Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

This Chinese buffet next to Big Lots on Two Notch had been a fixture for many years, and I expected that it would be for many more. I can't think of anything that changed in the area recently, but in the event, apparently not.

I've done a number of closings on various Quiznos around town as you can see if you check the Alphabetical Closings list. This one is just east of the Brickyard Shopping Center, and in fact has stoplight access to Two Notch from there if you go around the back way. I don't have a lot to say about Quiznos. As I observed in another post, I ate at one once and it was OK, though nothing that drove me to seek out another.

(Hat tip to commenter kholler)

UPDATE 18 March 2025: Update tags, add map icon

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.

Well, it's back to Airport Tec Plaza for this closing.

Blimpie is not a chain I've ever tried, though I like subs. I think that's probably because a lot of its locations tend to be in gas-station/convenience stores, and that sort of devalues a brand for me. I do have to give them props for suggesting a non-submarine referent for their sandwiches however.

At any rate, this location anchored the east end of the same little strip mall where Marino's Bistro was

I was unaware of Marino's Bistro, or indeed of this whole little strip mall near the Airport on Platt Springs Road, until recently.

I like the sign for the plaza, which has a sort of retro look without trying too hard. I don't know anything about Marino's itself, other than that it sounds Italian, which is always an indicator that I will have a better than average chance of liking a place. I'm putting the closing date as February, as the new phone books (which you can see outside the door -- one of the common sights of a closing) came out then.

(Hat tip to commenter fourlizards.)

Here's an interesting little restaurant building in Lexington. It was last a San Jose until that operation relocated to 115 North Point Drive, but the building obviously predates that. It has a familiar look, but I can't quite place it. I would say the front extension was not part of the original building.

The building looks a bit forlorn now, but the murals are a nice touch.

UPDATE 22 April 2013: Added Taco Cid to the post title based on the comments and the 1985 phonebook.

UPDATE 29 NOvember 2017 -- as mentioned elsewhere by commenter ED, this building has now been razed:

UPDATE 30 August 2022: Updating tags and adding map icon.

UPDATE 25 January 2023: Add tag.

I was quite surprised to see this Hardee's, more or less at the corner of Percival Road and Forest Drive, closed.

As far as I could tell driving by daily, it seemed to do a reasonable amount of business. What's more, this section of Forest Drive is now an Interstate exit zone, so it should have been drawing from more than just the local area.

My first thought was that the opening of Cookout just a few slots down the road was the cause. The problem with that theory is that Hardee's does a brisk breakfast business, and Cookout, as far as I know, doesn't have a breakfast menu.

The more daylight shots above are from commenter kholler: Thanks!

(Hat tip to commenters Mr. Hat and Kholler)

UPDATE 12 July 2013 -- As mentioned in the comments, this is to become a Sonic:

UPDATE -- The place opens for business this morning (9 Sept 2013) at 6AM. Here is some more of the work from a few weeks ago:

UPDATE 19 June 2021: Adding tags and map icon.

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As mentioned in the comments on the Lexington Blockbuster this adjacent old-school Taco Bell moved to a new store a couple of years ago. Personally I like these Southwestern style locations more than the "modern" style they have adopted recently. Several in Columbia have been repurposed recently (though the one on Knox Abbott is still vacant), but this one looks as though it may be too far gone for that.

UPDATE -- Work is underway:

UPDATE 17 February 2014 -- Now a Cook Out:

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