Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

Bangkok Thai-Chinese restaurant has moved across Garners Ferry from its old home in the Southern Salvage plaza to the Wal-Mart outparcel plaza. This is the former site of Larry's Subs and Steve's Subs. It was also the site of Japan Grill about which I need to do a closing.

(Hat tip to commenter Badger).

Somehow I've never gotten around to trying Thai food, though I think I might like it. Thai Lotus on at the top of the hill on Saint Andrews Road is no longer an option for that though. The online reviews look mixed, but the place lasted for a good while. In fact, if you look through the foyer window, you can see *two* payphones, which tells you something about the vintage. Most places ripped them out a good while ago, leaving either odd little alcoves near the bathrooms or bereft cables on the wall..

I quite like the picnic terrace on the left side of the building. It has a nice tree growing up through it, and overlooks the activity farther down the hill.

(Hat tip to commenter Nobody.)

UPDATE 22 April 2013: Added Lowcountry Cafe and Yesterday's to the post title based on the comments and the 1985 phonebook (Yesterday's).

UPDATE 28 January 2020 -- Now Steve's Classic Burgers:

I don't know anything about Varns Drug Store other than it was listed in Walsh's Columbia South Carolina City Directory for 1907-08, had "E H Varn" listed as the proprietor and is not there now.

Thai On Gervais was obviously many iterations after Varns. I know they listed in the phonebook from (at least) February 2007 through February 2011, but not in Feburary 2012. Given that, and the current state of the space, I think they must have closed sometime in 2011.

Traffic was heavy enough that I could not step into Gervais Street to get a good frontal shot of this place, but you can see from the sidewalk and side views that it has sort of a "work is being done" look. I did not see any permits or indications as to what is next here however.

UPDATE 11 June 2012: Commenter Larry casts doubt on this actually being Thai On Gervais, at least within the time period suggested by the phonebook. I will try to check the city directories next time I am at the library, but for now I am leaving it. (Varn's I am more confident about).

UPDATE 20 June 2012: After consulting city directories at the RCPL, I can say that from (at least) 1960 through 1970, this space (actually 926-930) was Safran's Antique Galleries. After that, it was apparently vacant for a good while. In 1995, it was listed as Arcade Auction (Charlton Hall Overflow) and from 1995 to (at least) 2000, it was I. Pickney Simons Gallery. That seems to have been the last tenant. No city directory lists Thai On Gervais, but that is definitely in phonebooks..