Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

I still think of this store as fairly new, but according to all the closing stories, it's been here about 20 years now. I also had it in my head that it stayed open later in the evening than the other local stores, but I can't verify that now, and for the final run, it's only open to 6PM, which is kind of ridiculous for a coffee bar in an entertainment district.

The company hasn't given any specific reasons for closing this stor, but I do note that it has no drive-through. You can read the story in The State, or at WLTX.

I'm trying to think if I ever stopped at this store, and I believe I did, once, about five years ago. It was your standard Starbucks experience.

(Hat tip to commenter Russell)

I stopped at Drip a few years ago when I had an appointment down town and I had a bit of time before I had to be on the grid again. I thought it was a decent cup of coffee, not something I would fight parking to have again, but not bad at all.

They closed the main street location on a temporary basis in October, and have recently decided with the ongoing labor and supply-chain problems, they are just going to make it permanent and concentrate on their Five Points location.

The State has the story here.

(Hat tip to commenter Dustin)

I'm not sure if Lazy LLama is a chain, but there do seem to be a number of coffee shops around the country with that name, or slight variations. This one was in the old Piggly Wiggly plaza on the Charleston Highway at Fish Hatchery Road. The plaza is called Cayce Crossing, and the store name has "Cayce" in it, but the street address is actually West Columbia.

Interestingly, the follow-on operation is also a coffee shop with an animal name: Koffee Koala.

Also, I just checked the map icon to see if it were correct, and the image Google Maps brings up tells me that not too long ago, Lexington Dry Cleaning was in this slot, so I am adding it to the post title as well.

(Hat tip to commenter Robin)

This closing is a bit surprising. I know this Starbucks doesn't have a drive-through, but I thought that there was plenty of foot traffic in The Vista especially during the Holiday Season. On the other hand, Google has marked the place as "temporarily closed", and the branding and furnishings are not gone. On the third hand, the door has a real-estate type keybox on it now.

Anyway, at least for now, you'll have to walk up a block to Panera.

(Hat tip to commenter Justin)

Indah Coffee Company has closed their Arcade Mall location on Main Street to concentrate on their Sumter Street store.

Commenter Larry supplies the information (seconded by WLTX that somehow Takosushi will be using this vacancy as well as the nearby Pita Pit vacancy to come back in some sort of two headed configuration.

(Hat tip to commenter Justin)

Steam & Ice seems to have been a coffee, smoothie, dessert & milkshake shop. Among other things, they were know for milkshakes topped with cotton-candy (which there is no way I can imagine liking, but your milage may vary), boba-tea, and acai bowls.

From what I can tell, they closed around January of 2020, so before the pandemic. Looking at the reviews, it appears that people liked it when it was open, but that there were ongoing staffing and early closing issues before the shutdown.

I first wrote about this lot when the round building ceased being Shandon Florist, so there are some older pictures at that link.

My sister told me last year how this whole corner block was going to be razed for a Starbucks, so I got some pictures of everything last October. The final demolition was around 20 June 2020, and when I took the second set of pictures, the buildings were all gone though some clearing equipment was still on the lot.

Here is a story on the project from WIS:

Millwood Avenue is one step closer to becoming the future home of a Starbucks franchise after the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals approved a special exception permit allowing a drive-thru in the development plan.

The proposal offers a development complete with a Starbucks in the 3000 block of Millwood Avenue, just up the street from Dreher High School. In doing so, several local businesses, including the Birdhouse, Revente’s Second Chances, Columbia’s Cleaners, Ron’s on Millwood, Groomingdale’s and Koru Group Fitness.

The businesses are all leased by the same landlord, who owns the property and is looking to sell, according to several business owners. Most said they plan to relocate if they are forced to close, but remain open while talks continue with the city about future development.

Here is The State on the same subject.

In the event, it appears to me that:

Birdhouse has relocated to 2730 Millwood (see the last picture).

Groomingdale's has relocated to 919 True Street Suite E.

Revente's has closed after an attempted move.

Koru Group Fitness has moved to 2773 Rosewood Drive.

I'm unsure about Ron's On Millwood & Columbia's Cleaners.

I'm not sure what was in the two story brick building.

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I was looking for some spicy peanuts for an upcoming gathering, and decided to stop by The Peanut Man at Sandhill. In the event, I found it gone.

A little digging established that they have closed their Sandhill and downtown stores, and have consolidated into a new space on Fernandina Road, in the old Prestige Appliance location. In fact, I had seen the banner for Chocolate Factory & Coffee Shoppe from the Interstate, but I did not realize it was The Peanut Man. The new spot is a restaurant as well as a sweet & nut shop, serving a breakfast & lunch menu:

Here is a State article on starting the new location, and here is one about closing the downtown location to focus on this spot.

I have to admit that I was not aware that The Wired Goat existed before it closed. There are some signs on Gervais Street, as you can see in several of the pictures, but the place was down an alley, and basically not visible at all from the main drag.

The Free Times says the owners are (or perhaps at this point were) considering reopening somewhere with more parking. At any rate, given that all the fixtures are still in place, it does not appear that the space is on the market yet.

(Hat tip to commenter Summer)

What can I say?

The curse of 2630 Decker Boulevard continues.

UPDATE 4 December 2015 -- Now open as Bosheen Mediterranean Cuisine: