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Is it just me or do you feel that the state fair in Columbia is declining. I grew up in Augusta but we went to Columbia every year for the zoo and state fair. Now I live near Atlanta and after taking the kids to visit Their grandparents, we planned a family trip to Columbia last October to the zoo and the state fair. I was looking forward to taking my wife ( her first time to Columbia) and kids to a fun weekend. To make a Long story short, that excitement became not so much as the main road in Columbia Forest Hills and Five Points is now ghetto. We changed our hotel reservation to A hotel further out in Sand Hills because the area around the old Sheriton on Bush River Road looked sketchy which was a very nice area in the mid 90's. To make matters worst, when we when to the State Fair and we went through metal detectors, I could tell my wife was hesitant of staying as this was the first Fair that I ever remember seeing cops everywere as airport security is not even that intense as apperantly this fair has had security in the past. By the way it was not like this in the 80's and 90's when I was a teenager. The shows and exhibits was crap compared to what they used to be. Also as the night went on the crowd became more a noxious and a huge fight broke out on the midway. needless to say we left and did return the next DAY and got out of there long before dark in which the crowd was fine then. The next day at riverbanks The Zoo gardens was nice however the animal exibits has declined from what they were when I was younger. That weekend just amazed me how much Columbia has declined and I don't plan to visit again anytime soon as I almost feel safer walking down Northside here I. Atlanta than driving through Columbia. Even Augusta does not intimidate me as bad as that visit to Columbia. What a real shame. I will say that Sand Hills was awesome and I hope crime does not spread into that area of Columbia as it seems to be in the Columbiana area.
Neighborhoods change through the years, etc. Areas of town that were weak when you were a kid are rejuvenated now. The state fair seems the same to me as it has always been - you have to remember that things that may have impressed you as a kid will not impress you as an adult. I could give you the same examples of changes in Atlanta and Augusta in the last 20 or 30 years. Sorry you had a bad trip.
Yeah! It seems like the Vista and West Columbia area has rejuvenated but I also remember Bush River and Broad River road along with Two Notch being major shopping and dining corridors when I was younger but now they all seem sketchy as it seems that many of the cities major commercial areas are closing up and moving further out. Dutch Square, Columbia Mall look sad and Richland Fashions Mall used to remind me of a smaller Lennox of Atlanta but now it is a ghost town and is struggling. It concerns me that Columbia once had 4 thriving malls now it's more like 3 struggling malls and one successful mall although the outdoor Sandhills Village in my opinion counts for a mall and a nice one at that. Sand Hills reminds me of the type of stores that Richland Fashions Mall once had.
Yeah! It seems like the Vista and West Columbia area has rejuvenated but I also remember Bush River and Broad River road along with Two Notch being major shopping and dining corridors when I was younger but now they all seem sketchy as it seems that many of the cities major commercial areas are closing up and moving further out. Dutch Square, Columbia Mall look sad and Richland Fashions Mall used to remind me of a smaller Lennox of Atlanta but now it is a ghost town and is struggling. It concerns me that Columbia once had 4 thriving malls now it's more like 3 struggling malls and one successful mall although the outdoor Sandhills Village in my opinion counts for a mall and a nice one at that. Sand Hills reminds me of the type of stores that Richland Fashions Mall once had.
It is not a "Columbia thing" that retail corridors move. I don't see how Columbia Mall and one other mall will make it as a destination center. They will have to reinvent the property as another use, maybe government offices. But, Columbiana, Sandhills & the old fashion mall should do well. Columbiana needs to expand if possible, would love to see Sears change to a Nordstrom. Sandhills needs more population density to keep moving forward. The area seems to doing well as evidenced by the luxury car dealerships moving to the area. Quick proximity to Charlotte's airport should also help develop the area. The old fashion mall has potential to be very cool, hope the new developer does well with it. The demographics of the immediate area are terrific. You painted a broad brush of the city which simply is not true.
Is it just me or do you feel that the state fair in Columbia is declining. I grew up in Augusta but we went to Columbia every year for the zoo and state fair. Now I live near Atlanta and after taking the kids to visit Their grandparents, we planned a family trip to Columbia last October to the zoo and the state fair. I was looking forward to taking my wife ( her first time to Columbia) and kids to a fun weekend. To make a Long story short, that excitement became not so much as the main road in Columbia Forest Hills and Five Points is now ghetto. We changed our hotel reservation to A hotel further out in Sand Hills because the area around the old Sheriton on Bush River Road looked sketchy which was a very nice area in the mid 90's. To make matters worst, when we when to the State Fair and we went through metal detectors, I could tell my wife was hesitant of staying as this was the first Fair that I ever remember seeing cops everywere as airport security is not even that intense as apperantly this fair has had security in the past. By the way it was not like this in the 80's and 90's when I was a teenager. The shows and exhibits was crap compared to what they used to be. Also as the night went on the crowd became more a noxious and a huge fight broke out on the midway. needless to say we left and did return the next DAY and got out of there long before dark in which the crowd was fine then. The next day at riverbanks The Zoo gardens was nice however the animal exibits has declined from what they were when I was younger. That weekend just amazed me how much Columbia has declined and I don't plan to visit again anytime soon as I almost feel safer walking down Northside here I. Atlanta than driving through Columbia. Even Augusta does not intimidate me as bad as that visit to Columbia. What a real shame. I will say that Sand Hills was awesome and I hope crime does not spread into that area of Columbia as it seems to be in the Columbiana area.
I went to the SC state fair for the first time last year and it was sketchy. Won't go again.
I went to the SC state fair for the first time last year and it was sketchy. Won't go again.
Really? I have been to the fair every year since I was born. This is complelty false. The fair is safe, fun, and the best family event held in SC annually. Don't let this guy mislead you.
I find it hard to believe that anyone who has never said anything complimentary about Columbia, and who in fact has never said anything but negative things about it, would bother to come down to go to the State Fair, unless it was solely for the purpose of looking for anything and everything that he could construe as negative.
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