Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

This WLTX article (which is actually mostly about another used car dealer closing) mentions in passing that American Car Center closed in February. The story also calls it a subprime auto dealership, a term I am unfamiliar with, but which doesn't sound like something you would care to be called.

The property is fairly attractive. It's elevated with a nice view, and the buildings still seem to be in good shape. Assuming the economy picks up some, I expect another dealer will move in soon.

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This place, abuting the former National Pride Car Wash, was the follow-on operation in this spot to Buy & Save Tire Center. They opened in early 2017, and judging by Google reviews, probably closed around the end of last year. The messaging on the building is that they intend to renovate and re-open. I certainly hope that happens. I am wondering if the construction on the former Car Wash lot is a new building for them -- it looks rather small for that purpose:

I drove right by this place the other day when I was looking for it, because I forgot to write down the address, and I thought a vacant used car lot would be pretty easy to find. In fact I must have driven by hundreds of times while it was in business, and never noticed it. I can't find a standard review site but reviews on some of the smaller sites lead me to believe they were in business at least until fall of 2022.

At any rate it is good to see that the building is still being watched over.

(Hat tip to commenter Gypsie)

When we were growing up, I got the feeling my parents thought paying someone else to wash your car was a bit frivolous. They weren't wrong, but we still went to Constan from time to time, as much, I think, because it was an adventure for us kids as for any other reason. There was Happy The Tiger, and then the whole experience of watching your car go through the automated line, like something out of a futuristic TV show. Not only that, but once you were inside, the lobby had its own odd ambiance with a genuine elevated shoe-shine stand on which you could sit like a king on a throne, and various sorts of ice-cream novelties and candy you could get if your parents were in a good mood.

I don't know that much about the business other than the name came from combining that of the two owners "Connie & Stan", and that they once had a second location on Forest Drive, somewhere around where McAlister's & Bonefish now are.

Once I had a car, I would sometimes take it to Constan when I was back in town for the weekend, but once I moved back to Columbia, I found that Frank's on Forest Drive was more convenient to me. I thought from time to time about going back to Constan for old times' sake, but in the event never got around to it. Folks in the comments are saying that it had gone down hill, but it had been at least ten years since I stopped by, so I really can't say.

Here is the story The State did on the closing.

(Hat tip to commenter Mr. Bill)

Update 4 November 2023 -- Being razed:

I considered renting a car here once, as it is within walking distance from my home, but in the event ending up taking a taxi to the airport instead. I noticed in the last few months that there were no cars on the lot, and finally looking at the door sign confirmed that the place was closed. There appear to be two suites in this building, but I don't recall any other business signage other than "Best".

(Hat tip to commenter Andy)

Earlier this year, commenter Andy reported that this Springdale auto repair operation was probably closed. I drove out there, to an area I was totally unfamiliar with (one of the perks of this hobby) but could not tell if it were in fact closed or not. (It was a Sunday, I believe). Later, commenter Payne confirmed the closing,and when I drove back out there, there was a real-estate sign in front, and the business signs were down.

I kind of wish I had seen the Christmas lights lit up.

I noticed construction, or at least destruction at this Two Notch building the other day, and it appears to me that the last tenant (or at least the one whose label-scar is still visible) Regional Auto Mall moved out to Airport Boulevard sometime in the 2007 timeframe. I'm not sure what the work is about, but almost anything would be an upfit.

I noticed while I was driving behind the Food Lion strip mall on Decker the other day that this small car lot in-between the plaza and the U-Haul storage facility was gone. Their website is still extant, and lists this site but their Facebook suggests they have relocated to Ridgeway though it's a bit unclear if this is permanent.

UPDATE 8 November 2022 -- There is major work going on on this building, not sure what for:

Driving by this site the other night, I noticed that Capital City Rides has relocated. This site originally featured here as Payless Car Sales, and I see on that post that after that it was Pro Bowl Motors which also seems to have closed at some point.

Interestingly, I cannot figure out just from online references to where Capital City has moved. I should have gotten out of the car and read the door signs, but I figured since their marquee sign had a website, the info would be there. In the event, it's not, and not on their Facebook page either.

I actually went to this Firestone location once some years ago when I had a slow-leak I needed fixed, and could not get in that day at the place I usually used. I was pleasantly surprised that as a walk-in, I got the whole thing over with in under an hour and was able to get on with my Saturday.

As you can see here, the branding is already down on this store, but the label scars are still clearly visible, and there hasn't been enough time to get the vending machines picked up.

(Hat tip to commenter Haley)