Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

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.

Marion Burnside Chrysler Plymouth was a constant breakfast-table presence while I was growing up due to their memorable commercials on WIS Radio. At this remove, it a little cloudy what the exact lyrics to their jingle were, but clearly they spelled out the word "Marion" and drove home the fact that they were at "Seventy Two Oh One on the Sumter Highway!". Here's the way several people recall it (as first seen on the Ads & Jingles page:

Mar-i-on is the name to remember,
7201 on the Sumter High-Way!
M-- "More Service"
A-- "Able to Serve You"
R-- "Real Value"
I-- "something something!"
O--"something something!"
N--"something something!"
Today!

(me)

M A R, I O N,
Marion Burnside Plymouth in Columbia
M for Marion Burnside Plymouth in Columbia
A at 7201 the Sumter Highway
R ready to serve you
I integrity
O opportunity
N now go!

(commenter Dennis)

M- Marion Brunside Chrysler Plymouth in Columbia
A- address 7201 Sumter Highway
R- ready to serve you
I- Integrity
O- Opportunity
N- Now Come

(commenter GB)

It's a bit hard to conceptualize now, but before I-77 and the growth of the metro area, this lot was way out in the boonies, or at least that's how I considered it. It was something we would pass on the way to the beach, and not something I considered as being "in town" at all. In the event, we were a Ford/Mecury family in those days (something 1970s' Mecurys cured us of), so I never actually paid a visit to Marion Burnside, and am a bit hazy as to when it closed. I'm thinking the late 1970s, but I could be wrong.

Jim Hudson moved into the Marion building sometime later, and had been there quite a while by the time they got caught up earlier this month in the general flight to Blythewood that has already taken Dick Dyer Toyota, Lexus of Columbia and a surprising number of other dealerships.

After a long series of days when I could only take pictures as the sun went down, or when the day was completely overcast, I had some hopes for these pictures. In particular, the sidelot with all the little plastic flags strung up was quite photogenic as they glittered in the early afternoon sun. Of course, the instant I got out of the car, the sun went behind the clouds, and I got yet another gray set of pix. The only partial benefit was that shooting against the sun as I had to do for most of these was a little less bad (Less bad, but still *bad*).

(Hat tip to commenter Frank)

UPDATE 2 May 2016 -- It appears that Dick Smith Ford is about ready to open: