Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

It appears to me that The Needler may have occupied two buildings with a common wall, both the corner building with the historic plaque, and the brick building abuting it. While my grandmother tried to teach me how to knit once, I know very little about needlepoint, & cross stitch and the like. This SCETV story (with oddly somber music) gives a little background on the store and the needle arts.

(Hat tip to commenter MJ)

UPDATE 1 July 2019 -- Commenter Todd Miller points out that this was most likely originally a Pure gas station. Looking at some old photos on the web, I think he's right, so I'm adding that the post title. Also, this place is now a restaurant called Nicky's Pizzeria:

UPDATE 30 April 2024: Update tags.

I noticed the other day that Dick Dyer Body Shop on Two Notch (which is also the former location of Dick Dyer Toyota) was for sale. Checking the web site reveals that it is already closed, and that they are referring customers to Caliber Collision on Newland Road.

I guess this is the final end of an era for Dick Dyer on Two Notch. I and my parents bought cars from the dealership, and I had my car in the body shop after taking out Bambi on I-26. I liked when the dealership was here, as I could take my car in and walk home. I can't do that from Blythewood, which has cut way down on my usage of their repair operation.

I noticed this former self-serve car wash coming out of East Pointe Plaza on Garners Ferry the other day. I'm not sure how long it's been vacant as I didn't have time to get out and take a closer look, but I'm guessing a few years. I note that there was a Better Car Wash on Augusta Road, but I don't know if they were related. (And I don't know why they weren't just named Best Car Wash...)

LoopNet says you can have all five bays and the equipment room for 165K.

I know this H. Rubin location was open as late as November 2017, because the closing of the one on Forest Drive referred people to this site. Now this one refers them Knox Abbott.

Anyone know what Fley is?

UPDATE 11 July 2019 -- Now the new location for Elite Pawn & Gun:

I had not noticed this closing until commener Andrew pointed it out, but in fact there was a nice article mainly about this family business last year in The Free Times:

Stepping into Washington Street Barber Shop, just off bustling Main Street in downtown Columbia, is like stepping into a time capsule.

The barber shop at 1122 Washington St. has dark, wood-paneled walls like the ones in an old basement rec room. Tacked and taped to those walls are dozens of articles from The State newspaper, many of which detail the exploits of the Gamecocks sports teams through the years.

In the corner there’s a checkerboard set up, just in case anyone wants to get in a game or two as they wait for the barber’s chair to come open. Over near the row of chairs that constitutes the waiting area, there’s a standup dish with an ever-rotating supply of candy. Hershey’s Kisses, little Kit Kats, the good stuff.

An ancient tube TV — the picture is starting to wane — is always running, and it seems to forever be playing the classics: Gunsmoke, The Andy Griffith Show, Bonanza.

Washington Street Barber Shop is blissfully free of many of the trappings of the modern salons that pass themselves off as barber shops.

In the end, the story came down to rising property values in the area, and an expiring lease (though there is yet to be a new tenant).

Commenter thomas adds:

The Barber Shop that Andrew mentions was originally on Hampton Street and the florist was next door. The buildings were demolished to construct the bank building which was originally First Union and is now Wells Fargo. They relocated to Washington Street. There was a grocery store behind there at the corner of Assembly and Hampton. Wayne Evans and his father operated the barber shop and his father died several years ago.

I don't recall the shop specifically in that location, though I do recall that grocery.

(Hat tip to commenter Andrew)

As noted by commenter Andrew, the Aaron's on 12th Street in Cayce has closed. The sign pitches it as a move, but I'm pretty sure both of the locations mentioned were already in existence.

I'm not sure what this building was built for, but given that the right hand part looks like former automotive bays, I'd guess some sort of repair operation.

(Hat tip to commenter Andrew)

I wasn't really aware of this small, tucked away strip mall in Lexington until commenter James R mentioned it. Unfortunately when I got there, the sun was against me, so the shots aren't great. It appears that Allstate was the middle unit, and the sign (which you can read on the click-through version) refers customers to 3920 Augusta Road.

(Hat tip to commenter James R)

Here'a another vacant bank branch, though this one closed a good while ago. I find it a little interesting because Capital Bank has not really been in Columbia all that long in the first place as I recall it. Looking at Wikipedia. Also, it appears that Capital was bought out late last year by First Horizon so the remaining branches are not really the same company though the name will continue to be used except in TN.

It was raining a bit when I took these pictures and I was trying to not get the lens wet. There is a much better picture at the LoopNet listing, which also shows better that part of the building is still occupied by Ellis Physical Therapy.

This is an interesting little building off Broad River Road just north of the I-26 interchange. It puts me in the mind both of an old A&P (the steeple) and this building on Millwood (though that one is more round).

I don't believe I had ever noticed Royal Tower Drive before. I wonder where the name comes from?

UPDATE 9 May 2023: Now a martial arts dojo:

Well, it's official, Cromer's has made the move from Huger to North Main. I was in this, Huger Street, location once several years ago to purchase a helium baloon kit, and it seemed fairly nice to me -- certainly better than the Bluff Road location I was at for the same reason several years before.

I tried to get some pictures of the new location, but the ongoing road construction on North Main had a steam shovel completely blocking the entrance to the new building -- the tenants can't have been too happy about that. For that reason, I can't confirm that there are no monkeys. You'll have to check yourself.

UPDATE 30 October 2023 -- Updating tags and adding map icon.