasional basis...

I eat more of Pizza Hut Express than I care to admit in the Russell House and to a lesser extent the ones inside the Target locations at Shoppes at Woodhill and Lexington Pavilion.

Za's left a lot to desire at Columbiana Station but the one time I went to their Devine St. location, it wasn't bad at all.

Believe it or not, I've also had a decent, but small pizza from the Kmart Cafe inside store #7616 in Lexington a couple of times...

Andrew

9 Nov 11 at 7:45 pm
folks, there's a place called Hunter-Gatherer at the intersection of Main & College Street that is no longer open for lunch on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays but will remain open for lunch on Fridays...not sure what that's a sign of but I have never been, either, so something may be up...

Andrew

10 Nov 11 at 1:08 pm
The Hunter-Gatherer, in the old Campus Club South / Swensen's building is a brewpub. Actually I think it may be the only Columbia brewpub right now.

ted

11 Nov 11 at 2:04 am
A "never was" closing:

Main Street Starbucks was a hoax.

ted

11 Nov 11 at 2:24 am
Can anyone confirm whether Hennessy's on Main Street has closed?

Midnight Rambler

14 Nov 11 at 3:40 pm
I like Z Pizza because they all their pizzas are available in a very good gluten free crust. (I know I'm getting old when I can't eat flour anymore).

That said, I was in the Lexington location about 3 weeks ago and I told my wife that this store wasn't going to last much longer. It was about 7 pm and we were the only people in the store except for the 3 guys working there. They were out of straws and when my wife asked for a spoon they had to go in the back and wash one.

There was a Groupon for that location that expired the first week of November. I wonder if they stuck it out long enough not to have to refund anyone's money and they called it quits.

Matt

17 Nov 11 at 10:13 am
I just checked and Hennessy's website is gone. http://www.hennessyssc.com/ gives an error that no page is loaded for the site.

Matt

17 Nov 11 at 10:19 am
Phone is disconnected, too.

badger

17 Nov 11 at 11:39 am
Sounds like I need to go take some pictures..

ted

17 Nov 11 at 1:34 pm
I don't know how good it is, but Mellow Mushroom does offer gluten-free crust as an option now.

ted

17 Nov 11 at 1:35 pm
@Ted Mellow Mushroom is very good. My wife and I have dined there often.

Tom

17 Nov 11 at 1:52 pm
Yeah, I like the Mellow Mushroom in general, I was just saying I didn't know how good the gluten free crust is (since I'm OK with gluten).

ted

17 Nov 11 at 2:15 pm
Mellow Mushroom's gluten free is fine, but their prices are really expensive. I really miss the days of 5 dollar pizza's from Domino's, although I admit that was 17 yrs ago.

Matt

18 Nov 11 at 9:56 am
While we're on the topic of pizzerias, does anybody remember Al's New York Pizza in Irmo? I think it was on St. Andrew's Road (not far from Kroger). They were open when we moved to SC in the early 1990s, and I recall it being open for several years thereafter, although probably not beyond the late '90s. They made a great pie!

BC

18 Nov 11 at 1:52 pm
Whatever happened to Eddy's Auto? It used to be a garage over behind a building at Two Notch and Fontaine, but then Eddy moved over to an old high end car dealership on Two Notch within a half mile away. What happened?

Miz T

18 Nov 11 at 2:50 pm
BC:

Al's was in the Friarsgate BiLo shopping center, on the side where Tez's used to be (the side opposite BiLo). I remember it being more towards the middle, like where that dollar store is now. I remember my dad loving the place, being a transplanted northerner. But i think it was also pretty expensive comparatively, so we didnt eat there often

IrmoJeff

18 Nov 11 at 3:44 pm
About the only remaining $5 pizza is the Peperoni at Little Caesars that is Hot N Ready (The official pizza of the Gamecocks)

Andrew

18 Nov 11 at 3:44 pm
Jeff:

Thanks for the info. Looking at Google Maps, I think you're absolutely right about Al's placement in the shopping center.

BC

19 Nov 11 at 12:57 pm
Has Hennessey's (located in downtown Columbia) closed for business? Their phone number is disconnected and their website is down. Thanks.

Ellen

19 Nov 11 at 4:18 pm
Has Hennessey's (located in downtown Columbia) closed for business? Their phone number is disconnected and their website is down. Thanks.

Ellen

19 Nov 11 at 4:18 pm
There is a hand-scrawled note on the Hennessy's door that says "Closed for renovations and maintenance. Should be open in November." The clock is ticking.

badger

20 Nov 11 at 2:36 pm
Let me know if you need a few pictures of the Coliseum parking lot (longtime camping place for concert tickets). The business school will be going there.

Midnight Rambler

22 Nov 11 at 2:10 pm
Bright Animal Clinic on Decker is closing. Dr Bright is retiring at the end of the year. This is in front of and down the hill from the old Target (current storage facility). Ted, you had it listed as a restaurant at one time or another.

Matt

22 Nov 11 at 2:15 pm
I wish someone could explain to me how the University of South Carolina can get away with having all the buildings they do and not have the parking to support them. It behooves me (and my dad for that matter) how the University of South Carolina can get away with a lot less parking than a developer from the private sector can...and why on God's Green Earth would you *remove* a parking lot in order to build a new building school when the parking you have is inadequate to begin with...

I also feel the Discovery Garage is underutilized and wish it was a rule that you could park there free with any USC parking decal...

Andrew

22 Nov 11 at 3:04 pm
Yes, it was a Taco Cid.

Hope he (she?) has a great retirement!

ted

22 Nov 11 at 3:07 pm
Amen, Midnight Rambler!! Back when you EARNED that spot on the first 10 rows for a show, not clicked a "refresh" button repeatedly!!!

jonathan

22 Nov 11 at 4:41 pm
The Great Wraps and the mattress place next to it in the strip mall on Columbiana Drive that is the home the the 5 Guys burgers have "available" signs in them now.

Tom

22 Nov 11 at 6:14 pm
@Tom the spot you're talking is called Columbiana Crossing

Andrew

22 Nov 11 at 7:54 pm
Can anyone tell me or knows why and how USC obtained the land and building of Gibbs VW which they torn down to build that "wellness" center? I thought it was on the Columbia Historical Register?

Del

23 Nov 11 at 4:26 pm
Hi, Ted,

Quoted from your front page following Thanksgiving:
"Well, that’s it for this week’s posts folks. Get out there watch some football, eat some turkey, and hang out with the people that matter.

And stay home on Black Friday: You can do all your shopping right here!"

There's a direct connection between that statement and WHY things are closing.

Holly

Holly Lisle

25 Nov 11 at 11:15 am
Holly,

There's certainly a lot of truth to that! But.. I'm still not fighting my way into a mall on Black Friday! :-)

ted

25 Nov 11 at 10:08 pm
Ted I don't blame you for not fighting the Black Friday crowds.

I saw these actual thigns on differnet YouTube videos:

- people trampling over each other
- a worker bringing out some kitchen product on a hand dolly, navigating a crowd that is close to fire code capacity and people reach over each other pratically to get to whatever it is
- a shouting match in the checkout lines

Not only that, after Black Friday 2006, Drudge had a report on his radio show (back when he had it) of Walmart workers tossing laptops into the air and customers tackling each other to catch them. Supposedly, someone wanted to sue Walmart for all the chaos that ensued and Drudge suggested they sue each other "for not having a life."

and I have no interest in being amongst those types of crowds. I am not one to do an early morning to begin with and the idea of being in crowds that are interested in trampling and reaching over you to try to beat you to get to different items is not something I care to have a part of.

some of them I get the impression that they are trying to compromise fire code capacity in the name of the almighty dollar...and now some of them are opening at Midnight or even 10PM...others are open on Thanksgiving so you could possibly have a Kmart lunch at the Kmart Diner at the Kmart in Lexington (store #7616) on Thanksgiving Day...

Andrew

25 Nov 11 at 11:12 pm
@Del, there was a move afoot to get it on the historic register, but USC tore it down before it could be accomplished.

@Holly, yeah, you are right, but I'm not going to spend time in crowds and wasting gas driving around when I can point and click. Time marches on and the old ways fade away, for better or worse.

tonkatoy

28 Nov 11 at 7:39 am
@Del-Gibbes sold it to the school. The building dated back to 1903.

Tom

28 Nov 11 at 1:02 pm
I had heard that the OTHER Gibbs brother that held out from selling his part of the business finally gave in and sold it all to USC. He must have been given an offer he couldnt refuse, so he sold it I guess for big time $$$$, then USC promptly had it torn down and built that Strom Thurmond "Wellness" Center. Wanna take bets how long that'll stay there before USC tears it down too? Does anyone else remember the "OK" Used car lot that sat across from there in the 60's before it was gotten rid of and Hardees built there?

Del

29 Nov 11 at 3:40 pm
If there's ever a need, I took a few pictures of the Gibbes Machinery buildings many years ago and would be willing to scan them. I used to park there as a USC student, so I was there just about every day and thought to bring my camera one day. I'll be happy to share, if there's ever a call to do so.

BTW, another obstacle for National Register designation in the case of the Gibbes buildings was that if a property is nominated, the owner has the right to object. If the buildings were on property designated for development, it stands to reason USC wouldn't have supported the designation. Even if it had been listed, USC would have no obligation to keep the buildings, as National Register listing really provides no protection (and, though it may vary by jurisdiction due to local or state preservation laws, National Historic Landmark status doesn't, either).

Alaska Jill

29 Nov 11 at 9:00 pm
Re: my comments above on the Gibbes buildings, since I have no experience with it, I'm not sure how a listing attempt would have worked for Columbia's historic landmark program. My experience many years ago was with the federal landmark programs, so I defaulted back to that. Apologies for any confusion. :)

Alaska Jill

29 Nov 11 at 9:04 pm
@A-Jill,

Sure, if you send the pix to "closings at columbiaclosings dto com" I'll try to get them up.

ted

30 Nov 11 at 12:42 am
Del, that Hardees sure didn't last very long, did it?

tonkatoy

30 Nov 11 at 8:13 am
That Hardees wasnt there long at all really. That used car lot was there a lot longer I think. Does anyone remember that little teenie Sinclair Gas Station that sat across from the Coliseum on the corner? I dont know how they got more than 2 cars in there at a time.

Del

30 Nov 11 at 2:12 pm
Huh. I recall the Hardee's there as having a good run. Of course the only *specific* memory I have of the place is finding out that yes, there is a way to ruin a chocolate-chip-cookie.

ted

30 Nov 11 at 4:41 pm
I don't remember the details but I recall Hardee's being at Assembly and Blossom in the 1995-98 but I am not sure when it closed. It was torn down by 2003 to make room for what the University of South Carolina is calling the 'Horizon center' and the area where the Hardee's was would be (in my mind) a good site for the new Darla Moore School of business but they're having to remove a perfectly good lot in front of the Carolina Coliseum on Greene Street in favor of this new school (I swear I wish someone would have the guts to ask Univ. officials why they aren't worried about the parking aspect of it).

I would like to see the University open Discovery Garage to all valid permit holders for the University at all times since it is a horribly underutilized garage.

Andrew

30 Nov 11 at 5:53 pm
On that Hardee's, I remember it being open during the time frame Andrew mentions. I used to park at the Gibbes Machinery lot and walk to my classes at Gambrell Hall (yeah, it was a hike, but it helped me stay in reasonable shape). I remember having to walk past, and occasionally dodge, the traffic coming out of the drive-thru in the evenings. I don't recall ever going in there, but I do remember it did decent business during the mid to late 1990s, while I was a full-time grad student.

Alaska Jill

30 Nov 11 at 8:48 pm
Hardees was fairly new when I went to grad school in June 1990. Seems like it closed around 1998 or so.

I don't know why everyone complains about parking at USC. There's plenty of parking, you just have to walk a lot as well. Keeps you inshape. Just park at the coliseum and walk. i did it for years. It isn't any big deal, really.

tonkatoy

1 Dec 11 at 7:52 am
Looks like BK @ 4456 Devine Street near the Bi-Lo has closed.

Frank

1 Dec 11 at 4:46 pm
I remember that BK being one of the last Brandi, Inc. BKs to reopen when he started reopening them in the 2002/03 timeframe...the Pitt Stop next door was undergoing changes to have a new Columbia Police Dept. substation recently and I thought it would mean that the BK would be added onto the Pitt Stop as Brandi, Inc. has done with several other Pitt Stop/BK locations such as the one on US 76 in Ballentine, Bluff Road, 4377 Augusta Road (Lexington), US 378 & Leaphart Road, SC 302 near I-26, Spears Creek Church Rd. in Northeast Richland, Killian Road and Sam's Crossing Drive (also in Northeast Richland) and perhaps a couple others I am unsure of.

As far as the parking situation goes at USC, my family and I have concluded that if a private developer were to build the type of facilities that USC is and have the little parking USC does, we'd have our plans halted in a skinny minute, yet the University of South Carolina can, for reasons that make no sense to me, get away with it...

Andrew

1 Dec 11 at 5:02 pm
I remember that BK being one of the last Brandi, Inc. BKs to reopen when he started reopening them in the 2002/03 timeframe...the Pitt Stop next door was undergoing changes to have a new Columbia Police Dept. substation recently and I thought it would mean that the BK would be added onto the Pitt Stop as Brandi, Inc. has done with several other Pitt Stop/BK locations such as the one on US 76 in Ballentine, Bluff Road, 4377 Augusta Road (Lexington), US 378 & Leaphart Road, SC 302 near I-26, Spears Creek Church Rd. in Northeast Richland, Killian Road and Sam's Crossing Drive (also in Northeast Richland) and perhaps a couple others I am currently unable to think of.

As far as the parking situation goes at USC, my family and I have concluded that if a private developer were to build the type of facilities that USC is and have the little parking USC does, we'd have our plans halted in a skinny minute, yet the University of South Carolina can, for reasons that make no sense to me, get away with it...

Andrew

1 Dec 11 at 5:02 pm
Heads up! Payless Shoes in Columbiana Centre is closing up shop; Forever 21, which opened up earlier this year next door is going to expand their current store to include a men's section, engulfing the Payless space. I don't believe Payless is moving to another spot the way the other stores did.

Dustin

3 Dec 11 at 4:47 pm
Payless Shoe Source wouldn't have anywhere to move in Columbiana Centre except the former Spinnaker's Space (which I am kinda hoping for California Pizza Kitchen or TGI Fridays)....they could move into the former Rugged Wearhouse at Harbison Centre or several spaces at Columbiana Station or the new Harbison Crossing.

Seven Oaks Shopping Center (6910 St. Andrews Road) has space that could accomodate them as well...

Andrew

3 Dec 11 at 6:25 pm
I stand corrected, Seven Oaks Shopping Center is addressed to 6169 St. Andrews Road

Andrew

3 Dec 11 at 7:17 pm
folks, I checked tonight and I am going to have to second Frank's notion that the Brandi, Inc. Burger King at 4456 Devine Street is closed because it had a sign saying 'closed' on the marquee and plus there appeared to be yellow 'caution' tape in front of the entrance. It's unfortunate for me to see because it I can remember wanting it open when I was in high school and having a Dreher friend at the time that he and I wanted it open as well and it finally came back online. But I guess all good things must end someday...

