Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

Moms On Main was the follow-up in this storefront to the relocated Al-Amir, though the building is probably still best remembered for The Elite Epicurean.

An article in ColaDaily pegged Moms to open around New Years of 2020, and I suppose it did, though unfortunately I never got around to going there.

The article quotes some reactions to the forthcoming opening,and I have to show one as it turned out to be so sadly, and badly, wrong for all of us:

“Calling it now, 2020 is going to be a great year for Columbia! I can’t wait to try this spot!!” –@theoverflowfoodblog

(Hat tip to commenter Justin)

It's back to Lugoff for this Shoney's on US-1 past US-601 on the way to Camden. Shoney's had fallen on hard times even before COVID-19, but that seems to have been the deciding factor here. Looking at their Facebook page, it appears they temporarily closed for COVID in July of 2020. Judging from Google reviews, they reopened at some point after that and then closed for good sometime in the spring of 2021.

I really should stop by a Shoney's sometime and get the Hot Fudge Cake -- it's been years since I had one.

Interestingly (or not) there is a closed restaurant just East of here that I took to have originally been a Shoney's, but that seems unlikely with this one so close by.

If you look closely at the marquee underneath the Pepsi sign, it almost looks like it says DINER, something that would make sense with that advertiser. What the diner, next to the current TitleMax, might have been called, I can't determine, or exactly when it closed. Google Streetview goes back to 2007, at which time it was already Liberty Income Tax. Also going by Streetview, it appears that Liberty closed or moved sometime between August 2015 and March 2017.

I am not sure what is currently going on here. There appeared to be a lot of food trucks parked in the back lot, and there has been a Mexican looking emblem put on the the front of the building, but judging by the furniture piled up against the windows and lack of a sign, it does not appear to be a retail restaurant.

UPDATE 19 October 2021: Changed first part of post title from Diner to Terry's Diner based on the comments.

UPDATE 19 September 2022 -- Now open apparently as a Mexican & more restaurant:

When I was growing up, we used to drive through Lugoff probably more than a half dozen times a year, visiting relatives in Hartsville. After I-20 came through, I went that way much less frequently, though sometimes I would drive the US routes to Fayetteville when I lived there, and the Interstates were still double-nickle. During the last ten or more years though I have probably only been there once or twice, and the only place I ever really remember is the building with the car on the roof.

Which is to say I had not heard of Dave's until it came up in the comments, but a nice sunny afternoon seemed like a good time to make the drive. It looks like it was a relaxed sports-bar right on the main drag. I met a resident while I was there, who has, I think has found a good home.

(Hat tip to commenter Jimmy Freeman)

Read the rest of this entry »

I did not get around to getting pictures of this Sparkleberry Square Firehouse Subs location (sometimes known as Firehouse Subs Spring Valley) until all the signage was down and the building was fenced off. It seems likely to me that it is to be torn down though there are no signs up for whatever is to come.

(Hat tip to commenter Thomas)

UPDATE 28 January 2022 -- The canopy for the forthcoming Kroger gas station is up:

UPDATE 22 February 2022 -- Well the Kroger gas station is up and running. That was pretty quick!

I somehow managed to get pictures of all sides of this building during a May walk-through of the Vista -- all sides *except* for the actual front view of the Vista Nutrition storefront. I'll try to fill that in later. Anyway, Vista Nutrition opened in January of 2021 to serve a variety of healthy shakes, teas & smoothies.

ColaDaily has two stories, one on the store's opening, and another on the closing.

(Hat tip to commenter Justin)

UPDATE 12 October 2021 -- Here are some (so so) pictures of the front side of the building:

This space on River Drive has been a number of things since I started keeping track, moving from automative related businesses to restaurants. Lambs Bread was the follow-on here to Vibes, which closed in late 2018. As far as I can tell, Lambs Bread was open into late summer of 2020, and got generally good reviews. There was no real-estate sign on the property when I stopped by, so I'm not sure what is next for this property.

UPDATE 27 June 2022 -- Now Hook Fish & Chicken Of Columbia:

I never got around to eating at this little Mexican place in Seven Oaks Shopping Center as it was really just too far away to be on my radar. Looking at their Facebook, there is a nice little closing note which cites the challenging times and leaves some hope for a phase two sometime in the future.

UPDATE 27 June 2022: Setting up to be By The Fire Pizza:

UPDATE 8 March 2025: Close italics tag.

Read the rest of this entry »

Indah Coffee Company has closed their Arcade Mall location on Main Street to concentrate on their Sumter Street store.

Commenter Larry supplies the information (seconded by WLTX that somehow Takosushi will be using this vacancy as well as the nearby Pita Pit vacancy to come back in some sort of two headed configuration.

(Hat tip to commenter Justin)