Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

As I have mentioned before I have a number of problems with Which Wich, the biggest of wich is I can't frequent a place that doesn't have fresh brewed ice tea.

Regardless of my issues, it does seem that this shopping center has problems keeping restaurants.

(Hat tip to commenter Lone Wolf)

I've never been in this store, but from the outside, it appears to be *huge*, occupying several potential storefronts.

The store moved to here from its original location on Saint Andrews Road back in 2010, and has, according to its Facebook page, now started its closing sale. I'm not sure how long that will last (apparently through 30 June for sure), so I am listing the closing date as July 2018 for now.

(Hat tip to commenter Heath Roberts)

Firenza is an interesting name for a pizza place because it suggests both "fire" and Italy (Firenza is the native name for the city we call by the exonym "Florence").

Fast casual pizza is now officially a thing, and Firenza is one of the chains in that market. This particular store, in Columbiana Station has not been here long. Commenter Heath reported in November of last year that this slot opened as a Persona Pizza and was just converting to Firenza at that point. Actually, Persona is the only one of these chains I have been to, and I was happy with my meal at the Woodhill location, so I'm not averse to checking out Firenza, Blaze or 1000 Degrees. Interestingly, as you can see in the pictures, there is a Blaze just across the street from this location.

Exactly what is going on here is a bit cryptic, but apparently it is an upfit of some sort and Firenza promises to return.

(Hat tips to commenters Heath & James R)

UPDATE 23 March 2018 -- Hmm, commenter Heath notes that apparently the place never actually opened as Firenza after Persona shut down. Maybe they got distracted by the Lexington opportunity. Anyway, I'm changing the title line qualifier from "(temporary)" to "(coming?)".

UPDATE 7 June 2021 -- Now a Brothers & Beer Mexican Restaurant:

also adding map icon.

Well, this is Columbia's other H. H. Gregg, closing as part of the same liquidation as the Sandhill store. Goody's is the most prominent former holder of this spot -- I'm not sure who could take on this much floor space now.

I took these pix a few weeks ago; Google says this store is now closed.

I don't know a lot about Stein Mart, but apparently it has been struggling along with many other clothing retailers:

A beleaguered Jacksonville retail has brought on a high-level executive to handle its merchandising and marketing, among other responsibilities.

Stein Mart Inc. has hired MaryAnne Morin as president, putting her in charge of merchandising, planning, marketing and advertising and e-commerce.
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The holiday season was particularly dismal for the retailer, which saw comparable store sales slide nearly 5 percent year over year.

This is a pretty good sized storefront, it will be interesting to see what goes in next, and when. As I recall, it sat vacant for a long time after closing as Goody's and then again after being Giant Book Sale.

(Hat tip to commenter Blaner)

17 August 2020: Update tags, add map icon.

I believe this is the last Midland's Ryan's I didn't have a post for. Like the others, it closed as part of the chain's current troubles, regardless of whether this particular store was doing OK or not. In point of fact, I think this store did out last the others by a few weeks.

Commenter Heath posted some photos from 7 May and I finally got around there last weekend to get some of my own (though the light was mostly wrong). It's a shame to say that this store, unlike the others I've seen, has already been fairly extensively tagged just in the short time it's been closed.

UPDATE 22 May 2016: Added Fire Mountain to the post title based on the comments.

UPDATE 6 February 2019 -- As reported in the comments, this place is gearing up to be The Juicy Crab:

UPDATE 15 June 2020 -- The Juicy Crab is now open here:

The first time I encountered Macaroni Grill was in Overland Park Kansas (a suburb of Kansas City). I used to get sent there often for contract work we were doing for US Sprint, which had a headquarters just a few blocks from the restaurant. It was a lively place, always crowded and with vigorous service: The servers would write their name in bold strokes on your table, and there were usually a few who would burst into Opera arias several times during a meal. The food was good too; they had an excellent Margherita pizza along with standard Italian dishes, and the bread was top-notch: large flavorful loaves served with cracked pepper and olive oil from bottles on the tables.

(The only negative about this particular place is that it has the distinction of being the only restaurant I've ever gone where the hostess implied that a bribe would get us seated..)

Anyway, after I stopped being sent to Kansas, I was glad to find that a Macaroni had opened in Columbia and I went a number of times, but it was never quite the same. There were definitely no singing servers, the Margherita pizza was off the menu and the bread loaves seemed smaller, and not as flavorful. I took a several year break after concluding that I had gotten mild food posioning after one visit, and the next time I went back, the place was almost empty, the menu was odd, the olive oil bottles were gone and I had the feeling that I was imposing on the staff by ordering food. When they brought the bill while I was still eating, and without offering me dessert (it was well before offical closing) I decided I was in no hurry to come back, and in fact did not.

Still, those were some good times back in the day..

(Hat tip to commenter Steve)

UPDATE 17 May 2017 -- I see that the Overland Park location I mention above has closed.

UPDATE 30 August 2017 -- The upfit to BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse is done, and they will be open on 4 September 2017:

I don't play any course that doesn't have a windmill on it, but some folks do.

Edwin Watts Golf is more or less at the bottom of the hill going down Harbison from Saint Andrews Road, almost at the intersection with Bower, and they are currently in the process of selling to the bare walls.

(Hat tip to commenter John Barrs)

Saturn Parkway, meet the town of Elgin..

This storefront on Saturn Parkway almost up against I-26 was formerly Carolina Pools & Spas. For at least another week or so, it is Halloween Express.

Interestingly, either a very similar store or another incarnation of this one, Carolina Spas, Pools & Billiards is hosting a competing Halloween store.

Boo!

LifeWay is a commercial outreach of the Southern Baptist Convention and their stores sell Bibles and church supplies. This one moved from the Barnes & Noble plaza on Harbison to Bower Parkway sometime in the 2000s. I know it's been more than a year ago as the first picture is from October 2010.

The little corner area where LifeWay was is kind of interesting as it has sort of an entrance corridor set off by a rather snazzy, filigreed girder. On the downside, being in the corner means that people have to park farther away from your store than most other stores in the strip.

After being vacant for a good while, the suite is finally re-opening as Anna's Linens

UPDATE 11 November 2011: Updated the moving date in the post title from "2000s" to "May 2010" based on commenter Andrew's research.