Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

Cletus' Roadside Grille was the latest restaurant to try to make a go of it in the old Whale's Tail spot. I'm not sure what their menu was, but the name puts me in the mind of down-home Southern cooking. I like the colorful, retro logo too.

(Hat tip to commenter Ralph Hightower)

UPDATE 28 August 2017 -- Now a La Fogata:

Commenter Sidney reported the McDonalds in The Crossings
at the corner of Hardcrabble and Clemson closed for renovations some time ago, but I only finally got out there after it re-opened.

Although I don't remember exactly what it looked like before, my impression is that this store has *not* been remodeled along the same lines as other recent McDonalds revampings (here, for example). In particular, the new style subtle arch cap-pieces and drive-through styling are not present, and the boxy glass playroom, which has been removed in other stores, still is.

UPDATE: Oops! Commenter Sidney says the remodeling hasn't happened yet. Looking at how fresh everything looks, I was sure it had, but now these can serve as "BEFORE" pictures.

(Hat tip to commenter Sidney)

UPDATE 7 August 2017 -- I still have yet to put the construction and "after" pictures up. I have them. Somewhere. Anyway, the place is open again.

I'm not exactly sure when this little Two Notch spot closed, but the last Facebook postings are from October 2013, so I'll go with Fall 2013 even though I suspect it was later than that. Judging from the wall signs, they had a wider menu than I might have expected.

Apparently the building is being sold fully equipped.

Well, I was going to wait until I got over to the area again to get some pictures of the abandoned old location, and the new location in operation, but that didn't happen this weekend, and there's been a lot of Taco Cid talk here lately, so I'll go ahead with what I've got.

Longtime local Mexican fast-food restaurant Taco Cid has moved from their Cayce location near Piggy Park and out to Airport Tec Plaza at 3313 Platt Springs Road.

They have moved into the old Marino's Bistro location and are now open, though they have not yet replaced the Marino's marquee.

(Hat tip to commenter Mike)

UPDATE 21 August 2014 -- Here is the Charleston Highway location after closure:

UPDATE 10 March 2017 -- As mentioned by commenter Andrew, this building is going to pot:

UPDATE 30 August 2022: Well, color me surprised. I thought the Charleston Highway Taco Cid building was beyond salvage, but somebody has managed it, and it is now open as Perry's Gourmet Flaming Grilled Chicken!

(Also updating tags and adding map icon).

"Rolls or cornbread?"

I snapped these two pictures driving by Lizard's Thicket on Beltline; perhaps I can get some better later. At any rate, the chain is renovating this old Shoney's building, and it will be closed until that is done.

I believe the nearest other Liz is the one on Forest Drive, also in a former Shoney's.

UPDATE 9 April 2019 -- I don't have a picture, but this location has been open again for a good while.

UPDATE 24 July 2020 -- Closed again, due to COVID-19 staffing problems as is the Airport Boulevard location:

UPDATE 10 February 2021 -- Open again, again:

UPDATE 31 January 2022: As mentioned in the comments, closed again for staffing issues.

UPDATE 5 July 2023 -- Now Moctezumas:

UPDATE 6 July 2023 -- Daytime pictures:

UPDATE 17 June 2025: Updating tags.

I have had my eye on this location of Carolina Wings & Rib House because the chain has been cutting its Columbia operations to the bone, and I figured this peripheral coastal location wouldn't last much longer. In fact, the place was open for the Memorial Day weekend, but by the time I went by again in late July it had apparently (from the state of things inside) just closed.

This location was in Litchfield Beach, in an outparcel of what was the Litchfield Piggly Wiggly shopping center (but which is now the Bi-Lo shopping center. Although I suspect that the general troubles for the chain were the biggest problem for this location, I also note that it is not visible from US-17 which can't have helped either.

UPDATE 20 April 2020: Add tags and map icon.

Utopia in the old Doc's Gumbo Grille location on Rosewood has moved to 4330 Fort Jackson Boulevard, the old Pizza King location across from LaBrasca's.

According to their Kickstarter for moving info, they lost their lease here, which suggests that something new will be going in fairly quickly. The place has seen something of a revolving door set of restaurants since long term tenant Keg O'Nails moved out.

(Hat tip to commenter Travis)

Update 11 August 2014 -- Here is the new location:

Millwood Coffee was the followup operation to Cafe Millwood after a bit of preliminary tease that it would become a pizza pub.

For one reason or another, I never got around to trying the place out, though I like coffee. I believe I did take some pictures of the place in operation, but I cannot lay my hands on them today. When I find them, I will post them.

The Harper Insurance Agency sign sometimes has a sign for the current business at 2911 as well, but today I included it for the bird's nest.

(Hat tip to commenter Diane Anderson)

I'm afraid Goatfeathers is another Columbia institution (30+ years) I let slip by without a visit. The place closed on 31 May as the owner retired to Hawaii.

All the signage and displays are still up however, and The Free Times says it might re-open someday.

Hungry hungry hippo..

I've always wondered if this little diner by the North Main Sonic was originally connected with the old North Main Street Varsity Restaurant.

While the Varsity name and pennant have always been there as far as I can recall, J S Renee is fairly recent. Back in the 90s and until sometime in the 2000s, the sub-marquee was D'Jasz which apparently also had a location on Rosewood.

(Hat tip to commenter Justin)