Here's the thing though: the signage on the building and marquee is still there so something may be happening I don't know about

Andrew

4 Dec 11 at 10:55 pm
Hmm...

The State: Carolina Wings & Ribhouse files Chapter 11.

ted

6 Dec 11 at 12:59 am
Heard from someone that Locals in 5 points is now closed

Jordan

6 Dec 11 at 11:36 am
Does anyone know why Burger King on Devine closed? It's gone..nothing there now on the inside. I was there just last week one eve. and the next day, it was closed..gone. Are more going to close..again?

Del

6 Dec 11 at 7:29 pm
Del, what's interesting about the BK at 4456 Devine Street is that it's next door to a Pitt Stop. Bob Brandi owns Pitt Stop as well as the BKs and I wonder if there's some plan to add on to Pitt Stop and have a Burger King there. They closed that Pitt Stop this summer but it turned out it was to put a Columbia Police Dept. substation...so I woner if something is up but I guess we'll just have to stay tuned...

Andrew

6 Dec 11 at 11:05 pm
The Burger King on Two Notch is closed.

michael

7 Dec 11 at 12:42 am
Is that Pitt Stop with the police substation where the guy sat shot to death in his truck for a day or so? If so, LOL at the CPD.

tonkatoy

7 Dec 11 at 7:39 am
Is the BK Lounge on Devin nex to Pitt Stop the original building? or is it a newer one? I sort of remember A&W Drive-In next to it where Pitt Stop is, but dont remember how long BK has been there.

Del

7 Dec 11 at 3:40 pm
ooops..meant to say DEVINE..NOT "Devin".

Del

7 Dec 11 at 3:41 pm
Del, I was probably six or so, but I recall the BK Lounge replaced the A&W after it burned down.

tonkatoy

8 Dec 11 at 7:56 am
I thought that A&W sat on the site of the current Pitt Stop Gas Station..though I could be wrong. I dont know if this BK Lounge was the 1st or 2nd one. I do know the one on Two Notch was around in 1965, but dont know if that was the first one or not.

Del

8 Dec 11 at 5:53 pm
Del, in 1984, if you were standing across the street from the BK and facing it, you saw, from left to right, a house, the BK, and a Hess station. I know the Hess closed in 1986 because I bought gas for 30 cents/gallon at their 'last day' sale. Normal price then was 58 cents, IIRC.

tonkatoy

9 Dec 11 at 7:51 am
I remember where Bi-Lo is now that there was a motel/hotel and/or a bar there towards the back, plus what was left of a Putt Putt but this was back in 1981 when the Drive-Inn was still there. I also remember Dee's Recaps sitting about where Applebees is now too back in the early 80's. But I dont remember a house for some reason.

Del

9 Dec 11 at 11:10 am
It was a two story brick house with porches on the first and second floors. May have been a plastic greenhouse, too, but I can't recall.

I recall the Putt-Putt and motel being closer to the east side of the BiLo property, and the house was to the west.

tonkatoy

9 Dec 11 at 11:32 am
I dont remember that at all for some reason, but I do remember the Exxon Station on the corner where Payless Shoes and Churches sits now. The Putt Putt was closed when I saw it and that was in 1981, and dont remember when it was opened. I guess I didnt pay things attention all that much when it's something you'de see all the time back then.

Del

9 Dec 11 at 2:35 pm
folks, it appears that Harmon's Tree Farm might have to close up shop: http://youtu.be/BVUpI8RBh34

Andrew

9 Dec 11 at 6:53 pm
There was an article in The State about the unfortunate passing of the owner and what that would mean for the property.

ted

10 Dec 11 at 3:19 am
Del, looking at Bing maps, the Pitt Stop is where the Hess was. The house was located on what is now the western entrance to BiLo. The Pizza Hut was about where the eastern entrance was, then the motel, then the Putt-Putt, then the house, then the BK, then the Hess, IIRC.

tonkatoy

12 Dec 11 at 10:21 am
Brixx in Sandhills will close for good this Saturday, Dec 17. Drink specials all week. Instead of $8.00 Crown, it's $4.00 this week.

Sidney

13 Dec 11 at 2:21 pm
Huh. That's too bad. I was in there last Sunday as a matter of fact.

ted

13 Dec 11 at 2:32 pm
Brixx update: Better get in there tonight (Friday night). Probably won't be open tomorrow. Running out of ingredients and liquor. No more Crown or Captain Morgan. If you have never been to Brixx, you are missing out on some darn good pizza!!

Sidney

16 Dec 11 at 3:17 pm
That's too bad about Brixx, but I confess I haven't been there since Pie-Tanza opened.

I know the restaurant biz is tough, but it seems like VaS is having an especially hard time keeping places open. There have been a lot of closures there over the past four or five years.

Jason

16 Dec 11 at 5:43 pm
Does anyone besided me remember Dee's Recaps that sat on the corner/site where Applebees sits? I know it was there during the 80's but not sure when it was torn down and Applebees built in it's place. Anyone know?

Del

16 Dec 11 at 6:12 pm
oops..meant to say "besides me"..

Del

16 Dec 11 at 6:12 pm
Here's Badger's memory of the date, and here's a comment from Scott Long with something of a history of the chain.

ted

16 Dec 11 at 6:29 pm
There used to be a restaurant on I-26 east that was a boat on a small section of water. What was the name of it and where exactly was it?

Dee

18 Dec 11 at 12:13 am
@Dee, was the restuarant you're asking about in West Columbia/Cayce, Irmo/St. Andrews or another area??

I have no recollection of the restaurant but I think if you can pinpoint which of those it was, that you have a better chance of jogging people's memories

Andrew

18 Dec 11 at 12:27 am
@Dee:

Well, I can't think of an exact match for your question, but here are three possibilities:

1) The Whale's Tale -- not boat shaped, but it was off of I-26.

2) The Captain's Kitchen -- was boat shaped at one time, but closer to being off I-20 than I-26 (and really not all that close to I-20 either)..

3) The Bounty -- was boat shaped, and on a pond, but was off the Sumter Highway, not an Interstate..

ted

18 Dec 11 at 12:36 am
I believe it was on I-26 before coming into Columbia. I remember riding from Spartanburg to Sumter when I was young and usually went straight thru downtown so we would have stayed on 26 until it turned to 126.

Dee

18 Dec 11 at 12:39 am
Ok, could have been on 378 out of Columbia - thanks ted

Dee

18 Dec 11 at 12:41 am
Is the Kmart on Ft jackson BLVD closed? From some things the fish wrap said, it sounds like it is.

tonkatoy

21 Dec 11 at 1:10 pm
I drove by there yesterday. I'm pretty sure I would have noticed if there were no cars..

ted

21 Dec 11 at 1:47 pm
tonkatoy, I'm wondering: is there a specific article that leads you down the path to think it is closed...

Andrew

21 Dec 11 at 2:46 pm
The Kmart was open last week and there were no signs the store was closing. In fact, the store was as busy as I have ever seen it.

Patrick

21 Dec 11 at 4:02 pm
Why would they close that Kmart after it's been there since 1963? Looked rather busy to me a few days ago.

Del

21 Dec 11 at 6:18 pm
loopnet shows that the Kmart at 4400 Ft. Jackson Blvd. is a 98,794 square foot building that was built 1963...folks on here in the past have indicated that they think said location is past its heyday but somehow it keeps chugging along

Andrew

21 Dec 11 at 8:57 pm
There was an article a few Sundays ago in Fish Wrap where folks were bizzitching about the Walmart going to the ballfield. Somebody said the Walmart could go into the Kmart on Garner's Ferry. It sounded like they were talking about the Old America half at first, but something they said later sounded like the Kmart had closed. It was a real wth moment for me because I hadn't heard anything about it closing and igured it would be HUGE news if it did (not to mention ted didn't cover it).

I guess the truth is people protesting the Walmart are protentious snobs who wouldn't know if Kmart was closed or not.

tonkatoy

22 Dec 11 at 7:50 am
The two oldest Kmart's are the Ft. Jackson (1963) and the Cayce Kmart built around 1965-66 ( I think). or it could have been built around 1967. Does ANYONE remember there being an outdoor rollerskate rink across from the Cayce Kmart where the old Food Lion store was/is? Someone told me that there used to be one back in the late 50's til the early 60's.. Seems I can vagely? remember one..but I was really young at the time.

Del

22 Dec 11 at 2:30 pm
Tonkatoy, I'm not sure what Fish Wrap you're reading but the folks in it appear to be misinformed about Kmart #4041 at 4400 Ft. Jackson Blvd.

Loopnet shows that Kmart #4141 at 1500 Charleston Highway is a 96,180 ft² building built in 1998. I can believe the 96K square footage but something tells me that the building is older than 1998.

Andrew

22 Dec 11 at 2:57 pm
Hey Ted,
Great site! There are a few you missed that I would like to see your visitors comment on...

1. Holstein's Kitchen (German restaurant on Leesburg Rd right near the back gate of Ft. Jackson). Awesome authentic German food and a real Stammtisch.

2. Drake's Duck-in (not the one on Main Street, the one that was located on the corner of Millwood and Gervais where the Church's Chicken is now). Long thin building with windows along each side that gave eaters the impression they were on a train car.

3. The Mayflower Grill on the corner of Blossom and South Main. Similar fair to Lizard's Thicket but a real greasy spoon, dimly lit with chips on every glass, plate and bent tongs on every fork. (They were known for their "one second" service!)

4. Rupert's Wing-In on Rosewood Drive. (Best buffalo wings ever and free big screen movies (of course they were delivered on VHS). If you stayed after closing Rupert would give you a Guinness Stout on the House!

5. And while not a restaurant, Green Hole on Greystone Boulevard. It was an old granite quarry where the blocks used to build the State House were mined. In the 70's and 80's it was the happening party place where scads of teens and twenty somethings would go to drink beer and smoke pot and 75' to 100' cliff dive into the murky icy cold seemingly bottomless water. (An average of four drowning deaths occurred there every year.) It's still there but surrounded by condos and boardwalks now.

I would also like to hear those that remember the three cement skateboard parks in Columbia. One on Decker Blvd. another on Old Bush River and the one on Highway 378.

Keep up the good work!

Ned Harkey

24 Dec 11 at 10:26 am
Ned, I seem to remember the skate park on Decker, although I'm having a little trouble placing it. Seems like it was between where the Kroger and Food Lion malls were/are along Decker. I was a bit too young at the time, but I remember it being there in the 70s.

Larry

24 Dec 11 at 1:09 pm
What about the A@W Rootbeer over by Fort Jackson?
Shoneys Big Boy same area!
Julia Bates private school!

David Brown

24 Dec 11 at 5:15 pm
@David -- I don'thave an A&W post, but there is some discussion of the A&W above starting on 7 December 2011.

ted

24 Dec 11 at 6:26 pm
Speaking of A&W Root Beer... There was one at Two Notch and Beltline. It was torn down to build a Chappy's Fish & Chips which was torn down to build the current McDonalds.

The skating rink on Decker Blvd was the Red Wing Rollerway. It closed sometime around 1999. There was also one on St. Andrews Rd at Broad River Rd.

Ted, Just found your site.... LOVE IT!!!

Chuck

26 Dec 11 at 9:47 pm
Thanks Chuck!

Here's the Decker Red Wing.

ted

26 Dec 11 at 11:42 pm
CNN Money is reporting that 100-120 Sears and K-Mart stores will be closed due to poor same-storesales. No list has been released but it is expected that most will be in the mid-west and the east and/or in dying malls.

The article had an interesting stat; mall vaccancies across the USA stand 11%, an all time high.

Tom

27 Dec 11 at 9:12 am
I don't know the last time Kmart opened new stores but it seems to me that Kmart got to a point that they simply quit building new locations and didn't do much to fix their locations up at all...

