Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

I first became aware of this strip-mall storefront on Garners Ferry when it was Ye Old Fashioned Ice Cream & Sandwich Cafe.

Next it became Anthony's Old Fashioned Burger & Fry Co.. When that closed, there was a sign for a time that it would be re-opening as Ma's House Of Pizza, but in the event the new concept was actually Pepper's Pizza, Burgers, Pasta & More aka Pepper's House Of Pizza.

As reported by MrBO, that seems to have closed sometime around mid-January 2014.

Through all the incarnations, a lot of the physical plant remained the same, including the neon sign for Fresh Salads. In fact, walking around the side of the building, I found the remains of the Ye Old Fashioned sign:

(Hat tip to commenter MrBO)
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When the original Biscuit House on Bluff road closed, there was an announcement that someone had bought the brand rights so as to open new Biscuit House locations inside convenience stores, much as Subway and Blimpie do. I believe that this one, in a Corner Pantry at the corner of Garners Ferry Road and Lower Richland Boulevard was the first such, and it opened sometime after March 2012. Somewhere, I have a picture of this location in operation, but can't put my hands on it right now. At any rate, as far as I know, this just leaves one other, in Irmo, from this initial roll-out.

(Hat tip to commenter Midnight Rambler)

UPDDATE 8 October 2013: As promised, I have found and added the pix of the place in operation.

I noticed earlier this month that the little liquor store next to the Subway in the old Sears Plaza on Garners Ferry Road was going out of business. At the time of the first shot, they were doing fairly deep discounts, and by the time I got by there again at mid-month, they were already gone.

It appears someone made a big withdrawal.

Like the Automated Post Office before it, this vanished ATM sat in the parking lot at the Shoppes At Woodhill (The former Woodhill Mall).

I noticed one day last month when I was having lunch on the patio at Jimmy John's that it was gone, and I cannot now recall what bank it was affiliated with..

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I first wrote about this location doing a closing on the Ryan's that previously occupied the spot. That closed in early 2009, and by early 2010 (if not before) Hibachi Grill P&G Buffett was open in its old spot.

I don't know what the issues with the building are -- it's not that old, but apparently P&G are doing major work on it, and the restaurant is closed during the construction. (And this is not one of those hopeful "closed for remodeling" deals where you know it's never coming back -- the work has actually started and is ongoing).

(Hat tip to commenter badger)

UPDATE 16 July 2013 -- Took the "temporary" tag off the subject line as the location has opened as a new business, Ichiban Hibachi & Sushi Buffett:

UPDATE -- Ichiban has been doing some billboard advertising:

UPDATE 28 January 2020 -- As mentioned in the comments for the Ryan's incarnation of this building, the structure has now been razed. It's a bit of a shame because it wasn't a bad looking building:

UPDATE 21 March 2022 -- This place is setting up to be a Slim Chickens:

UPDATE 2 February 2023 -- Slim Chickens is now built and open, and Starbucks is built:

I remember thinking half-heartedly at one time that I needed to get a picture of neighboorhood bar Cactus Inn on Garners Ferry, but of course I didn't, and now the original sign is down and the place is half-remodeled into a title loan operation.

However you can still see the original look on google streetview for at least a while longer.

(Hat tip to commenter Frank)

After the Woodhill Automated Post Office closed in January 2010:

Woodhill Storage & Office Centre on the other side of the plaza took up the slack by opening a contract post office.

I noticed while eating lunch at Jimmy John's the other day that several people were getting out of their cars with packages and then getting back in their cars *still* with packages. Checking it out, I found that the USPS marquees have been covered over, and that there are door signs posted to the effect that the contract post office is gone, although the business remains otherwise in full operation.

I would have to google it to be sure, but I think the next closest post office is at Garners Ferry Plaza at the corner of Garners Ferry and Greenlawn.

Anthony's was the follow on operation to Ye Old Fashioned Ice Cream & Sandwich Cafe and opened late in 2011. It was connected with Anthony's on Two Notch from what I understand, and was aiming for the retro-burger market. I kept meaning to check it out, but somehow rarely seemed to be in that area when it was time to eat.

I think this location has problems with visibility from Garners Ferry, and also, the recent opening of Smash Burger, right in their market niche, a few miles towards town can't have helped matters either.

(Hat tip to commenter badger)

UPDATE 8 January 2020 -- Change the address from 7490 Garners Ferry Road to 7457 Patterson Road Suite 101 which seems to be official, though I have seen both. Add map icon.