Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

This nice little building on Sunset Boulevard in West Columbia, just behind Hawthorne Pharmacy and more or less across the street from Atlanta Bread was an end-of-life-care hospice. From what I can find out, they used to be on Center Point Circle, moving to this location in 2010 (based on the copyright of their now gone but archived site), and closing their doors sometime in 2011.

I'm not absolutely sure I ate at The Bistro, but I do remember specifically some years ago reading an article in The State or Free Times about a new pizza place and driving to Lexington to check it out. The restaurant definitely had an enclosed patio where I sat, so I'm thinking it was The Bistro.

In the event, I really didn't care for it. I felt that there was something to the pizza sauce that wasn't to my taste -- too sweet, if I recall correctly. (I feel the same way about The Pizza Joint).

The place is in a kind of an interesting little mini-mall with The Flight Deck restaurant which I may have to check out one day.

(Hat tip to commenter O'Reilly)

UPDATE 9 November 2011: Added Brix Bistro to the post title based on the comments, which led me to dig up this 2001 Free Times Review which is, I believe, the one which sent me over there in the first place.

I was meaning to get back to this building when the sun was not against me, but as yet have not. Anyway, I noticed it driving back from downtown towards Harden one day a few months ago and the name sounded vaguely familiar.

Doing a google search turned up this this fascinating article on Columbia's Jewish history, in which J. Rubin & Son played a part along with many other familiar names.

The building is apparently still owned by the Rubin family, or a real estate company associated with them anyway. I'm not sure what happened to the building to make it "Unsafe". Looking through the door, it does not appear that there has been a fire or any major damage (though it is a bit of a look into history -- the vintage fan looks especially nice!).

Well, the talk in the comments about Winn Dixie gives me an opening to post these pictures from North Charleston.

I forget exactly why I was in Charleston last this May, but I was struck by this run-down plaza on Rivers Avenue as I headed down into the peninsula. As you can see it was a rather gray day so the pictures aren't great, and I didn't stop to do a walkabout, but it just struck me as rather sad.

Notice that as in the Decker store the chain didn't even manage to get its branding off the building.

Well, I did Curves a few days ago, so here's another franchised women's gym on the other side of town.

I admit having never heard of Butterfly Life and entertained some idea it was a wild flower shop before reading the fine print. It still seems a bit of an odd name as butterflies certainly aren't known for their long lives or robust constitutions...

I do believe I saw another Butterfly Life opening in the Wal-Mart plaza on Bush River Road.

I was a little surprised when Google turned this building up as a funeral home. Given the radio tower I had guessed it was some sort of maintainence facility with radio dispatched trucks. Of course, Bostick-Tompkins moved to Colonial Drive in 2001, so it could have been several things since then (though Google doesn't turn them up, and Bostick-Tompkins apparently still owns the building). Also, given that the City Data tax information says the building was built in 1967, and Bostick-Tompkins was established in 1988, it could have been several things before that.

I liked this San Jose pretty well though I did not go there too often.

I recall being very proud of myself one time here when a young lady of my acquaintance simply refused to put on her bib as requested by her mother. Nothing worked until I took it and put it around my neck, netting me a shocked Hey, that's mine! look coupled with the immediate indication that I should give her bib back at once. I did, and she immediately put it on and kept it on for the rest of the meal...

The food here was the standard Mexican-run Mexican restaurant fare you see all over South Carolina. I did like that they had pico de gallo available as a side item for spicing up the salsa, which Pancho's down the street does not (or did not last time I was there).

The closing sign is interesting in that it suggests they may come back at some point. That raises by implication the issue of why they are leaving in the first place. Could this site be destined for some new building and they couldn't get a lease renewal? And it is hard to think of another space in the general area that isn't either too close to Pancho's or too close to Casa Linda. Note also that the other address name-checked on the sign is the former Santorini Grill.

(Hat tip to commenter Mrs. SK)

UPDATE 3 November 2011: Added Pizza Inn to the post title based on the comments.

UPDATE 17 February 2012 -- Well, it's confirmed that Pasta Fresca will be moving here. Also, they have pulled the whole front addition off of the building:

UPDATE 6 March 2012 -- Construction continues:

UPDATE 5 April 2012 -- And still continues:

UPDATE 16 April 2012 -- It looks like they are adding a patio:

UPDATE 7 May 2012 -- Construction is basically done now for the Pasta Fresca move (and note the new Pasta Fresca logo). I talked briefly to the owner, and he indicated that the menu will have the same dishes they have at the current location but add some new appetizer and meat dishes. They are shooting for a mid-May opening:

UPDATE 25 January 2023: Update tags, add map icon.

All I know about Curves is that it is a franchaised gym for women. I do rather like the idea the name suggests: that being fit isn't the same thing as being a bony stick.

Colonial Village, the little strip across from Dutch Square on the way to I-126, has never really seemed to thrive. To me it seems like it should be a good location, but the only thing of note that has lasted over there is The Melting Pot.

Well, it's that time of year again, when our 2011 calendars dwindle down to just two pages.

Be prepared to have something to go up on that wall when it dwindles down to zero pages -- that's right, the new Columbia Closings 2012 Wall Calendars are ready!

Keep bygone Columbia in your heart all year long with these 13 specially chosen images. This years' calendars come in two formats, the standard sized 8.5x11 calendars I have done before and a new larger 11x17 format. (Both calendars have the same 13 images).

The end of Kimbrell's on Main Street was hardly a surprise. Their sign says they had been there 49 years (or almost my entire lifetime), but the character of Main Street has changed so much over the years that even blocks where there are signs of life (Kimbrell's was on the same block as the new Mast General Store) don't make sense for heavy retail like furniture. A modern furniture store needs lots of display space, as well as an easy way to get trucks in and out, and Main Street doesn't really have either.

There are a number of other Kimbrell's locations around town, and the signs indicate that operations from the Main Street store have been consolidated in Piggly Wiggly location on Marshall Street.

I hope that whatever happens to the old Main Street store, someone saves the old and classic Kimbrell's sign, though I realize that would be confusing in some cases, it seems to have worked well for the Kress building.

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