Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

I was aware of Burn Boot Camp in this location, but I was never really sure what it actually was. Judging by the corporate website, it is a gym chain focusing on shorter, 45 minute, workouts to get you in-and-out and off to your day with no wasted time. There remain several in the Midlands, with the next closest one probably being at Sandhill.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)

I did a closing for the Harbison location earlier this month, and I suspect the Forest Acres location closed at the same time.

Unlike that one, the suite here in the Forest Park plaza (though that name seems to be de-emphasised since Lowes moved in..) has already been repurposed by what looks to be a New Age therapy salon: Integrative Roots Medicine.

My memory is that this building was built to be a Redbone Alley, and after that it was a barbecue joint, and I believe briefly a jazz club before moving to mexican food as Pancho's. When the San Jose in the current Pasta Fresca building closed, Pancho's re-flagged as San Jose, and operated there for a number of years.

When commenter Larry mentioned that the San Jose had closed as was moving to the Sparkleberry location, I figured that another operation, perhaps an Asian buffet, would be in the space before long. I was quite surprised then that when I went by to get some pictures, the building was in the process of being knocked down. I guess I shouldn't be *too* surprised: It was an odd structure, with a mostly unused second floor which must have cost a lot to heat and cool. There are no signs indicating what, if anything, is to be built here once the lot is vacant.

There is apparently still electricity to the ornamental pool pump system, and it is beeping quite forlornly about the water level being low.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)

I know I had seen this little plaza thousands of times over the years of living in the area, but it never impinged on my consciousness as I never had to visit any business hosted there. I was a bit surprised to find, on hearing it had been razed and going to check it out, that it is quite an elevated lot, towering over the road, and the neighboring dental office.

Commenter Larry reports that this, like the adjacent two properties (the former Turning Pointe & Marlboro Inn) has been bought by the Lexington Medical Group.

(Hat tip to commenter Matt)

Post-cancer apparel shop The Forms Boutique moved from Devine Street to this Richland Mall outparcel in 2011.

I can't find anything definitive online, but it appears that they closed for good last year.

As of yet the demolition appears to be limited to taking down some parking lot lights and cutting some trees. I would guess not much interior teardown has been done, because I don't see a lot of refuse & dumpsters, but that's just a guess.

I'll keep updating this post as the demolition continues...

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It seems like Dunkin' as a chain is doing a lot of remodeling now, and the Forest Acres location is now caught up in that. I haven't parked to see if there is a sign with an ETA for re-opening, but it looks like there's a way to go.

I will say that this place has been a bit flakey for a while -- often the lobby would be randomly closed when I would stop by though the drive-through would be open. I suppose it's staffing issues.

Here's another Chick-Fil-A teardown/rebuild as they continue to pivot to drive-through centric restaurants. This one is in the Wal-Mart plaza at Forest Drive & I-77.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)

Village Idiot is the follow-on operation in this storefront to Paulie's Pizzeria, which succumbed in 2009 to a kind of "If we have ingredients today, maybe we'll make pizza" syndrome. I never found the space a good sit-down restaurant in that incarnation, and since I never really warmed to Village Idiot in Five Points, I never tried this location.

The chain remains ongoing, but with the sale of this strip-mall, and the end of their lease coming up, they decided not to continue in this location.

The State has the story here, as does the Free Times here. I'll note that The State describes Forest Acres as ritzy, which is not a word I'd ever associated with our little community before.

The closing date is not firmed up yet, but will be by the end of the year.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)

I go to this Groucho's fairly frequently for the BLT (which has a whole lot of B), and like to sit out on the patio, weather permitting.

I hadn't been in a month or so, and noticed no cars and a sign on the door as I was driving by the other day. My takeaway is that they are remodeling, though I would have said the place was in reasonably good shape, with comfortable booths. (Not at all fancy, but servicable and about what I expected from a Groucho's.)

The sign and web site are a bit vague about exactly what is happening, and how long it will take, and I'm not sure what's up with all those books, which I don't think were there before, but hopefully they will be back soon.