Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

My sister mentioned that she had heard this place was closing, so I was able to get some interior shots in advance of that last week. I wish I had gotten the hot sauce bar, which was an impressive array of pumps.

Initially, I wasn't quite sure what to make of Tijuana Flats (and kept thinking it was Tortilla Flats for some reason..). It wasn't like a Moe's or Qdoba building hand-held burritos, and it wasn't really a sit-down Mexican restaurant, but somewhere in between the two. I finally figured it out though, and liked the place pretty well. In the summer, the front sidewalk was generally in the shade by the time I would get there, and it was nice to eat outside. In the winter, I liked to go the the back of the store and sit in the sunshine coming through the back windows. My only real criticisms are that I thought they needed a drink stand so you didn't have to go begging for refills (which they were happy to provide, but it's a quirk of mine) and I thought they should go with the sit-down Mexican restaurant concept of free salsa with the chips.

I'm pretty sure this is the first closing for the fairly new Jackson Square strip mall, though of course the whole former strip mall on the site was closed and razed years ago. The Tijuana Flats Lexington location remains open.

(Hat tip to my sister)

UPDATE 13 December 2021 -- Now a Vampire Penguin:

Also adding map icon.

Here'a another vacant bank branch, though this one closed a good while ago. I find it a little interesting because Capital Bank has not really been in Columbia all that long in the first place as I recall it. Looking at Wikipedia. Also, it appears that Capital was bought out late last year by First Horizon so the remaining branches are not really the same company though the name will continue to be used except in TN.

It was raining a bit when I took these pictures and I was trying to not get the lens wet. There is a much better picture at the LoopNet listing, which also shows better that part of the building is still occupied by Ellis Physical Therapy.

I've had my eye on this old Exxon service station at the corner of North Main & Sunset for several years, mainly because of the tow trucks, as Skibo is a family nickname for several people. I'm not sure when it stopped being an Exxon, but for the last several years at least, it seemed to be a tires only business with no gas. It appears though that its last incarnation was once again a gas station.

UPDATE 21 September 2021 -- The building has been razed:

Also adding map icon.

This is an interesting little building off Broad River Road just north of the I-26 interchange. It puts me in the mind both of an old A&P (the steeple) and this building on Millwood (though that one is more round).

I don't believe I had ever noticed Royal Tower Drive before. I wonder where the name comes from?

UPDATE 9 May 2023: Now a martial arts dojo:

I've still never had a Nathan's dog though it's on my list somewhere. This one was co-located with the Pitt Stop in Ballentine. Looking in the new phonebook, I don't see any other locations listed though I am pretty sure there is still one slightly out of the area at an I-26 interchange heading for Charleston.

(Hat tip to commenter Andrew)

UPDATE 30 August 2021: Updating tags, adding map icon.

Well, it's official, Cromer's has made the move from Huger to North Main. I was in this, Huger Street, location once several years ago to purchase a helium baloon kit, and it seemed fairly nice to me -- certainly better than the Bluff Road location I was at for the same reason several years before.

I tried to get some pictures of the new location, but the ongoing road construction on North Main had a steam shovel completely blocking the entrance to the new building -- the tenants can't have been too happy about that. For that reason, I can't confirm that there are no monkeys. You'll have to check yourself.

UPDATE 30 October 2023 -- Updating tags and adding map icon.

Here's another Wells Fargo branch "pruning", this one on Columbiana Drive at Afton Court. (And next to the former Monterrey Mexican).

You may also bank at any Wells Fargo location that is convenient for you.

Well, that's big of them.

(Hat tip to commenter Tom)

UPDATE 1 May 2019 -- Added map icon, updated tags.

UPDATE 19 September 2022 -- The building has been razed, and something else is going up there now:

UPDATE 10 May 2023 -- A Valvoline Instant Oil Change operation is now on this spot:

Jade Palace was the follow-on operation in this building to China Dragon, which was a follow-on (though probably not a direct one) to Popeye's Chicken who built the building in the rocky-facade style they used at the time.

Commenter Thomas noted that Jade Place had opened in February of 2010, so they had about an eight year run, which is not bad.

The building was not vacant for long at all (it is now a wing joint), which makes me wonder if perhaps the ownership is still the same.

(Hat tip to commenter Toby)

UPDATE 18 November 2019 -- Correct address from 3113 Farrow to 3115 Farrow. Add map icon.

I noticed this empty Food Fare north of the Wal-Mart on Dutch Fork Road today. I'm not actually sure of the closing date, but it hasn't been closed long enough to be completely stripped inside or for the pumps to either be taken up or vandalized yet long enough for the carwash to have been tagged. I'm just going to say '2017' unless someone knows different.

I don't know what the issue for it was, but I do note that it's a little hard to get in and out of as the suicide lane goes away at this point in Dutch Fork and traffic can be pretty heavy.

I noticed the other day that the Forest Acres location of Ed Robinson is gone. They were sidelined by the great flood but did come back after that (though the co-located Corma's did not).

I'm not exactly sure when this happened, I think I would have noticed sooner had it been too long ago. At any rate, google maps has them open as of March 2017, with a nicer picture than mine here.

I'm guessing from the extended canopy and islands that this building was originally a gas station. Does anyone know what kind?

UPDATE 12 July 2018 -- Added the door sign to the pictures above.