Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

Made a nice little ride out into IGA territory on Sunday to check out this spot in Swansea, a place that to the best of my memory, I'd never been to before. Third street is apparently the business district, and there were several restaurants in the general area. While I concede tans look good on other people (especially of the female persuasion), I've never seen the appeal myself, especially with Irish skin. Anyway, if you do, it looks like you can latch on to a turnkey setup here.

(Hat tip to commenter Jay)

I noticed last month while eating with relatives on the sidewalk at Yesterdays that Good For The Sole has moved from the corner suite at 631-D behind the sculpture to the old Leon's Books / Five Points Nails & Spa location at 631-C.

(And, yes, we did get panhandled..)

"Beam Me Up, Scotty".

Enterprise on Broad River Road has warped over to the old Stivers Lincoln Mercury location on Greystone Boulevard as of early April.

For some reason I find the beat up old picnic table outside the car corral to be kind of endearing.

Are there any driving directions less useful than: "Take the exit with the Waffle House"?

Anyway, you don't see Waffle Houses closing too often, though I do have the one from Bush River Road here. On the one hand, I would have thought the closeness of this Waffle House to SLED would have guaranteed it a steady late-night business. On the other hand, the site is not like their usual Interstate exit locations.

Personally I like the fact that Waffle House never went to "Belgian" waffles, which seem to be the rage elsewhere now. I like a lot of litle holes for syrup rather than a smaller number of larger holes. And yes, that is the kind of thing you think about in a Waffle House booth at 3am.

(Hat tip to commenter Johnathan)

UPDATE 5 January 2022: Adding map icon and updating tags.

UPDATE 10 February 2025 -- Now King Smoke & Vape:

I don't know anything about this bath store on Sunset, but nonetheless I can say

This Place Rocks

(Hat tip to commenter James)

Here's another rainy day set of pictures...

This little dry-cleaning building is more or less across from the old Maunz Electronics and just down from the former Sub Cabin. Judging from the sign, it was also an Eagle Cleaners at one time as well. It appears that they did a bit of light office support as well as cleaning. The sign suggests that they moved, but I am unable to find another location for them in the phonebook.

It was pouring down rain today when I noticed that Modern Lighting Center on Meeting Street was closed. I have always liked the big carraige light they had by the street (the link shows a nice picture of it). According to their sign, lights out was on 30 November of 2012.

UPDATE 3 December 2014 -- This place is now Columbia Flag & Sign Company, though vestiges of Modern Lighting remain:

Here's another open spot in Quail Valley Plaza on Saint Andrews Road.

In this case, Eagle Cleaners relocated several years ago to 6281 Saint Andrews Road, so if you need your eagle cleaned (which I swear sounds like a euphemism), that's the place for it now.

The State had the story on the closing of this doll shop on Broad River Road next to the old The Whale's Tail. Basically, the owner decided it was time to retire, and it sounds well deserved.

I know it's just the antique style, but I do have to say I would hate to wake up and find that doll staring at me..

UPDATE 18 June 2013: For some reason I had the name as Jake's, not Jacs.