Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

This H. Rubin Vision Center at Sandhill appears to be closed and For Lease, though as with the Bush River Road location, there is no notice on the door, and there is still stock inside. I believe this means that all the Columbia stores are closed, and the main website is down.

20!20 Vision has moved to 1600 St Julian Place, leaving this Blossom Street building in Five Points vacant. This building has always had a slightly odd look to me, and the LoopNet listing says that's because it was "the first bank in 5 Points". Not sure what the bank affiliation was, but that does explain the boarded up spot that was a teller window I guess (though Blossom would have had to have been less wide then).

After commenter MJ mentioned that this place, at the corner of Bush River Road & Morninghill Drive, might be closed, I went to check it out, but I could never be completely sure. The delivery notice post-its stuck to the door made me 99% sure, but there were no actual posted hours I could verify it not being open at, and looking in the windows, all the furnishings and glasses seemed to be in place. There was a sign on the door, but it was facing inwards, and illegible.

That was in June. Going back a few days ago, the situation is now clear, with a sheriff's notice and a real estate sign. However, the interior still looks largely untouched.

(Hat tip to commenter MJ)

UPDATE 9 October 2023 -- This place has been razed:

UPDATE 10 October 2023 -- Some night-time shots that show the demolition

UPDATE 24 October 2023 -- Beter demolition pix:

UPDATE 22 February 2024 -- There is some sort of small-ish concrete block building going up here:

UPDTE 16 May 2024 -- The new building on this site is in progress:

UPDATE 18 September 2024 -- The new Checkers building is coming along:

I know this H. Rubin location was open as late as November 2017, because the closing of the one on Forest Drive referred people to this site. Now this one refers them Knox Abbott.

Anyone know what Fley is?

UPDATE 11 July 2019 -- Now the new location for Elite Pawn & Gun:

I noticed the other day as I made my coffee run that this H. Rubin Vision Center at the corner of Forest & Gamewell Drives is relocating, or maybe consolidating with the Garners Ferry location. I believe they, along with Brueggers were original tenants in this small strip. The middle unit, on the other hand, has turned over several times since the place was built.

UPDATE 17 April 2018 -- It's to be a Marco's Pizza:

UPDATE 13 July 2018 -- Marco's is open:

I was driving Two Notch this evening, and noticed that the Sansbury Eye Center by FedEx Office was closed. A closer look at the door revealed that this office has moved to 2313 Beltline, next to the Subway.

In fact, I had noticed the new sign for Sansbury on that building, but since I did not realize it was a move and not a new office, I didn't bother to take any pictures. I'll get a few next time I drive by. I was struck by how big this Two Notch space is -- I don't think the Beltline location is anywhere near as extensive.

I only remember this building (across from Dutch Square) as a Visionworks eyeglass operation and not at all as ReMax real estate.

Perhaps that's because I wear glasses but have no interest in property. Anyway, it was apparently Visionworks longer ago than I would have thought -- it appears from the phonebooks I have at home that they closed shop or moved sometime between 1998 and 2005. This LoopNet listing shows the place in operation as ReMax, which apparently moved out in 2011.