By admin 
A string of longtime eateries and a national boating retailer have either closed or announced plans to close across the Columbia area in recent weeks. Some businesses cited expiring leases or building sales, while others are part of broader corporate restructuring.
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Here are key takeaways:
- Hampton Place Cafe closed its downtown Columbia location at 1230 Hampton St. after 35 years in business, with a handwritten note on the door thanking customers for their support.
- Steve “Papa” Gendil originally started Hampton Place in 1990 with a goal to serve fresh, affordable lunch, and the cafe became known for sandwiches like the Hali Cali and the Skyscraper.
- Bowl N’ Burrito, an Indian and Mexican fusion restaurant, permanently closed its storefront at 2000 Clemson Road but will continue operating as a food truck. The brick-and-mortar location opened in January 2025.
- Gong Cha and Kremo Ice Cream shut down its Five Points location at 701-B Santee Ave. in late June, but a new restaurant called GotCha featuring Asian-inspired street foods and milk tea will take over the space.
- Boat supply store West Marine is closing its store at 142 Harbison Blvd. as part of a plan to shutter 59 locations nationwide following the company’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in May.
- Ruby Tuesday closed its restaurant at 7490 Garners Ferry Road, marking the chain’s second Midlands closure in recent weeks and leaving only one location, in Lexington, remaining in the Midlands area.
- TakoSushi permanently closed its downtown Columbia restaurant at 1332 Main Street on July 9, reducing the chain’s Midlands footprint from three locations to one after the earlier shutdown of its Forest Acres spot. Its Lexington restaurant is still open
- Camon Japanese Restaurant, which operated at 1332 Assembly Street for 42 years, closed that storefront after the building was sold to make way for a new hotel. Its owners are searching for a new location to continue the business.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
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