Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

Well, I am happy to report that the best sandwiches on the Strand are available again. After a fire closed Dagwood's in Surfside back in January, the place underwent a several month rehabilitation, opening again last week as reported on their Facebook.

Here is a WMBF story on the fire. According to the chain's site, this building has been a Dagwood's since 2006. I am pretty sure I recall it being a Shoney's before that, and where we ate Thanksgiving dinner one odd-off year when all our relatives were away.

I look forward to a BLT+ the next time I am on the Strand!

Tee'd Up was the follow-on operation in this Lake Murray adjacent building to Shooey Malone's. Judging by the farewell note on the place's Facebook, the owner had another avenue open up, and a chance to sell the property as well.

Although the note is a bit vague, something else if obviously coming, and work has already started on the building for whatever it is.

(Hat tip to commenter JamesR)

I never made it to this building in any of its other incarnations besides Swensen's, but I did make it to Hunter Gatherer a few times. As I recall, I had pizza and some sort of porter or stout, both of which were pretty good, but not enough so to become a regular and deal with driving down there and parking.

I have been pretty skeptical about the ongoing work on South Main which sounded to me like it was designed to make the street even less convenient to drive and park on, and the news that Hunter Gatherer lost their lease, presumably due to plans for the area does not make me any less so. (And also makes me worry a bit about Cool Beans which is in a similar situation).

(Hat tip to commenter Mr. BO)

As I go to add this to the Alphabetical Closings, I notice I did a post on HG before, when it shut down for the Pandemic. I think this final closing is newsworthy enough that I'm not going to merge it into that earlier post.

UPDATE 22 January 2025:

As commenter Larry mentions, Liberty Tap Room is going through extensive renovations -- so extensive that in fact it will open as a new restaurant Taco Mundo Kitchen y Cantina. This is another place I never got to, though I think I may have been to the one in Myrtle Beach, which is still open as far as I can tell.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)

I think this is closed. There is never any sign of activity when I drive by and the Facebook has not been updated for quite a while, but yet google reviews always has a couple of reactions from the last few months...

Anyway I'm calling it closed, and if anyone knows differently, let me know.

Bennigan's never came to Columbia, but were pretty big elsewhere in the 1980s. I remember that when I was living in Fayetteville, it was a standard place to unwind when the out-of-town crew was visiting to help us set up for field exercises. After that the chain kind of lost its way, and ended up going bankrupt in 2008 which drastically reduced the number of locations.

Nonetheless, things survive & thrive in Florida when they don't elsewhere, and this Melbourne location, on US-192 just East of I-95 opened on 28 January 2016. I always meant to drop in and see if it was as I remembered, but always had some place I would rather eat with my limited time in the area. However this guy did and was a bit underwhelmed.

At any rate the place gave up the ghost in February of 2023, and is now a Mexican eatery, Agave D'Oro. I'm pretty sure I have a picture of it in operation somewhere, and if I find it I'll add it up top.

As predicted by commenter Mall Guy, this Hooters is gone.

I had been in a number of times over the years. They were open later than many other places, the food was competent, and, of course, the view was nice.

I did get the impression the last couple of times I was there that it was going downhill a bit, and the food was somewhat sub-par compared to times past. It's probably been at least two years since my last visit, so I can't say how it was at the end.

This building started out as a Hops brewpub, so we'll see where the chain of restaurant reincarnation takes it next. I would guess that there are competing Asian buffet places too close, so perhaps a Mexican venue as the nearest ones I can think of are on the small side.

(Hat tip to commenter Mall Guy)

This is one of those places that I was never sure if it were still open or not. It certainly appeared not, but there are reviews up until a few months ago.

At any rate, it appears to be closed now, joining a long line of former restaurants in this building on the spur of Bush River Road sometimes known as Old Bush River Road.

This is quite a way from my usual rounds, so I was not really aware that Social Grill existed until commenter Robert mentioned that they were closing down for a QT to be built on the lot. 9 March was their last day, and looking at their Facebook, they have already had an auction for the restaurant equipment.

The owners plan to open a pizza restaurant called Cheesy Pint in the former B's in the Publix Plaza on North Lake Drive.

(Hat tip to commenter Robert)

B's was the follow-on in this location to Beef O'Brady's, and opened in late 2018.

According to their Facebook, 17 December 2023 was their last day, which is not a bad run given a pandemic in the midst of it.

Commenter Andrew reports the space is setting up to be Cheesy Pint Pizzeria.

UPDATE 5 June 2024 -- Cheesy Pint is open:

(Hat tip to commenter Andrew, I believe)