Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

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I've only been in this charity thrift store once that I can recall. I needed a replacement VCR for one that had given up the ghost, and it was some years since they were a common item. I was pleased and surprised to find a whole shelf of them here, paired with the correct remotes. I picked up one and we got several years of good service from it.

I'm not sure if this closing is COVID related, or if they are remodeling or what, but the signs announce that they will return.

UPDATE 27 August 2021: Commenter Andrew reminds me that this was the former site of Spring Valley Ace Hardware, something I had completely forgotten, despite having done a closing on it.

Frankly, I had no idea at all what kind of place Kirkland's is. Looking at their web site, it appears they are a home decor store, something which comes onto my radar with vanishing rarity.

This particular store was in the new strip creating by redeveloping the old Kmart complex. They seem to have closed without fanfare -- I can't find any stories about it online, and google seems to think it is still there.

According to their store locator, there are still two locations in the Midlands, one in Harbison, and one on Two Notch Road.

(Hat tip to commenter Joe Shlabotnik)

Indah Coffee Company has closed their Arcade Mall location on Main Street to concentrate on their Sumter Street store.

Commenter Larry supplies the information (seconded by WLTX that somehow Takosushi will be using this vacancy as well as the nearby Pita Pit vacancy to come back in some sort of two headed configuration.

(Hat tip to commenter Justin)

I used to go to this Pizza Joint location fairly often when they were open late on Thursdays for Service Industry Night, but when they stopped that, I kind of drifted away. I had noticed driving by several times lately that they were not open when I would have expected it, but I put it down to covid + staffing, and didn't think much about it until commenter Larry noted that they had had a fire there.

Looking at the place last Sunday, I am happy to report that repairs are obviously underway, so hopefully they will be back soon. The building must be surprisingly durable as it has been a number of different operations since starting life as a Hardee's.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)

UPDATE 18 January 2023: The place has been sold, so I have removed the "Temporary" notation from the title. The next tenant, according to The State will be a breakfast/brunch place: The Vicious Biscuit.

This convenience store and Exxon station at the edge of Shandon was formerly the full service Branham's Exxon. It had already done a remodel from that era to do away with the service bays, but the current tenant Gaz-Bah (also an Exxon) has temporarily closed to do another remodel.

As you can see from these pictures, the place has been completely gutted, and looks a good way from reopening.

(Hat tip to commenter Justin S).

As you can see from these two sets of pictures, the Circle K at the corner of Two Notch Road & the Trenholm Road Extension is closed, the pumps have been demolished, and apparently the storage tanks have been dug up, or that is the next step.

The store here was much smaller than the current Circle K style, and to me the lot does not look big enough to put in one on their new standard lines. In the case of a similar situation on Bethel Church, they removed the pumps and tanks and then put the building on the market. I expect they will do the same here, unless they go as far as razing the building entirely.

(Hat tip to commenter Thomas)

UPDATE 28 February 2023 -- As mentioned again by commenter Thomas, this building has now been razed:

UPDATE 29 March 2023: Updating tags.

UPDATE 16 January 2024 -- Now a Valvoline Instant Oil Change:

M Kitchen was built on the site of the old Steak 'n Shake after razing that building, and is part of the peripatetic Myio's empire.

As of 27 June 2021, this location is closed, with the staf moving to Bower Parkway

(Hat tip to commenter Mitch)

The situation with Urban Cookhouse seems a bit odd to me and I suspect something went wrong. The Devine Street location (which was the only SC location at the time) closed around 30 June, and the place advertised a new "temporary" location in Five Points, which guessing from their Facebook Page was for catering only. There have been no posts to the page since 14 July, and no answers to questions people are asking there about the new location and opening date. Unless I missed an announcement somewhere, I think this place will not be coming back as a dine-in location.

Here is some (old) information from The State.

(Sorry that the pictures are poor, it was really too late in the day, and I meant to go back, but have not yet).

(Hat tip to commenter MB)

UPDATE 19 August 2021 -- Here are some better pictures:

Here is 741 Saluda, so I am still a bit confused about the status of things:

OK, I'm going to say this. The current practice of using lawfare in Five Points, weaponizing South Carolina's idiosyncratic liquor statutes against businesses you don't like, is wrong. Yes, Five Points had a problem, but shooting the patient is not a cure. I guess in this case the fact that there were prior legal troubles was a factor, but the empty storefronts speak for themselves.

The State has more details on this, and on who will still be open.

(Hat tip to commenter Tom)