Below, per their respective store locators, you'll find the current locations of Sears/Kmart within a 50 mi. radius:

Kmart #4041: 4400 Ft. Jackson Blvd.
Kmart #4141: 1500 Charleston Highway (W. Columbia/Cayce)
Kmart #7410: 6169 St. Andrews Road
Kmart #7616: 748 West Main Street (Lexington)
Kmart #4319: 7325 Two Notch Road
Kmart #4873: 2209 West Dekalb (Camden)
Kmart #7062: 1143 Broad St (Sumter)
Kmart #3621: 1470 Chestnut North (Orangeburg)

Sears #2035: Columbiana Centre
Sears #1525: Columbia Place Mall
Sears #2365: Sumter Mall
Sears #2255: Prince of Orange Mall (Orangeburg)

Sears Hometown #3944: 1905 Wilson Rd (Newberry)
Sears Hometown #3615: 814 Hwy 1 South (Lugoff)
Sears Hometown #7515: 523 Columbia Ave (Lexington)

* I am not 100% sure what makes a Hometown different from a mall Sears except for the fact that they don't have an auto center and aren't a part of a mall environment

Andrew

27 Dec 11 at 10:17 pm
Head's up! Abercrombie & Fitch is going to be closing at Columbiana Centre in a few weeks. The closing date is January 14, 2012. A new store called Love Culture will be coming in its spot. The Abercrombie kids store will become a Sephora store.

Dustin

28 Dec 11 at 11:19 am
V@S - Scrappin Creations is closed, and the INTERIOR of mall Starbucks will be closing December 31st. Also, Charlotte's Tea Room has no stock except for a few cards and napkins, so I'm thinking they are closing too..??..

Elizabeth

28 Dec 11 at 11:45 am
The Sears on Broad Street in Sumter was the only SC store on the list of 79 Sears and K-Mart stores slated for closing in 2012 that was released today.

Tom

29 Dec 11 at 6:45 pm
After looking at this list it appears that the affected store Tom mentioned is Sears #2365: Sumter Mall (from my list earlier). One article I found in the search results while looking for the above article wonders if it's the beginning of the end for the once-iconic brand??

btw I misrepresented Kmart #4041 (4400 Ft. Jackson Blvd.) it should be Kmart #4043 (just to clear the air)

Andrew

29 Dec 11 at 7:02 pm
@Andrew- The WSJ predicted last June that Sears would be history by 2013.

Tom

30 Dec 11 at 6:13 am
I'm very surprized that the Kmart on Ft. Jackson Blvd. isnt slated to be closed..it's very outdated and old. There's only SO much one can do with that old building.

Del

30 Dec 11 at 12:19 pm
There is activity going on in the old PW on Lake Murray Blvd. I asked someone who worked at neighboring business who was going in and he said he had heard a rumor that it was going to be a Hamericks

Tom

30 Dec 11 at 5:35 pm
I hope it doesn't become a Hamrick's since I am not fond of shopping there at all...but the former Piggly Wiggly #60 has sat vacant for nearly 4 years now...be that as it may, it seems like it'd be too big to be a Hamrick's

Andrew

30 Dec 11 at 5:44 pm
Did I read it right, that the Hill Top Restraunt had been torn down?

Del

30 Dec 11 at 6:34 pm
Del I don't have any pics to share but I can confirm that the fmr. Hiltop at 767 St. Andrews Road has, indeed been torn down. Not sure what it's a sign of so we'll have to say tuned...

Andrew

30 Dec 11 at 6:45 pm
How long did it just sit there? Did they close it after the manager was killed? or was it later? I know it sat there forever just getting more and more in dis-repair.

Del

31 Dec 11 at 2:23 am
@Andrew, the main Hammericks store in Gaffney is about the size of a Wal-Mart Supercenter, and the one in Surfside Beach is much bigger than the one here in Columbia.

Tom

31 Dec 11 at 8:17 am

Columbia Closings What's not in Columbia anymore

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