Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

The Seafood Academy started in the old TGI Friday's location in Richland Mall in, I believe, 2014. After that, in 2016, they moved to East Pointe Plaza on Garners Ferry Road.

I'm unclear exactly when they closed, but I can't find any reviews later than 2018, so I will round up a bit and say 2019.

The suite is currently being refitted as a blood plasma center.

(I'm pretty sure this came up recently, but looking at the comments, I'm not seeing who it was to give a hat tip.)

At one time Tandy Leather was under the same coporate umbrella as the now defunct Radio Shack, but that's all water under the bridge now. Apparently the current regime dates from 1999, and I don't see any news about them being in trouble, but nonetheless this store has closed, and apparently the next nearest is 100 miles away.

Tuesday Morning had a bad time during the Covid crisis and entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May of 2020. After coming out, they continued to do poorly and refiled on 14 February 2023. As of today (2 March 2023), their bid to get refinancing from Invictus has failed and they are in talks with Gordon Brothers Group, and I take it from the linked article, are still planning to come out of Chapter 11, although Gordon Brothers have "liquidators" in the description given of them.

At any rate, they are closing around half of all their stores, and this one is part of that group. The closing sale has started, so get there soon.

UPDATE 15 June 2023 -- Gone:

(Hat tip to commenter Todd Miller)

I guess they didn't leave the light on after all.

This Motel 6 on the Interstate frontage at Saint Andrews Road has closed for the revamping of that stretch of I-26. It looks like they are already having homeless, or at least vandalism, problems.

(Hat tip to commenter Authur P)

UPDATE 4 October 2023 -- Razed, as mentioned in the comments:

The last Google review I can find for this place suggests it was closed "7 months ago" (honestly Google, how hard would it be to put a real date on each review?) which would put the closing around July of 2022.

Commenter Gypsie suggests that something is going on there now, and I did see a vehicle parked there, so perhaps something is forthcoming for this building.

(Hat tip to commenter Gypsie)

The glory days of the Grand Motel sign are behind it now, even the animation above from 2011 was a bit past it. The next two pictures are from 2009, and the three after that are from 2011 again. The ones after the break were taken two weeks ago, and last week.

The Grand Motel was one of the many US-1 motels in the Columbia area dating back to before the Interstate system. Off the top of my head, there were Dreamland, Chat 'n Rest, Bestway Inn, Forest Motel, Throughbred Motel, and the still extant Star Motel. (There is also still at least one US-1 motel still open on the other side of town near I-26).

In recent years, the Grand had apparently been operating as much as efficiencies as a travel motel, and I believe that continued into this year. Most recently as commenter Robin points out, the place has been bought by a charity which will operate it as affordable housing with mentoring. WIS has the story here. The complex will be called Grand Village, and some of the existing motel rooms will be upfitted while there will be new construction as well.

As you can see in the shots after the jump, work has started on asbestos abatement on the existing rooms.

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This pet supply business in Landmark Square appears to have shut down late last year, and a new, also pet oriented, follow-on operation, The Pet Shop is about to open there, if it has not already.

(Hat tip to commenter Robin)

As mentioned by commenter James R, Chen's Chinese Restaurant in Lexington is now Friend's House Chinese & Seafood.

Here is a State story on the new place that deploys the word plethora.

(Hat tip to commenter James R)

George I. Pair closed in 2012, and demolition started in December of 2022. It took me quite a while to get out there, and I expected to find just a flat patch of earth, but the excavators are still on site, and a few walls and porticoes are still in place. It was a nice afternoon for February, and I spent a good while walking around the grounds, so if you click-through for the full post, expect lots of pictures, which I haven't really organized or culled.

You can see a stories on the demolition here, here & here.

(Hat tip to commenter Db)

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I never realized until quite recently that the name of this place announced the specialty. Of course roast-beef is not a favorite of mine anyway, and I've never set foot inside one of these stores. This one is between Broad River Road on one side, and Diamond Lane on the other. For most of its existence, it was accessible from both streets, but in recent years, the church which bought Intersection Center has been closing off pass-through access from their side.

I believe all of the restaurants on this stretch have now either closed, or moved on from their original brands.

(Hat tip to commenter Homer)