Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

I'm not clear if Nutrition Warehouse and Carolina Barbell gym were co-located in this storefront, or if Carolina Barbell came afterwards, and google isn't helping me out. Either way, neither is there now.

I don't believe I had ever driven back into Sesqui Station, and none of it is visible from Two Notch, so I was rather surprised to see the size of the place, though it is hardly bustling now. As I recall there was quite a controversy about it back in the day as it was built on land carved out of Sesqui State Park -- something that really isn't supposed to happen.

When I was growing up, we used to drive through Lugoff probably more than a half dozen times a year, visiting relatives in Hartsville. After I-20 came through, I went that way much less frequently, though sometimes I would drive the US routes to Fayetteville when I lived there, and the Interstates were still double-nickle. During the last ten or more years though I have probably only been there once or twice, and the only place I ever really remember is the building with the car on the roof.

Which is to say I had not heard of Dave's until it came up in the comments, but a nice sunny afternoon seemed like a good time to make the drive. It looks like it was a relaxed sports-bar right on the main drag. I met a resident while I was there, who has, I think has found a good home.

(Hat tip to commenter Jimmy Freeman)

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This old Hardee's building has had a number of incarnations over the years. I apparently totally missed the Top Shelf Tavern phase which commenter Andrew pointed out in the Hardee's comments, but now the follow-on operation to that, Home Team Tavern is also gone and the place back on the market.

Judging by the Facebook Page, they were still doing events on 15 February 2020, so I'm marking the closing as "Mid February".

UPDATE 15 September 2020 -- As mentioned in the comments, this place is working to open as Amora Sports Bar & Grill:

Locker Room was the follow-up operation in this suite to Corma's Nutritional Supplements & More, which closed in 2015. With both Locker Room and Ed Robinson now recently gone, the building is completely vacant, and I have to wonder if it is long for the world. The building was clearly built as an old-school service station, and I have to think that property on this stretch of Forest Drive leading to the Interstate interchange is too valuable now to leave something like this taking up a lot. (Though I personally like the canopy look).

Kwagga is apparently the Afrikaans name for the Quagga, an extinct South African Zebra, and the place itself is now extinct as well.

This was the followup operation to The Puddlin' Duck, and commenter Joelc who notes that it was a nice place, but suffered the same problems as The Duck with the location.

It wouldn't hurt Fortune Square to buy some light bulbs.

(Hat tip to commenter Joelc)

I first became aware of Gamecock Stop when it moved into the old Chippendolls location on Rosewood, and in fact I did a closing on it when it did a semi-move within that space.

After that, they they moved up Rosewood to 2701, a location for which I have done a number of closings. At some point after they moved, both Mrs. Monogram and Boykin & Co started sharing the space. I guess it's clear enough what Mrs. Monogram did, but I am unsure exactly what Boykin & Co, which had top billing in the final configuration, was.

(Hat tip to commenter MB)

Based on the available evidence, it appears to me that Monday 6 January was the last day of operation for the Lexington Wild Hare, on US-1 north of I-20. This closing leaves the chain with two restaurants: one in the Vista and one on the Western segment of Bush River Road near the former Irmo Kmart.

(Hat tip to commenter badger)

UPDATE 25 September 2016 -- This is now The Kingsman Cue & Brew:

Here's the Village At Sandhill location of Carolina/Clemson sports memorabilia store Big Thursday.

As you can see this is in one of the best parts of Sandhill -- on the main drag and right next to Five Guys so I don't expect it will stay vacant too long. This was a fairly nice day if not yet really "Springlike" and there was a good deal of foot and car traffic.

Sportings goods store Todd & Moore has been a fixture on O'Neil Court for seemingly as long as I can remember. It's not a place I've ever been in because, well, to say I'm not sports oriented is perhaps to understate the matter, but believe my mother got the one tennis racket I ever owned (wooden, with a wooden press) from here, or from some Todd & Moore location at any rate.

Here is the original State article announcing the protracted closing of the O'Neil Court store, which started in January, as seen in the first couple of pictures below (taken on a rainy night) and finished up in late March.

Yes, there are too many pictures -- I'm a sucker for clouds. Also notice that the New Balance marquee got taken down at some point.

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I noticed the other day that the eastern-most storefront in Tillman's Plaza was empty. I've written about this building before, as it was the last location of The Byte Shop, one of Columbia's first computer stores. The first picture above comes from that closing.

There is a Play It Again Sports on Bower Parkway, but I don't know if it moved from here.

UPDATE 19 July 2012 -- It's now 5 Star Rental Purchase (with a rather "Patrick" looking mascot):