Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

Well, a Columbia tradition since 1920 is gone. In fact I can only remember going into Moe Levy's once or twice back in the 1970s on shopping trips with cousins. At the time, I liked shopping for clothes even less than I do now so the place was not a magnet for me, but I was always aware of it as we drove past. I also remember in my earlier days conflating the constant signage for Levi's jeans there with the store name itself and wondering if Moe Levy invented blue jeans.

As I recall, the store had a closing scare a few years ago at which point I took some of these pictures. I forget exactly what happened, but obviously they did not close then. As for now, The State reports that most of the block has been bought by local developer Ben Arnold who hopes to bring a national retailer or restaurant to the Moe Levy's location.

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Jewelry Warehouse has been making a number of changes recently. First they closed their longtime Platt Sprints Road location and moved it to Parkland Plaza, now they are closing the Sparkleberry Square location on Two Notch near Sandhill, and the co-located Garnet & Black Traditions and Tiger Paw memorabilia stores.

I have not seen a firm closing date posted, but I believe that the store is still open for now (25 March 2014), or at least it is still listed on the chain web page.

This clothing storefront in Landmark Square has apparently been vacant since circa 2006. There is currently a Simply Fashion in Edens Plaza on Beltline (the Piggly Wiggly plaza), but it looks to have shown up a few years after this one closed, so I don't think it counts as a move.

Currently Landmark Square does have a fashion shop, It's Fashion Metro which moved into the old Jo-Ann Fabrics location.

I don't know anything about Fashion Cents other than a google search on 6860 Garners Ferry brings it up. If it really was here, it must have been prior to the February 2005 phonebook.

Home decor store Madison Hall, in the old Greenbax Redemption Center building, either closed 28 February (as according to their web site, or is in the final days of operation. I suspect the later as when I went by last Saturday (2 March 2014) the Sale sign was still up, and there was no indication the doors had closed for the final time.

Doggone!

(Hat tip to commenter Mike d)

After 75 plus years in business, Ritter Furs & Outerwear has closed its doors. Here's a bit of the history of the place, and it appears that it has been at this location since at least since 1955, which I would not have expected.

But, heaven help me, I cannot think about furs without this being the first thing that pops into my head:

I find it a little curious that the CVS in Broad River Centre near Greystone Boulevard has closed. The co-located Food Lion does a good business (and does not have a pharmacy). In addition, there is only one other drug store in the general area, and that's a Rite Aid, and a) It's not that close and b) Why send them customers? (The actual CVS location that prescriptions are being redirected to is way down at Saint Andrews Road, probably not a good alternative for folks in this area).

(Hat tip to commenter Andrew)

UPDATE 6 February 2019 -- Now Beauty World:

UPDATE 5 July 2022: Update tags.

At one time Urban Thread was on both sides of Harden Street: Here and in the old American Apparel storefront as Urban Tread & More.

Then they consolidated the & More store with this one a bit more than a year ago, and now the consolidated (and original) store has closed its doors as well.

Interestingly, Urban Thread seems to be a Gainesville operation which I did not know. I had assumed it was Columbia based.

(Hat tip to commenter Mike d)

Well, if you've been reading Have Your Say, then you know commenter joelc scooped The State by a week on the news that Books-A-Million in Trenholm Plaza is closing.

I've spent many an hour in the Trenholm Plaza store. When I was younger, and the store was open until 11pm, I would often grab a late-night latte there as I browsed the shelves and magazine racks. In more recent years, I've found a good night's sleep more and more important, and the store has stopped opening so late anyway.

Of course in recent years, I've also done most of my reading on a Kindle and have had less and less need for an actual, physical, bookstore. I still look for comic strip collections, which work better printed, and technical books, but it often seems that given my technical needs, and humor tastes, I'm more likely to find those online as well. I'm definitely not alone in this, as evidenced by the closings of the Harbison Books-A-Million, the Harbison Barnes & Noble, The Happy Bookseller and the list goes on..

The State article suggests that rather than the chain keeping the space and re-working it as they did on Harbison, new clothing retailers will be moving in.

For all us Millionaire's Club members,

there's still Sandhill, and Lexington.

For now.

(Hat tip to commenter joelc)

UPDATE 4 March 2014 -- Here are some pix from back during the snow of the place with the Store Closing sign deployed:

8 March 2014:

14 March 2014:

16 March 2014:

29 March 2014:

UPDATE 31 March 2014: Added 14 March 2014 pix, 16 March 2014 & 29 March 2014 pix.

UPDATE 1 October 2014: Added 8 March 2014 pix.

T J's was in the Boozer Shopping Center right next to Columbia Center of Immigration and had a name non-specific enough that I'm not sure what they sold.

Judging from the sign on the door, they may be coming back as Thrifty Values.