Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

This is a shame as this Baskin-Robbins was my go-to for milkshakes & ice cream. Not that I went that often, but it was pleasant on a summer night to get something cold and hang around in the warm evening outside for a while.

I believe this closing leaves Forest Acres without an ice-cream parlor for the first time in my life. There is still Zesto for a chocolate-dip, but as much as I like soft-serve now and then, it's not really the same thing.

I'm not sure what's up with the construction, but apparently someone jumped the gun a bit.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)

Ivy & Leo in Trenholm Plaza is moving leftwards a few suites into the slot formerly occupied by Simply Mac. This lateral move will let Publix expand their store into the vacated adjacent space. This has long needed doing, as that Publix was crammed into a former A&P slot, and is much smaller than their typical store. I like Publix in general, but have always felt cramped when I shop this one.

The Post & Courier has the story here.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)

Update 20 July 2023 -- This storefront is now gone:

This Burnette's moved from its longtime Trenholm Road home a few years ago, and now this location has closed as well as the whole chain shuts down.

The announcement was on their Facebook page without a specific reason given other than "the time has come", but I have to think big changes over the years in the way we dress and wash have to be a factor. Burnette's had been in business since 1964, so a 58 year run is pretty good!

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)

Carolina Mattress was the follow-on operation in this Forest Drive storefront to Nutrition Warehouse. I'm not exactly sure when it closed, but the Google reviews suggest sometime around the start of 2022.

It seems it's kind of a tough time to be a mattress store.

Folks, with today's Forest Acres redevelopment announcement, I thought I would go ahead and throw up a Richland Mall post, even though I don't have anything prepared, so we can discuss it here rather than in Have Your Say.

So have at it!

(Hat tip to commenter John for the heads up).

UPDATE 10 November 2022 -- A question from commenter Russell below reminded me that there commenter Dennis worked of a map of the original open-air mall, and I got the tenant lists for 1926, 1975 & 1985 here. (Also changed to post title to add the word 'Redevelopment' at the end, added the street address and added the map icon.)

Also a note to folks popping in for the first time due to this post -- If you will go to Alphabetical Closings, you may find your favorite vanished spot in the site index.

Apparently Bobby's has been closed for about a year, but I never noticed it because the signage is still up, both on the storefront and the plaza road sign.

I used Bobby's several times for minor repairs on various pairs of Sebago Docksides, which I tend to hang onto (especially as they are no longer available), and was satisfied with the work. I believe that with the recent closing of Jimmy John's, this little plaza (which does not seem to have a name) now has three vacancies.

(Hat tip to commenter Dan R)

Simply Mac was an Apple reseller whose strategy was to locate in smaller areas not having an official Apple store. Once part of the Gamestop chain, the brand was spun off in 2019, just in time to run up against the pandemic. Although the stores did re-open later, the damage had been done and a messy Chapter 7 bankruptcy followed. Or at least that is one story. Other stories have other issues compounding, or even overshadowing, the damage from COVID.

Here is The State on the opening of this Trenholm Plaza location, and here is a story from Apple Insider on the bankruptcy.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry, who says this particluar store may never have re-opened)

Well this is unfortunate. While I wouldn't say I was a regular at this spot, I did like to get a JJ BLT and eat at the outside tables from time to time during good weather. I guess Groucho's will do that duty from now on.

UPDATE 14 November 2022 -- Add the first two pictures, of Jimmy Johns in operation from the First Cellular closing.

I went to this theater twice this summer with my sister and niece, once to see Jurassic World and once to see Minions. Frankly those movies were not the best, but the experience was fine and my niece enjoyed playing the pinball machine in the lobby after the shows.

However, I figured that the writing was on the wall when I had a bit of unexpected free time on a Saturday in August, and, since I was already in the car, drove over to see what was playing. I got there about 8:30pm, and found that there were no further shows that day. So, if on a summer Saturday when the kids are still out of school, you are closing the ticket office at 8:30 -- that's not a good sign.

Sure enough, a few weeks later they locked the doors for good.

I have to say that after this, and Dutch Square, I would not place odds on the longevity of the Afton Court location in Harbison.

Here's The State on the closing.

(Hat top to commenter Thomas)

UPDATE 28 September 2023: The State reports that the adjacent Shandon Baptist Church has purchased the theater property.

Zoe's Kitchen (more properly spelled with double dots over the 'e') was the follow-on in this creekside lot to Frans in 2008.

Being that it was creekside, they took a big hit in the Great Flood of 2015 and were closed for a while regrouping after that. In fact, I thought they were never quite as good after the flood as before, and whereas I had eaten on the patio fairly often in good weather previously, I more or less gave that up.

Recently the entire chain was bought out by Cava which appears to have the exact same concept as Kairos, and this location is currently closed for the conversion.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)