Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

I ate here twice for lunch, and both times got sort of a weird vibe and the impression the place wanted to be a night club more than a restaurant. The second time I was there, a girl came out of the kitchen and sat at a nearby table, crying. It was very uncomfortable, and I decided that was it for me.

(Hat tip to commenter David B)

Looks like the Lizard's Thicket remodeling effort that has revamped several of their stores is continuing. This one is at the corner of Knox Abbott Drive & State Street, and was some sort of restaurant before, though not a Shoney's like the Forest Drive and Beltline locations. I've eaten there before, and don't recall any particular building issues, but I guess everything has its time.

UPDATE 8 April 2019 -- I don't have a picture, but this location is open again, and has been for a while.

Not very good pictures here as I was shooting against the sun, but it's what I have..

This TCBY was just past the closed Rite Aid at 500 West Main Street. The sign says they were open for thirty years, which is definitely a good run.

In fact, that pushes it almost back into the era when TCBY stood for This Can't Be Yogurt instead of The Country's Best Yogurt, or at least that's the way I remember it. The first froyo places had to combat the notion that yogurt was a sour curdled health-food that people in the Soviet Union ate if they wanted to live to be 130..

(Hat tip to commenter ED)

Atlantic Seafood in the old Taco Bell building on Broad River Road has closed shop, and the place is prepping to be Chicki's Wings. The Decker Boulevard location (interestingly, in another former taco restaurant will remain open.

I have tried to go to The Mouse Trap three times, but in the event only managed it once.

The first time was years ago, probably the early 80s, and I just could not find the place. I had seen it once at that point, and knew it was in the office complex off Forest Drive, but after driving around twenty minutes or so, I gave it up as a bad job and went somewhere else. (Was it originally at a different location in this plaza? Because I have no problem now).

The second time was with some folks from the CS department at USC during a homecoming event. No problem finding it this time (I may have been following someone) and the food was fine, though I have very little memory of it.

The third time was a year or two ago when I decided, Hey, it's been 10 or 15 years; time for another visit!, but it turned out to be one of those places that close between "lunch" & "dinner".

Anway, they are now closed for remodeling. The inside looks a bit torn up and there is a storage container out back, so I think work has started, though the sign doesn't give any ETA.

(Hat tip to commenter Midnight Rambler)

UPDATE 30 January 2019 -- As reported in the comments, this is open again:

When I did the closing for Latino's Bar & Grill in this location, it appeared they were setting up to open as an urban club Nuvo Rest.Bar. However, I don't think that ever actually happened. I could be wrong, of course, but I drive this stretch of Percival at least several times a month, and I don't recall ever seeing the building lit up under that name.

At any rate, they are now definitely open as Main Event Sports Bar.

UPDATE 28 March 2019: Add map icon.

I've never had a Larry's sub, and now I guess I won't, or at least not in Lexington. According to their Facebook page, their franchaise agreement had run its course and they opted not to renew for a 15 year term.

(Hat tip to commenter ED)

Tallulah was the follow-up operation to Dianne's On Devine, which closed in 2013. I'm afraid I never stopped by, and by all appearances, it was probably a bit more tony than the places I frequent anyway. From what I see googling around, it did get pretty good reviews.

Of course, good reviews don't necessarily fill tables, and this Free Times story indicates that may have been a problem.

I do have to admit, I could never see the name without thinking of this Van Morrison song:

(Hat tip to commenter Justin)

As reported by commenter John R, Harbor Inn in Lexington has been rebranded as Catch.

I was on the wrong side of the street to stop, but I was able to catch a few photos driving by the other day. Judging from the website, this is a reflagging, and the ownership is the same, as the phone number has not changed from that of Harbor Inn.

I believe that the Two Notch Road location of Harbor Inn is unaffected.

(Hat tip to commenter John R)

I guess this train-stationesque building just was not meant to house a fast casual Mexican chain. If you will recall, this was the location of Qdoba until May of 2015, meaning that Salsarita's lasted about three years. The State's report is here.

Despite some stumbles locally in recent years, I have always been a Moe's partisan in the burritto wars. I hate the ambience at Chipolte, Qdoba burrittos always fell apart on me, and Barbaritos, at least locally, is Moe's lite, without the availability of ground beef. I had not really had an opinion on Salsarita's, not having been to one until recently. Finally having done that (though not at this location), I was a little weirded out when the staff took over my tray and brought it out to a table which was not the one I had been planning on. I honestly can't recall much about the food itself.

(Hat tip to commenter MB)

UPDATE 12 March 2019 -- Now a TD bank: