Roofing Contractor in Columbia, SC

ELGIN — A group of local residents are fighting a rezoning proposal that would allow a McDonald's to open at an intersection in the center of the small town.

A number of residents along Emmanuel Street in Elgin have started a petition opposing a proposed zoning change they say would allow a McDonald’s to open in the neighborhood.

“As families living next to the proposed site for a McDonald's in Elgin, SC, we are deeply concerned about the impact this development will have on our community,” the online petition read. “Elgin is a unique town and we cherish its charm and tight-knit community spirit. A 24-hour fast-food chain threatens to disrupt our way of life.”

The petition goes on to say the restaurant would disturb nearby residences and businesses, including a church and cemetery, as well as lead to increased traffic and competition for local small businesses.

The petition had received 48 signatures of a goal of 50 as of May 8.

Elgin Town Council will hold a public hearing and final vote on the rezoning request at 6 p.m. June 3, Elgin Mayor Melissa Emmons told The Post and Courier. The proposal passed an initial 3-2 council vote on May 6.

Emmons confirmed McDonald’s “is an interested party” in the property. The plot is currently zoned for office space.

“There are multiple concerns for this request, but the main one is how it will affect our current traffic flow due to inadequate infrastructure in an area that already backs up every afternoon Monday-Friday currently,” Emmons said in a statement.

The property is located near the intersection of Emmanuel Street and U.S. Highway 1, which carries Elgin’s Main Street. Nearby businesses include a Bojangles, IGA grocery store and Family Dollar.

There are currently no McDonald’s locations in Elgin, according to the ubiquitous burger chain’s website. The nearest franchises are a roughly 15 minute drive in the Lugoff and Pontiac areas to the north and south, respectively.

“We are not against growth or change; we just need to make certain that it does not hinder our community and this area is zoned for Office Commercial for a reason — the surrounding residents who choose to call Elgin their home,” Emmons said.

A spokesperson for McDonald's did not immediately return request for comment.

Over 14,000 cars on average passed through Elgin on Highway 1 daily in 2024, according to state Department of Transportation Data.

The dispute comes as the town of roughly 1,600 people has seen three locally-owned restaurants close in the past few weeks.

The Elgin location of shaved ice chain Pelican’s SnoBalls announced its impending closure on May 18, citing a landlord dispute. Peruvian tapas restaurant Ration is closing its doors in June.

The owners of Random Tap closed the bar's doors in April, citing rising liquor liability costs. The same owners planned to open a lunch spot called Eatery 117 in the space.

COLUMBIA — Spring is a season for movement, and the Midlands' food scene is busy as bees with moves, events and other happenings. Here's a look at what's going on with several Columbia-area restaurants, breweries and bars:

Enzo's Delicatessen moves to Olympia

Enzo's Delicatessen, an Italian sandwich shop known for quality ingredients and big helpings, is moving into the same space as the owners' grocery and wine shop, Alimentari Don Luigi's at 612 Whaley St.

"We are making this move in order to preserve & protect our awesome little Italian wine shop & grocery from future tariffs," a May 12 post to the sandwich shop's Instagram reads. "We will now be a ONE STOP SHOP for lunch, Italian groceries, wine, desserts, and everything in between."

Joe Cardinale's other restaurant, Bar Gran Sasso, remains closed on Greene Street in Five Points, where Enzo's operated during daytime hours.

The second move for Enzo's brings "the original concept back to life" with indoor and patio dining, expanded parking and New York deli-style offerings. The original location, Enzo's Sputino, opened in 2021 on Whaley Street before moving to Five Points.

The move to the Olympia neighborhood brings new hours, Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Don Luigi offers Italian wines, goods and prepared foods, in addition to special wine tastings and dinners. For more information, call 803-550-2990.

Na'Cho Margarita opening second location near downtown Lexington

Na'Cho Margarita, a popular Mexican eatery in Prosperity, is opening a second location on Lexington's Main Street, a co-owner confirmed to Free Times May 13.

The restaurant is just waiting on final approvals for its liquor licenses, Gustavo Atehortua said. The restaurant, which spotlights its friendly service, cold drinks and lakefront views, is co-owned by Atehortua, Ignacio Velazquez, Johnny Vetancourt and George Mesa.

The new restaurant will be similar to the lakefront location, Atehortua said, but with a slightly smaller menu. He recommended new diners try their queso birria tacos. "It's a good plate," he said.

Atehortua is hoping the liquor license will be finalized within a month or so, and then the restaurant will be open.

Brewery set to open this summer in Camden

About 30 minutes outside of Columbia, the historic city of Camden is set to get a new brewery in the form of Greener Pastures Brewing Co. According to the brewery's social media, the building is under construction with a summer 2025 opening.

Set for 826 Broad St., near the heart of Camden's downtown, Greener Pastures will be "Kershaw County's very first craft brewery," according to the brewery.

Instagram posts show a curbside patio, outdoor biergarten with a pergola and a brewhouse for on-site brewing.

To keep up with Greener Pasture's path to opening, follow along at @greenerpasturesbrewco on Instagram.

COLUMBIA — Southern rock isn’t as limited or monolithic a genre as you might think. We tend to associate that phrase, “Southern rock,” with multi-guitar anthems like Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” or marathon jams like “Whipping Post” by The Allman Brothers Band.

But the truth is this style is a lot more flexible than you’d think, and one of the best examples of that is Spartanburg’s own Marshall Tucker Band. Their biggest hits were the acoustic ballad “Can’t You See,” the chugging “Fire On The Mountain” and the near-pop of “Heard It In A Love Song.”

And did we mention many of their songs are punctuated by flute solos from original member Jerry Eubanks?

The point is that in the 1970s, The Marshall Tucker Band showed how broad the term “Southern rock” can be, and that unique sound has fueled them for more than 50 years.

Having said that, it’s pretty different from the music that Florida’s JJ Grey makes with his band MOFRO, the Marshall Tucker Band’s current touring partner. The two groups perform at the Township Auditorium on May 21.

Grey makes deep, funky swamp soul music that feels like it could’ve crawled straight out of the Everglades. He might have some Southern twang in his voice, but his music ain’t Southern rock.

Which is exactly what makes the tour interesting, according to Marshall Tucker keyboard, flute and sax player Marcus James Henderson.

“They’re funky and bluesy, and we’re Southern rock,” Henderson said. “So it’ll be a good combination for sure.”

In a sense, if you’re a Southern rock fan, The Marshall Tucker Band is one of the last groups standing from the original wave of 1970s stars. The Allmans are long gone, and Skynyrd is winding things down. The longer The Marshall Tucker Band keeps playing, the more of their Southern rock brethren are going to fall by the wayside.

Interestingly enough, Henderson said he doesn’t think too much about keeping Southern rock alive. He cares more about keeping the group together.

“We’re a band, and we like to deliver the message as one,” he said. “And if you think about everyone else, delivering that message isn’t on your mind. So we just think about being a team. We keep rolling.”

Of course, it helps a band’s longevity when one of their songs has achieved truly iconic status.

“Can’t You See,” the aching, mostly acoustic ballad written and sung by lead guitarist Toy Caldwell, has been streamed over a billion times, remaining vital long after its composer passed away in 1993.

In fact, “Can’t You See” is essentially the centerpiece of any Marshall Tucker Band show, and that’s because the group turns the song over to the audience each night.

“The feeling you get when the whole crowd is singing ‘Can’t You See’ at you, that’s off the charts,” Henderson said. “It’s an amazing feeling. And it’s become an anthem. It’s the people’s anthem. The crowd takes over that song, they really do.”

While the band might not think too much about the peers who have broken up around them, Henderson said he is keenly aware of Marshall Tucker’s legacy. But the legacy he’s talking about might not be the one you’d expect.

“The legacy is the legacy of a team,” he said. “It was a team when it started, and it’s a team now. And when I say ‘team,’ I’m not just talking about who’s onstage. I’m talking about everyone. Whether you’re driving the bus or setting up the stage, everyone’s shoulder to shoulder. Everyone’s equal.”

Doug Gray, the band’s original lead singer and co-founding member, is taking a break from Marshall Tucker due to unspecified health issues. But Henderson (who’s covering some of the lead vocals) said Gray will be back soon, and no one in the band has any intention of hanging up their Southern rock spurs anytime soon.

“Doug’s given us his blessing to continue until he gets back, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Henderson said. “And when he gets back, we’re going to keep on rolling."

Three people were hospitalized Wednesday morning when a chase in South Carolina ended in a crash, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

The incident happened at about 9 a.m., on a stretch of Bush River Road near Dutch Square Mall in Columbia, the sheriff’s department told The State.

Deputies attempted to make a traffic stop on a vehicle that had a tag violation, the sheriff’s department said. The driver of the vehicle, later identified as 53 year-old David Quattlebaum, refused to pull over, and led a pursuit that spanned about 2 miles, according to the sheriff’s department.

The pursuit ended when the vehicle being chased ran a red light and crashed into an innocent bystander’s vehicle further down Bush River Road, near the Woodland Village Apartments, the sheriff’s department said. That’s by Exit 63 on Interstate 20.

Including Quattlebaum, there were three people in the vehicle leading the chase, and all of them were injured and taken by EMS to an area hospital, according to the sheriff’s department. Further information on the crash victims’ conditions was not available, but the sheriff’s department said none of their injuries were considered to be life threatening.

The two people in the vehicle that was struck by Quattlebaum’s vehicle were neither injured nor taken to the hospital, the sheriff’s department said.

Quattlebaum will be booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, where he’ll be charged with use of another license plate, driving under suspension (2nd offense), reckless driving, and failure to stop for blue lights (2nd offense with bodily injury), according to the sheriff’s department.

As of 1 p.m., Quattlebaum was not listed on the inmate roster, jail records show.

All of the people involved in the chase and collision are adults, according to the sheriff’s department.

Quattlebaum was out on bond from a Dec. 16, 2024 arrest when he was charged with use of vehicle without permission with intent to deprive, cocaine possession and another drug charge for marijuana possession, Richland County court records show.

Quattlebaum is also facing pending drug charges from a February 2023 arrest, according to court records.

A section of Bush River Road where the crash occurred was temporarily blocked by the sheriff’s department and the South Carolina Highway Patrol. Information about when all of the lanes would be reopened and the scene would be cleared was not available.

Drivers are encouraged to avoid the area if possible, or otherwise expect delays.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.

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This story was originally published May 14, 2025 at 11:09 AM.

CORRECTION: The Richland County Sheriff’s Department said information it provided about who was hospitalized after the crash included an error, which has been corrected in the updated version of this story.

COLUMBIA — Eggroll Chen had only been open a few years in Columbia when Yu Lin Chen took over the business from her brother.

The menu at the east Columbia restaurant was first inspired by other Asian eateries in the U.S., but Chen sought to add a traditional touch.

She introduced boba tea, or bubble tea, which had only recently emerged in her native Taiwan, but it didn't catch on. The tea-based drink, known for its chewy tapioca balls, later surged in popularity in the late 2010s, with boba shops popping up across the U.S.

"She had tried that, and so it's funny now that we have a lot of different boba shops in Columbia," her granddaughter Nikki Chen said. "She always jokes that she was ahead of the trend."

Yu Lin Chen's family were farmers, and her husband Chun Lang Chen was the son of a cook. The couple had previously opened a few restaurants in Pingtung county, Taiwan. Her brother started the business in 1985 while pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of South Carolina, before moving to San Francisco.

Boba tea never returned to the menu. But some popular dishes remain today, including beef noodle soup made with a base using ingredients sourced from Taiwan. The restaurant also continues to serve mapo tofu, a dish from Sichuan, China, that’s widely enjoyed in Taiwan. Another staple is Yen Su Jee, a salt-and-pepper popcorn fried chicken dish popular in Taiwanese night markets.

Eggroll Chen is one of several Asian-owned businesses in the city and surrounding communities.

While many Asian eateries adapt to local tastes, Eggroll Chen stays focused on authentic Taiwanese cuisine, using its specials menu to encourage customers to try something new from the island’s culinary tradition.

"All of our entrees are some type of vegetable and protein with rice, and that's a very traditional way that everyday people eat back in Taiwan," Nikki Chen said. "Usually for normal meals you just kind of do a stir-fry of different vegetables or a protein that you have at home and you eat it with rice."

Most of the familiarity it offers customers comes through presentation and convenience. For example, it began offering combo meals for those seeking quick, on-the-go options, similar to fast-casual chains like Chipotle.

And when the business rebuilt its original location in 2007, it added a drive-thru for added convenience.

Eggroll Chen's owner regularly participates in the annual Columbia International Festival, representing Taiwan. The business is also grateful for the support it has received from residents over the past four decades, Nikki Chen said.

"Just a strong appreciation for the community and everything that they've given me and my family over the last 40 years," Nikki Chen said.