Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

I don't know anything about Belly's other than that it is a barbecue place, and is currently listed by Google as "Temporarily Closed". Their Facebook hasn't been updated since 2023, so there's no clue there, but according to commenter Beth reporting on some other Facebook traffic, they may not be coming back.

(Hat tip to commenter Beth)

This is quite a way from my usual rounds, so I was not really aware that Social Grill existed until commenter Robert mentioned that they were closing down for a QT to be built on the lot. 9 March was their last day, and looking at their Facebook, they have already had an auction for the restaurant equipment.

The owners plan to open a pizza restaurant called Cheesy Pint in the former B's in the Publix Plaza on North Lake Drive.

(Hat tip to commenter Robert)

This building is the former home to The Ballistic Cener, TJ's and Videos & Beyond, the last of which closed in 2011.

I don't recall anything being here between that and Michael's, but I could be wrong. At any rate, Michae'ls was here by 2019. Judging by the Google reviews, they had decent food, but it tended to come a bit slowly, and they weren't filling up the whole space (though room rentals were available).

I can't pinpoint the closing time from the reviews, but commenter Gypsie suggests it has been around a year by now. As she also notes, there is some sort of construction or gutting going on with the building, so perhaps we will see something new soon.

(Hat tip to commenter Gypsie)

New location:

I never ate at this Subway though I'm sure it would have been fine, but I had noticed it over the years, using Bush River Road to cut-through between I-20 & Saint Andrews Road. This little plaza is a bit awkwardly located though, right as Bush River goes from four lanes to two, and people are suddenly having to cut over. It also has to be said that Subway was the upscale tenant here, and were probably glad enough to move a little up the road.

(Hat tip to commenter Andrew)

Columbia's only TGI Fridays closed back in 2013, with the building to bite the dust sometime this year probably, but the Grand Strand continued to have several locations.

I ate at this one back in January of 2024, and it was fine: A decent burger & fries an hour after most other places were closed. I did notice that it wasn't actually open as late as I expected from a Fridays, and that the customers were pretty sparse, but in general it seemed in good order, and I was surprised to see the signage down on my last visit.

This continues the trend of Inlet Square losing national chain restaurants, some thing that has included Hooters, Applebee's & J. Peters & Spinnaker's. In the case of all of those except the last, local operations have moved in after the chains shut, so we will have to see what happens here. I do know that some sort of redevelopment for Inlet Square is supposedly in the cards (of course that has been the case before with nothing materializing..)

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I took these pictures on 20 January 2024 after commenter Mall Guy predicted on 16 January that this location was closing. I haven't been back since, but at some point I will get shots of the closed store.

I like Cracker Barrel fine, but it doesn't come up on my rotation often, and I don't believe I ever actually ate at this location. I do know that I bought several gift items at the attached store. This Village At Sandhill outparcel seems like a decent location. It doesn't fit with the chain's Interstate preference, but there is a good bit of traffic on Two Notch, and with the growth of Killian Road, and the widening of Clemson Road to four lanes all the way to I-20, it's not too far off the Interstates..

However, both the media stories I see report the chain saying this store just wasn't making the numbers. You can check those out at WLTX & The State.

(Hat tip to commenter Mall Guy)

UPDATE 9 May 2024 -- Some post-closing shots:

My memory is that this building was built to be a Redbone Alley, and after that it was a barbecue joint, and I believe briefly a jazz club before moving to mexican food as Pancho's. When the San Jose in the current Pasta Fresca building closed, Pancho's re-flagged as San Jose, and operated there for a number of years.

When commenter Larry mentioned that the San Jose had closed as was moving to the Sparkleberry location, I figured that another operation, perhaps an Asian buffet, would be in the space before long. I was quite surprised then that when I went by to get some pictures, the building was in the process of being knocked down. I guess I shouldn't be *too* surprised: It was an odd structure, with a mostly unused second floor which must have cost a lot to heat and cool. There are no signs indicating what, if anything, is to be built here once the lot is vacant.

There is apparently still electricity to the ornamental pool pump system, and it is beeping quite forlornly about the water level being low.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)

Miyo's at Columbiana Station has moved to the old M Kitchen location at 340 Columbiana Drive.

M Kitchen was another in the Miyo's family of restaurants, and the building was never sold, so it's not clear to me if the new location is called M Kitchen again or not. According to the door sign, the Miyo's menu will be served, so if there was a difference before, that may be a clue.

(Hat tip to commenter Tom)

I was not aware of this restaurant, tucked away in McCauley Square until commenter Heath mentioned it. Looking at the menu, I think I would have liked some of the sandwiches, though I would not generally be in that area at lunchtime. I will say that when I stopped by to take these pictures, the the parking lot for the strip was entirely too busy and too crowded. The owners' Facebook page does mention the fact that having so many restaurants in there made it hard to stand out. You can read that page for the closing message as well.

(Hat tip to commenter Heath)

The Burger King on this site closed in 2011 and was razed to make way for this building. PDQ [People Dedicated to Quality] opened here in 2014, so they lasted about ten years. I'm not a chicken person, but I know my sister and nieces liked it well enough, but perhaps not enough other people did, because the chain has closed 8 restaurants in the Carolinas, which out of 61 total storefronts, is a major hit. I see they have also closed two locations in New Jersey, so they are definitely hurting all over.

Here is the Post & Courier on the Devine Street closing.

Commenter Dave reports rumors that a Whataburger will be coming to the site, but as far as I know, these have not been confirmed.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)