Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

I have written about this spot twice. Once when it was no longer a Quincy's and again when it was no longer a Maurice's BBQ.

After Maurice moved out, the original building was razed, and a new building was run up. It was to be a Blossom Buffet, and clearly looks stylistically similar to the Jasmine Buffet on Two Notch.

However COVID happened, and that fell through (that's my guess, anyway) and now the new, mostly finished, building is for sale.

UPDATE 29 June 2021 OK, mea culpa, this place is now in fact open as noted in the comments. The real estate sign that confused me and made me think the whole building was up for sale without the buffet opening is apparently for prospective retail space on the south side of the building:

UPDATE 2 March 2022: It turns out that Blossom Buffet is a moved and reflagged Happy China Buffet from down the street.

Sunshine Cafe & Catering was the follow-on operation in this Sunset Boulevard storefront to Carolina Cafe. Judging from the google reviews, the last of which was dated from a month ago, they seem to have made it through the worst of the pandemic and then closed down somewhere around the end of March.

Here is a ColaDaily story on the opening of this place from January 2020.

UPDATE 28 February 2022 -- Now Cucinella's pizza:

When I went out to get pictures of the new PK BBQ location, and of the old Bi-Lo, I drove by Goodfellas on the way. I did not realize at the time that they had just recently moved to 630 Hwy 378 and had previously been in the current PK BBQ storefront. Judging by google reviews, the move took place some time around May of 2020 and when I went back to get these pictures, it appeared they are doing quite a good business in the new location.

(Hat tip to commenter Andy)

Well, this may be the final Bi-Lo closing, unless I go farther afield. This store on US-378 started out as a Piggly Wiggly more than twenty years ago, and now with the sale of Bi-Lo has come full circle. It's nice to see a new Pig open, as that chain has been having its own problems. It seems that the crew who wanted to stay on were able to, which is nice. ColaDaily has the story.

(Hat tip to commenter Andrew)

I stopped at this Bi-Lo on Sunday, and while it was rapidly emptying out, there was still a good bit there, and they hadn't started randomly consolidating the shelves. I picked up some long lasting sundries like shampoo, hot sauce & spices at a 15% discount.

According to The Post & Courier, this store is not going to be converted into a Food Lion and there are no current plans for a new tenant in the building.

(Hat tip to commenter Alan, and possibly others -- there has been a lot of talk about Bi-Lo).

UPDATE 13 December 2021: Now a Food Lion:

See here for the story.

According to The State Adrenaline trampoline park opened on 26 May 2018 in the old Piggly Wiggly building. I used to love trampolines, always trying to visit King's Funland when at Pawleys, but I have to admit the thought of getting on one now would scare me to death. That's gravity and middle age for you!

I know my niece went to this location at least once, and actually had another free pass that she never got around to redeeming. Now, of course, it's too late. Adreneline has been closed since the start of the lockdown, and sometime in the last month or so, they announced they would not be coming back.

I'm not sure what the deal with the tiger was.

(Hat tip to my sister)

I first wrote about this building when the plans for Fresh Market to open there fell through. After that, and a little scrambling, the Publix supermarket chain decided it would be a good location for their Greenwise concept:

Publix Supermarkets is opening a new type of grocery store in Lexington soon.

“We’re creating a community gathering place where high-quality natural and organic products are at the center of what we offer,” said Publix President Kevin Murphy. “And we’re helping our customers support their healthy lifestyle with convenient in-house prepared meals and grab and go options made from organic and antibiotic-free ingredients.”

The place opened in December of 2019, and will be closing well shy of the one year mark:

Basically it seems the building was just too small, which is unsurprising given the standard Fresh Market footprint.

The employees will have the option to move to local Publix locations, which is nice.

I never went in the store though I was a bit curious and figured I eventually would. I will say however, that I do not like the way the parking and traffic flow for the enclosing strip mall is laid out at all.

(Hat tip to commenter Heath)

UPDATE 18 June 2022 -- It looks like Prisma Health will be going into this site:

This little building on Sunset in Lexington ceased being a Domino's in January of 2019, and by May of that year, Little Caesars had moved in. Given the mess of 2020, and how many times I have personally ordered carry-out or delivery pizza (which I normally never do), I am surprised that the place has already closed.

Some commenters have pointed out that it is directly next door to a Mellow Mushroom, and that's true, but on the other hand Mellow Mushroom was closed for a long time during the first stage of the crisis, even for takeout.

(Hat tip to commenter ED).

UPDATE 28 April 2025 -- This was my go-to parking location when visiting Mellow Mushroom, so I was sorry to see it go, but the oil change building is coming along;

UPDATE 19 May 2025 -- Looks close to done:

UPDATE 10 July 2025 -- It's done:

According to ColaDaily, corporate is reluctant to declare this location gone for good, but everybody else agrees that it is another permanent casualty of the COVID-19 crisis.

I believe I have only eaten at this IHOP once. As I mentioned in my closing for the Assembly Street location, I started having constant issues at the downtown store after the rebuild, so one late night I drove out to Lexington instead. I found it a much more pleasant experience, but the distance involved meant I did not do it again.

(Hat tip to commenter Heath)

UPDATE 7 June 2021 -- As mentioned, this place is somewhat unexpectedly open again under new ownership: