La Bohème, a gift store in Five Points.

COLUMBIA — A chain of upscale boutiques has found a new home in Columbia in the former space of an iconic Five Points retail spot.

Copper Penny, a chain with locations in Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Hilton Head and Greenville, held a grand opening for its new storefront at 743 Saluda Ave. on March 12, according to a press release.

The store is returning to Five Points after previously moving from another location on Harden Street.

“Copper Penny is honored to be back in Columbia in the heart of Five Points,” the chain posted on its Instagram account.

The chain was founded in 1987 and “will offer an array of stylish pieces perfect for every occasion, from everyday essentials to statement-making ensembles” according to a press release.

“Customers can also look forward to exclusive trunk shows, styling events, and seasonal selections that reflect the latest trends in fashion."

The spot formerly housed La Boheme, a jewelry, gift and home goods store that announced it would close in July 2024 after the store's owner had to have both of her legs amputated as a result of multiple blood clots.

La Boheme was a continuation and rebrand of Gibson's Gift Store, which opened on Saluda Avenue in 1955 and had been a Columbia staple.

New restaurant comes to former Robinson Room on Main Street

A new dining option recently came to Main Street, filling a space left by another restaurant.

Top Tier featuring The Genesis Room opened at 1614A Main St. on Feb. 5, according to the restaurant’s social media.

The address was formerly home to The Robinson Room, which left that location for 1625 Main St. on Nov. 7. No reason for the move was given at the time.

Top Tier offers American fine dining options, according to menus published online. The restaurant was listing job openings online as of March 10.

The restaurant will be open from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays, noon to 1 a.m. on Saturdays and noon to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

No Name Deli future uncertain

Local staple No Name Deli may have to find a new home.

The deli’s 2042 Marion St. location is threatened by a proposal to build an eight-story, nearly 300-unit apartment complex at the end of the block bordered by Elmwood Avenue and Marion and Bull streets.

No Name Deli in downtown Columbia.

Astral Development of New York purchased the six adjacent properties where the apartments would stand for $2.1 million in February 2023, The Post and Courier reported. The total project had an estimated value of $50 million at that time.

Initial renderings of the apartments depicted a smaller, five-story project that left the corner lot housing the deli untouched.

The No Name Deli plot of land, as well as another at the opposite end of the block occupied by a gas station, were sold to the developer in September 2024, according to county tax records. The deli opened a second location in Forest Acres in October.

Representatives for the apartment developers said they hoped the deli would find a new home in the project’s ground floor retail component, but that negotiations were ongoing. The deli would remain in operation until construction began.

Plans for an eight-story, nearly 300-unit apartment complex at the corner of Bull Street and Elmwood Avenue could displace the original No Name Deli location.

The city’s Planning Commission will vote on the proposed apartments at a March 13 meeting.

Champagne bar and restaurant to open in Vista

A new restaurant and lounge will open in a historic building in The Vista.

The Champagne Lounge & Restaurant will open at 902 Gervais St. this spring, according to a press release from Colliers commercial real estate firm, which brokered the lease.

The restaurant will offer “a luxurious experience,” serving American and global cuisine in an interior decorated in bronze and gold accents, according to the release. There will be a private dining room and outdoor patio.

The restaurant will lease over 4,700 square feet of the building, which is also occupied by Longhorn Steakhouse, Peebles Wings Vista and Jay’s Bar and Grill. The Champagne space was the last open unit in the building, which was built in 1903 as the Seaboard Railroad Station.

The restaurant had been teased on social media ahead of the official announcement in posts dating back to November. An official opening date was not given, but is expected in spring 2025.

902 Gervais St. in Columbia's Vista district.

Forest Acres votes to restrict late-night businesses

Forest Acres City Council passed a ban on most businesses operating between midnight and 5 a.m. in a March 11 vote.

Health care facilities such as hospitals and urgent care clinics are exempt from the ban, along with emergency veterinary facilities. Automated services like ATMs, fuel pumps and vending machines are also exempt and fitness centers may open as early as 4 a.m.

Additionally, grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations and hotel lobbies could qualify for a special permit if they install security cameras and meet other conditions. For grocery stores and pharmacies to qualify for the permit, they must also have security personnel on-site from midnight to 5 a.m.

Although officials say only one Forest Acres business — a gas station — stays open after midnight, the city pursued the ordinance to prevent crime from rising with business growth, Mayor Thomas Andrews said.

City officials said the ordinance will help maintain the city's "more neighborhood-type feel" and focus officers on patrolling residential areas over commercial ones.

Caleb Bozard covers business, growth and development for the Post & Courier Columbia. He has previously written for The State and the Times and Democrat. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2023.