Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

LoopNet says this building at the corner of North Main & Summerville Avenue was a grocery and dates from the early 1940s. I'm pretty sure it hasn't been a grocery in my memory, but I can't bring to mind anything that it *was* either.

I have to say it's kind of a grim looking building. Perhaps it would look more cheerful with fresh paint, but I don't think so.

UPDATE 9 June 2016 -- Now Royal Priesthood Ministry Center:

As nearly as I can tell, this Bi-Lo closed in 2006, leaving Capitol Square without an anchor store.

The space is now Habitat For Humanity's ReStore. I believe the closest Bi-Lo to this spot is now the one on US-1 near the Wal-Mart.

Capitol Square is across Sunset Boulevard from the Chicken Plant, and more or less adjacent to the old Dairy Queen.

I don't know much about Decor & More other than it presumably sold decorative home accessories and closed around 2006.

I don't play any course that doesn't have a windmill on it, but some folks do.

Edwin Watts Golf is more or less at the bottom of the hill going down Harbison from Saint Andrews Road, almost at the intersection with Bower, and they are currently in the process of selling to the bare walls.

(Hat tip to commenter John Barrs)

Bicycle shop Summit Cycles was in this nice old house near the top of the hill on Meeting Street, just down from WECO. There's not much more I can say about it, other than if you got your bike there, I'll bet you could coast all the way to the State Museum, lights permitting..

(Hat tip to commenter jonathan)

Well, just to continue our ongoing list of Pig closings, the store in Litchfield Beach is now gone.

This was a fairly new store, and quite nice. It also seemed to always do quite a good business as far as I could tell.

The store is located in a plaza just across US-17 from the main Litchfield resort area (with the old Tara Theater) and has a number of restaurants and a few retail operations. There has been some churn during the financial crisis, and Blockbuster, a computer store and a couple of others have gone, but Massey's Pizza and Eggs Up have moved in, so on the whole it is doing OK. Physically the site is quite nice, with moss draped live-oaks and stop-light access.

The Pig will be re-opening as a Bi-Lo, and I have to think that this will mean moving the Bi-Lo from a few blocks north into this spot. Currently the Bi-Lo (originally built as a Harris Teeter) is in an older, failing plaza, which has recently seen the only other decent store (Litchfield Books) decamp to the new Fresh Market complex.

All of this movement takes place in the total revamping of the local grocery environment. Along with the newly opened and afore-mentioned Fresh Market, the Grand Strand's first Publix will be opening in the currently dowdy Pawleys Island Plaza, and a Lowe's Foods will be opening in a new plaza at the Island's South Causeway. This has to be putting a good deal of pressure on Food Lion which has been running a rather up-scale location also at the South Causeway.

(*) All the online google hits list this location as Pawleys Island. In my mind that is clearly wrong. This is Litchfield Beach, plain and simple. Somehow the area covered by the Pawleys Island moniker has tended to spread as "Arrogantly Shabby" has become "upscale" and gained a bit of cachet.

This Payless shoe store was at the corner of Devine & Rosewood, not far from the old Taco Bell and the Rosewood Blockbuster.

One sign says that the store is relocating, but while I hope the employees were able to move, I think this is really just a call-out to an already existing other store.

I believe I still have a pair of shoes from Payless, though I'm not sure it was this store, that have lasted quite a few years. Of course, I only wear them to weddings and funerals, so there has not been a lot of wear & tear.

(Hat tip to commenter john)

UPDATE 27 February 2019: Add tags and map icon.

This shop is now called Main Street Home and is in the old Floor It Now location at 7740 Broad River Road with the owners reporting that they moved because this building was being sold.

Given that the neighbooring Hudson's building on the left and the Staples building on the right have both been knocked down, it wouldn't surprise me if this building is gone by now as well.

Another day, another Blockbuster. I guess it's too late to change their pre-printed banners which continue to say This Location Only..

This particular storefront is on the tail-end of Rosewood, in a little strip which has now had the misfortune to have bet on two outlets for now defunct media formats.

UPDATE 26 November 2013 -- Here are some daylight pix:

UPDATE 14 January 2014:

Say Goodnight Gracie.

"Goodnight Gracie!"

UPDATE 15 May 2017 -- It appears this storefront now has a permanent occupant, Colonial Healthcare:

UPDATE 5 October 2020: Changing name in post title to "Blockbuster Video" from "Blockbuster". Updating tags. Adding map icon.

Office supply store Staples has moved their Harbison branch from 281 Park Terrace Drive to 320 Harbison Boulevard.

And none too soon!

(Hat tips to commenters Andrew & William)

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