Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

I noticed this place up for sale driving down North Main the other day. Looking in Google Streetview, it appears it was probably open in August of 2007, but and they did list in the 2008 phoneobok (which is prepared in advance, of course), but were definitely closed by August of 2011, so I'm just going to say the closing was circa 2010.

LoopNet has a summary that says the building was built in 1950, and shows a semi-sideview where it looks much less deep than I had expected.

I noticed a while ago that Blue Ribbon was no longer at this North Main building which seemed to be their fleet yard, dispatch center, and rental event space for many years. Looking at Google Streetview, it appears that they were definitely still there in April of 2021, and gone by February of 2022. I figured they had just moved, but their web site seems to have been ofline since 2022, and I'm not finding any recent information online. I'm trying to recall if I have definitely seen their cabs recently, but I don't really notice cabs unless I am waiting for one (which is about once every five years or so). I actually have taken Blue Ribbon several times and it's been friendly, garrulous older men telling me how they used to hunt rabbits where my house is or drag race up & down Two Notch back in the day...
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I meant to get back and take a better picture than this drive-by, but apparently that's not going to happen.

TakoSushi closed their original downtown location in 2019, and their Forest Acres location in 2025. They returned to downtown in 2022, occuping two suites in the Arcade Mall. Apparently there is still a location in Lexington, though I can't recall ever seeing it.

You can read about it on WIS, in The State or at The Post & Courier.

(Hat tip to commenter Heath)

It appears that A Peace Of Soul has kind of been tapering operations for a while, but they did a full closing last week, and the place is now slated to be an Indian restaurant. A Peace Of Soul started as a follow-on to the chef's father's operation Lamb's Bread, closed during the pandemic, re-opened and now is apparently transitioning to pop-ups and a food truck.

You can read about it at WIS, on The State or The Free Times.

(Hat tip to commenter Gypsie)

As far as I can tell from Google StreetView, this old-school auto upholstery operation was here, with its original building ad detailing from 1956 up until around 2016. At that time it was taken over by Studio 2LR,

a boutique architecture and interior design firm

who elected to keep the vintage paint-job, though they have apparently added some neat robitechture on the back side of the building.

This location, which I later learned was the final resting place of The Basil Pot, first featured here as Tio's, and then again when it was Which Wich? with that operation leaving in late 2023, and Sub Station II moving in shortly after that.

The State has a story which tells very little more than what is on the door sign. I find it somewhat interesting that at close to two months after the closing, the fixtures are still in place, so apparently the place has not been sold.

(Hat tip to commenter Guy)

I like biscuits, but somehow never seem to end up at a biscuit place.

Rambo's was a Main Street storefront as well as a Soda City Market presence, but either lost or elected not to renew their lease last December. You can read about that at The State or on WIS.

The owners' goodbye and post closing clearance notes are on their Facebook.

(Hat tip to commenter Gypsie)

The Woody moved from the Vista to this Main Street corner in 2020, and continued in operation after the passing of founder Woody Windham last year. Unfortunately with the new SC liquor liability laws, the family is unable to keep the doors open past October.

They say they hope to open in a new location as a real restaurant, but there are no firm plans for that yet.

In the meantime, the upstairs neighbor, Hendrix, will be taking over the space to open a pizza restaurant.

You can read about the closing in ColaDaily, The Post & Courier, The State, and on WLTX.

It seems to me that South Carolina's nightlife scene has been greatly altered almost surreptitiously & through the back door.

Sylvan's has been in this spot on Main Street approximately forever, or accurately since 1905. I was today years old when I learned that the official name is no longer Sylvan Brothers, and that the Sylvan family has not been involved since 1985. Still, it remains a family store, now owned by the Schiffman family.

The Sylvan clock, along with the now vanished Standard Savings & Loan clock has always been a key part of my memories of the area, and I am happy to learn that it will remain where it has stood since 1906.

The store will be moving into the former Wet Willies building on Gervais Street sometime this fall. A non-specific October date is mentioned a few places, but I have not seen an exact one. Likewise, I believe I heard something about a moving sale, but have not seen anything in print about that.

In the meantime, you can read about the move here & here.

The Corner Blend at the corner of Main & Blossom Streets has been a number of things since the building went up. Most recently, I believe, it was Yoghut, and my understanding at the time was that The Corner Blend is essentially a reflagging of that operation to signal a new focus on Boba and Acai bowls.

The Post & Courier reports that the space has been taken by the owners of the Rosewood Market who want to make it a mini-outpost of that brand. It sounds as though there is still a good bit of work to do, but the projected timeframe is "this fall".

(Hat tip to commenter Cats)