Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

[23 October 2025]: I was looking through some old mail today and found some pictures from commenter Homer which I couldn't recall if I had used on the Tim's Gas Depot post, so I went looking for it, and could not find it!

I finally came to the conclusion that it was a post lost in one of the two times Godaddy has lost my database. (I take backups now, though heaven help me if I have to figure out how to restore one!). Anyway, knowing what to look for, I was able to find the post on the Wayback Machine at archive.org, so here, for your viewing pleasure, it is again (I am forcing it to the top for today, but resetting the posting date to 2015 so it will be the right place in the history):

Today's post and pix come from commenter Homer, who says:

Ted, I am going to send you several emails with pictures of Tim's Gas Depot that left 7334 Woodrow St., Irmo on May 31st to move to their new location at 7960 Broad River Rd. Tim specializes in gas fireplaces and inserts, grills, propane tank refills and just about anything that has to do with LP or natural gas.

I remember fondly the propane heat at my Aunt's house, and the way the smell and warmth of it would hit you as you walked into the kitchen from the non heated part of the house..

(Hat tip to commenter Homer, obviously)

UPDATE 16 June 2015 -- Changed address from 7334 to 7336 Woodrow based on Homer's comment (and the note I should have remembered)

UPDATE 23 October 2025: Restored post, added map icon. I will also note that Tim's Gas Depot is still on Broad River, and online here.

Hook 'n Needle was one of the last shops to move out of Intersection Center, leaving its original location for Boozer Shopping Center in 2011.

Commenter Andrew reports that the place closed in that location late in 2013 or early in 2014 and that the owner sadly passed away shortly thereafter.

(Hat tip to commenter Andrew)

Here's another Cash-O-Matic, this one in a nice little brick building on Broad River Road next to the old George's Book Exchange.

Unlike a lot of small businesses on Broad, this building was not an old converted house, but I'm not able to guess what it in fact was (since clearly it predates Cash-O-Matic).

I have to say once again, that I really like the name which has a certain rat-pack snap to it.

UPDATE 21 June 2022: Updating tags and adding map icon.

I noticed this summer that the self-service car wash more or less across from the old Blockbuster is up for sale. I have not been by for a month or so, but at the time it appeared the place would stay in operation until sold.

I don't find much information about the place online, but back in 2003, the USC football team did a charity event there.

UPDATE 23 April 2019 -- Well, this place apparently did not sell for a long time, and stayed open for years after this post. Commenter Andrew reports it has now been torn down, which does not surprise me, as the last time I drove by it was cordoned off with tape barricades and something was apparently about to happen. I took some drive-by shots, which aren't great, but so it goes:

UPDATE 15 March 2022 -- The place has now been razed:

UPDATE 23 March 2023 -- Something is being built on the lot:

UPDATE 29 January 2024 -- Now Cars & Beyond:

(Also took the "for sale" note out of post title).

Cletus' Roadside Grille was the latest restaurant to try to make a go of it in the old Whale's Tail spot. I'm not sure what their menu was, but the name puts me in the mind of down-home Southern cooking. I like the colorful, retro logo too.

(Hat tip to commenter Ralph Hightower)

UPDATE 28 August 2017 -- Now a La Fogata:

The Raceway on the other river road (Bush River) closed and came back, and now this nearby Broad River Road Raceway has turned off the lights as well. I noticed that the prices on the huge marquee sign didn't look right, so I wasn't too surprised to see the place dark when I got up to it. I actually did stop here a few weeks ago (the only time in the whole period it was open, I think) and found it very hard to get in and out of, since there is no light. Both this and the Bush River location have the somewhat unusual "external bathroom" layout. I think anything built nowdays wants all that traffic to go past the merchandise..

UPDATE 22 December 2014 -- This place is open again (and has been for a while):

UPDATE 23 September 2016 -- Closed again:

UPDATE 27 March 2022 -- Now demolished:

Also adding map icon.

Here's another Boozer Shopping Center storefront, and an interesting busines story.

Assuming that the Sound Advice whose site is here is the same one (and I think it is), then the history of the chain is here. The first store opened in 1974 and it sounds like the original owners decided to sell out and move to Florida around 2004. After that (according to them) the new owners ran things into the ground and then the original owners bought the remnants back in a fire-sale and are now running mostly online with some showrooms in Florida.

The only picture of Columbia Gold & More that I have is one taken for the Gold Beauty Supply closing, which shows a partial image in the right corner.

When I went by Boozer Shopping Center today, I happened to notice that not only was *that* gone, but the follow-on operation J & J Wireless had come and gone as well.

I think they have not quite moved yet, but New Rate Title Loans on Broad River Road near SLED is selling their building and getting ready to go.

I find it a little curious that the CVS in Broad River Centre near Greystone Boulevard has closed. The co-located Food Lion does a good business (and does not have a pharmacy). In addition, there is only one other drug store in the general area, and that's a Rite Aid, and a) It's not that close and b) Why send them customers? (The actual CVS location that prescriptions are being redirected to is way down at Saint Andrews Road, probably not a good alternative for folks in this area).

(Hat tip to commenter Andrew)

UPDATE 6 February 2019 -- Now Beauty World:

UPDATE 5 July 2022: Update tags.