Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

Asian Express started to set up in this old Church's Chicken location in late 2018. Like the one on Broad River Road, which also took quite a while, the crews appeared to be working on it as a side project. For a while, things appeared to be going OK, if slowly, though there were some setbacks as when somebody broke the windows, but it has been months since I've seen any activity there, and as it is more than four years since they started, I am moving the place into the "never opened" category. I'd like to be proved wrong shortly, but it's not looking that way.

One of the very early closings I did on this site way back in January of 2008 was for this location of Tuesday Morning when it closed in Trenholm Plaza. At the time I called the store concept Big Lots by Martha Stewart, and I stand by that. After they left the Trenholm Plaza location, they did not come back immediately, but when La-Z-Boy closed in 2009, they moved into the current building.

Commenter Andrew sends this CNN link indicating that the whole chain is closing down after a second descent into bankruptcy. The article traces the immediate problem back to lost traction during the closings of 2020, but also indicates that the chain had no Internet strategy.

The final sale has started at his location, and has been going on at least a week, so if you want a bargain, you'd best not wait much longer; their Facebook says everything is 40% off.

(Hat tip to commenter Andrew)

I'm a little unclear about whether Kim's ever actually operated in this space once used by Hanna Beauty Supply. For certain, they put their name on the marquee over the Hanna name, and it seems that for several months I saw a lot of cleanup and construction activity in the space, but I'm not sure I ever saw it open.

There is currently a permit on the door for more work, but the only name I saw was for the company doing the work, so I don't know if Kim's is still involved, or if it will be a new operation here.

This is a shame as this Baskin-Robbins was my go-to for milkshakes & ice cream. Not that I went that often, but it was pleasant on a summer night to get something cold and hang around in the warm evening outside for a while.

I believe this closing leaves Forest Acres without an ice-cream parlor for the first time in my life. There is still Zesto for a chocolate-dip, but as much as I like soft-serve now and then, it's not really the same thing.

I'm not sure what's up with the construction, but apparently someone jumped the gun a bit.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)

Ivy & Leo in Trenholm Plaza is moving leftwards a few suites into the slot formerly occupied by Simply Mac. This lateral move will let Publix expand their store into the vacated adjacent space. This has long needed doing, as that Publix was crammed into a former A&P slot, and is much smaller than their typical store. I like Publix in general, but have always felt cramped when I shop this one.

The Post & Courier has the story here.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)

This Burnette's moved from its longtime Trenholm Road home a few years ago, and now this location has closed as well as the whole chain shuts down.

The announcement was on their Facebook page without a specific reason given other than "the time has come", but I have to think big changes over the years in the way we dress and wash have to be a factor. Burnette's had been in business since 1964, so a 58 year run is pretty good!

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)

Carolina Mattress was the follow-on operation in this Forest Drive storefront to Nutrition Warehouse. I'm not exactly sure when it closed, but the Google reviews suggest sometime around the start of 2022.

It seems it's kind of a tough time to be a mattress store.

Folks, with today's Forest Acres redevelopment announcement, I thought I would go ahead and throw up a Richland Mall post, even though I don't have anything prepared, so we can discuss it here rather than in Have Your Say.

So have at it!

(Hat tip to commenter John for the heads up).

UPDATE 10 November 2022 -- A question from commenter Russell below reminded me that there commenter Dennis worked of a map of the original open-air mall, and I got the tenant lists for 1926, 1975 & 1985 here. (Also changed to post title to add the word 'Redevelopment' at the end, added the street address and added the map icon.)

Also a note to folks popping in for the first time due to this post -- If you will go to Alphabetical Closings, you may find your favorite vanished spot in the site index.

Apparently Bobby's has been closed for about a year, but I never noticed it because the signage is still up, both on the storefront and the plaza road sign.

I used Bobby's several times for minor repairs on various pairs of Sebago Docksides, which I tend to hang onto (especially as they are no longer available), and was satisfied with the work. I believe that with the recent closing of Jimmy John's, this little plaza (which does not seem to have a name) now has three vacancies.

(Hat tip to commenter Dan R)

Simply Mac was an Apple reseller whose strategy was to locate in smaller areas not having an official Apple store. Once part of the Gamestop chain, the brand was spun off in 2019, just in time to run up against the pandemic. Although the stores did re-open later, the damage had been done and a messy Chapter 7 bankruptcy followed. Or at least that is one story. Other stories have other issues compounding, or even overshadowing, the damage from COVID.

Here is The State on the opening of this Trenholm Plaza location, and here is a story from Apple Insider on the bankruptcy.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry, who says this particluar store may never have re-opened)