Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

I've wondered about this place over they years, and a couple of times actually had the impression that it was closed, and stopped to get some pictures. That appears not to have been the case until recently. It's an odd, boxy building with opaque glass windows,and I don't think I would have cared to work there, unless you can see out better than you can see in. The place is now being demolished, and commenter Larry says a 7 Brew Coffee is to be built there.

(Hat tip to commenter Larry)

As far as I can tell, A1A has rebranded, or was bought-by/merged-with Covenant Insurance Group, and is now at 7356 Garners Ferry.

The Seafood Academy started in the old TGI Friday's location in Richland Mall in, I believe, 2014. After that, in 2016, they moved to East Pointe Plaza on Garners Ferry Road.

I'm unclear exactly when they closed, but I can't find any reviews later than 2018, so I will round up a bit and say 2019.

The suite is currently being refitted as a blood plasma center.

(I'm pretty sure this came up recently, but looking at the comments, I'm not seeing who it was to give a hat tip.)

This building featured here a while ago as a Hot Spot, which was closed for a while, re-opened, and then converted to an O M Mart.

Now it appears that the O M Mart reflagged as a Sunoco at some point, and is now closed again, though apparently on a temporary basis.

(Hat tip to commenter Cindy)

UPDATE 6 March 2023 -- Not a good picture, but open again:

Here's another drycleaners which has recently shut down. Michael's was in a somewhat oddly situated lot in the midst of all the intersection crazyness at the Garners Ferry Road/Leesburg Road/I-77 interchange. It struck my notice a few years ago because their signboard was advertising a computer position, and I had to wonder what that would entail.

From their closing sign, it apppears that Halloween was their last day of operation.

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I believe that Swamp Fox Armory is basically in the same location at the old Wateree Arms though there is a slight address difference, and of course that building was torn down.

According to their Facebook, they have been "currently closed" since March of last year. As the signage has been taken down or reversed, I wouldn't expect them to re-open at this point.

(Hat tip to commenter badger)

As pointed out by commener Justin S., the Advance Auto Parts store across from the Aldi at 7613 Garners Ferry Road has now moved just a little up the street to 7531 Garners Ferry. In the meantime, this, very checker-boarded, storefront is empty.

(Hat tip to commenter Justin S.)

This Synovus out on Garners Ferry Road is on the countdown now for a closure in Mid-January next year. Commenter Joe Shlabotnik notes that the suggested alternate location for this branch's customers is quite a drive from here. I suspect many people will make other arrangements.

(Hat tip to Joe Shlabotnik)

I'm guessing this building was at one time a "country store" type place that made the switchover to "convenience store". As near as I can tell from google reviews, it was Food Mart & Grocery as recently as three years ago, and the roadside sign suggests it reopened as Secret's sometime after that, though the length of the grass suggests that incarnation didn't last too long.

This legacy motel on US-601 at the Sumter Highway interchange has been here many years, and had a certain amount of fame as the Coronet Motel, which was the home of the The Circus Room -- A nightclub in an old circus bigtop tent.

In more recent years it has been a generic family run motel with a convenience store added in the office to bring in a bit more business (which has been in decline ever since Interstates became a thing). The only time I ever stopped was for a much needed comfort break on my way to the beach. I had previously been to the gas station on the other side of the intersection, and had been well less than impressed. In the event I probably should have take that option again. It turned out that the bathroom was unisex, and despite the fact that it had a perfectly good door lock, the exceedingly large woman on the pot when I opened the door had not engaged it. It was an encounter which I don't think did either of us much good..

I noticed a year or so ago that the place had finally given up the ghost and took these pictures a few months ago. Unfortunately many were taken against the sun, but since I doubt I will ever get by there in the morning, so it is what it is.

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