Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

I'm not sure I understand Splurge, which is apparently a vinyl crafts store as that is a hobby I know nothing about and can't really visualize.

What I do know is that in October, they moved from this storefront in Seven Oaks Shopping Center to 1709 Sunset Boulevard, so visit them there and see what it's all about.

(Hat tip to commenter Gypsie)

My memory is that when this theater opened, it was a Dollar Cinema with every ticket for every show priced at $1.00. In the beginning, I think there were also a large number of video games and pinball machines associated with the operation. I don't seem to have done a closing on it, but at some point that operation went under, and the place came under the Spotlight Banner, still operating as a second-run theater, but with higher (though still very reasonable) prices. The Lexington Chronicle suggests that the transition was about eight and a half years ago, so around 2015.

I do remember going here several times while it was Spotlight, but cannot now recall exactly what titles I saw. At any rate, it was fine, and a much cheaper way to get the full theater experience if you didn't have to see a movie when it was on its first legs.

Movie theaters have certainly had it hard the past several years and we have lost a good number of them in the Midlands. This closure leaves only full price first run houses in the area (not counting Nickelodeon, I suppose).

Here's a bit more from The State.

(Hat tip to commenter Gypsie)

UPDATE 24 January 2024 -- To be Elevation Church:

Continuing yesterday's barbecue theme..

I don't see any work going on here, but the signs claim they will be back, so I'm marking this closing as "Temporary" and we'll see what happens.

I've only eaten Maurice's at the flagship store once or twice, and it was fine. I've never been to this location, and I have to say it's a bit of a bear to get in and out of. In the event, I decided to go on past and park in the Firefly parking lot.

(Hat tip to commenter Arthur P)

UPDATE 30 August 2024 -- Now Hard Bean Coffee:

Also removed "Temporary" from the post title.

Commenter Andrew mentioned back in 2016 that this Kleen Kare location had closing signage up, but I totally spaced on checking it out, and completely forgot about it until commenter Gypsie mentioned that the building was actually For Sale.

Kleen Kare is on an outparcel of Seven Oaks Shopping Center, not far from two other outparcels (here & here) which have also seen business shut semi-recently.

(Belated hat-tip to commenter Andrew, recent tip to commenter Gypsie)

Aside from the Hungry Howie's in Myrtle Beach, this is the only other location for the chain that I was aware of. I'm not much for take-out, and of course it's all the way out in Irmo, so I never tried a Hungry Howe's pizza. Just from the web-site, it sounds like it could be pretty good: several of those crust flavors sound promising.

I am a little fuzzy on the details, and can't find anything online right now, but this location first came to my attention several years ago when the news broke that it had been sold to a rival chain. I don't know what happened, but obviously that deal never came to fruition, and operations continued for many years after that, until mid-September of this year, when it closed for repairs, a state which officially morphed into a permanent closure recently as reported on their Facebook page.

I notice that the store is not listed on the Quail Valley marquee. That seems pretty quick -- I wonder if it were ever there.

(Hat tips to commenters Heath, Andrew & Tom)

The ATM on this site was rather odd, in that it was a walk-up ATM not associated with a branch bank, like a survival from another era. The only other one like it that I can think of is on Greystone Boulevard.

I'm not sure what the fencing around the site signifies. Perhaps they plan to replace it with a more conventional drive-up machine. At any rate, I think the current next closest location is the drive-up beside the former branch below Tram Road.

(Hat tip to commenter Gypsie)

Here's a self-service car wash adjacent to Seven Oaks Shopping Center which appears to be defunct. The name may be Seven Oaks Car Wash, Inc., or it may not.

I don't know much about Mikino's -- I believe the only place I've eaten at Seven Oaks Shopping Center is Zorba's, but it seems to have gotten good reviews.

Commenter Heath noted it was closed, and commenter Gypsie found a Facebook page to the effect that it was permanent.

(Hat tip to commenter Heath)

For a long time, it was not clear if this restaurant was closing or not. I believe they were trying to direct traffic to their other location, in the old Ruby Tuesday building at Dutch Square, but were keeping this one, in a former Wendy's, open too for a while.

In the event, it is now definitely closed, and for sale, and you should head to Bush River Road for your down-home fix.

(Hat tip to commenter Gypsie & co)

UPDATE 9 October 2023 -- The place has been leased:

UPDATE 13 December 2023 -- A bit better picture of the "Leased" sign, but no more details on what will be going in:

UPDATE 7 Aug 2024 -- Now Braza Chicken:

UPDATE 15 October 2024 -- A slightly better, not pouring down rain, picture of Braza:

Irmo's Blue Flour Bakery will be closing this Friday after 17 years so that the owner can retire and spend time with family. Although I rarely drive this stretch of Saint Andrews Road and was unaware of them, the story in The State makes me sad I missed out on some very good looking cookies.

Here is the announcement on Instagram, and the bakery's Facebook and web site are here and here.

The last days are this Thursday & Friday, 11 & 12 May from 11am through 1pm.

The closing for the former Main Street location is here.

(Hat tip to commener Mitchh)