Columbia Closings   What’s not in Columbia anymore

I've always liked this little extreme 'A' Frame building on Airport Boulevard just east of the airport entrance.

It appears that it switched real estate businesses from Sunbelt Properties to Lindy, Inc. sometime late last year or early this year as Sunbelt is still listed in the February 2013 phonebook.

I know the building predated Sunbelt by a good deal, but don't know what it was originally built for. The only other 'A' frame in town I can think of was a Mr. Swiss on Beltline but the look isn't really that similar.

My first thought at seeing this former First Citizens branch at the corner of the Charleston Highway and Platt Springs Road was that there must be some sort of sporting event in the area as the lot was packed full of cars taking advantage of the Sunday bank closure to park there.

A closer inspection revealed the actual facts, which are that the bank is gone, and the lot is being used as an impromptu (I could see no business sign at least..) used car lot. I've heard the old GM described as a bank that sold some cars, perhaps the concept is spreading...

I already did a closing on this building on Meeting Street in West Columbia near Triangle City for when it was Bell's Hamburger Drive-In, but I noticed a while ago that the follow on operation (which was not the immediate follow-on!) Chiva Auto Sales is now gone as well.

That gave me a chance to get some more shots of this place, without all the cars parked outside, and the guy wondering what the heck I was doing sitting inside. However, the place is tightly fenced off now, so I still can't get any close shots through the building windows. It will be a shame if the next owners tear down the building and marquee which absolutely scream of a certain era, but I can't imagine it being suited to much other than used-car office these days..

I don't have a street number and so couldn't find out the name, but this little vacant lot adjoining Sunset Court was a used car operation in the not too distant past, though as you can see, their stock is now rather limited:

While I agree in theory that flame cooking burgers the way Burger King (and now Cookout) does is superior to griddle-frying them, for some reason that has never actually translated into my liking BK, or at least hasn't since I was in middle school or so. Perhaps I should give them another try as its been probably twenty years or so since I've had a burger there. At any rate, that won't be an option at this store on Sunset Boulevard by the Waffle House and I-26. Unlike the many remodeling BKs in Columbia, this one seems gone for good.

(Hat tip to commenter William)

I noticed this "stuff for the holes in your house" store driving on Sunset last weekend. They are listed in the February 2012 phonebook so apparently they closed up shop sometime last year.

Presumably they meant "Vista" in the scenic sense as they aren't really close to the Congaree Vista..

I've noticed Maunz Electronics off and on over the years as I drove down Sunset. The building has some nice retro touches (which may have been current when it was built), and it would catch my eye, as would the strong blue of the roadside sign.

The notices on the door list 12 October 2012 as the last day here, with the nice touch of referring people to another local business for future work.

(Hat tip to commenter MB)

I really like the sign here at the former WECO Billiards. It has a similar aesthetic to Varsity Billiards and Red Wing Rollerway.

This site for the current owners of the building (note the clever URL) says it was built originally as a grocery. It was still operating as a billiard hall in the February 1997 phonebook, but by the time of the next one I have here at home (February 2007), the listing was gone. Since then it appears to have been a thrift store, and now houses a number of operations as detailed at the previous link.

Tea was apparently a Vietnamese tea house with sandwiches and other fare. It was on that little strip of State Street near Meeting Street which has a whole row of storefronts, and was in between Rish Florist and the original Cafe Strudel location.

I don't have my phonebooks right now, but the last online reviews I see for the place are dated early 2011, so I'm guessing it closed that year.

As mentioned in this State story, longtime State Street fixture Cafe Strudel is.. staying on State Street. They have however moved south two blocks to 300 State Street (certainly within easy walking distance from the former location), and have re-opened ahead of schedule. In fact they were still painting the new marquee sign as I walked by, but underneath the ladder were open for business.