Anyone Know What Is Coming To Sumter? (Columbia, Jackson: 2011, construction)

[missnatural01]

Just wondering....I have been seeing alot of old buildings being updated. Does anyone know what will be coming to Sumter? To name a few: The old redbone alley buidling in the TJ maxx shopping center as well as the old Final Markdown! building in the same center and the old Goody's building.

[Sassy8722]

I wish all those places were still here. I love Redbone Alley and Goody's. I only went in Final Markdown once, I thought it was new? It seemed like a pretty cool place to get stuff at a good deal. There is also supposed to be a new Wal-Mart coming on Hwy 15S, which would be nice, it would be about 5 minutes from me, where I have to drive 20+ minutes to get to the one on Broad St. Hwy 15S seems to be getting a lot of new stuff though, we just got a Bojangles over here. I was so happy but there is never anyone there so the food is awful since it sits so long waiting to be bought.

[missnatural01]

Just to update: Burkes Outlet is moving into the old Goody's building and a clothing store named "it's fashion metro" is coming to the Red Bone Alley building.Has anyone tried the new Chinese Buffet on broad across from Golden Corral?

[Ceezer]

Not to be picky, but for those reading that may care about the difference, it's actually a Japanese buffet going into the old Ryan's. I'm anxious to see what kind of items they'll have. Is it open now?

[ean22180]

I would imagine that renovations are being done in preparation for additional personnel moving to work at Shaw AFB. They recently began construction to move the US Army's ARCENT to Shaw. Believe that completion should be in 2011 or 2012.

[missnatural01]

Originally Posted by Ceezer

Not to be picky, but for those reading that may care about the difference, it's actually a Japanese buffet going into the old Ryan's. I'm anxious to see what kind of items they'll have. Is it open now?

Yes, it's open now. If you have ever been to Eastern Buffet in Columbia off exit 12 it's pretty much the same thing. I guess what makes it Japanese is a hibachi grill/sushi area. They do have a few "American" items such as philly cheese steak, pizza, chicken nuggets, fries....mostly chinese buffet staples though (sweet and sour chicken, lo mein, pepper steak, sesame chicken, et.al). It was pretty packed Sunday and the food is pretty good. Naturally the sushi isn't that fresh if you get it off the buffet, but if you ask they will make you something that tastes better. The decor is very nice. Beautiful really. The prices are very decent and also a discount for military is available.

I noticed Mon Japanese Cafe coming in right across the street. I have been to a sushi bar with that name in California. It was very fresh and offered a nice selection of sushi/sake and i think a few hibachi items? Memory is a little fuzzy on that...Anyway, the one in CA was great!

I have noticed people in Sumter must really like to eat out. I mean how many McDs, Wendy's and KFCs does this city have?? Honestly, I have never seen so much fast food in such a small area.

[Ceezer]

We went to Hibachi Friday evening since my wife's sisters were coming in town and, eh... Like you said, it's primarily a Chinese buffet with hibachi grill. The sushi was warm, and everything on the buffet was very bland. We assumed it was because they weren't expecting the large crowds and were rushed, so we'll try again in a several months when it settles in.

If you like sushi, #1 Thai on Guignard is very good. Much better than Cola's SakiTumi.

Quick eateries are the way of a military town. Trust me, it gets much worse than Sumter. I was bored one day and counted the fast food restaurants around Camp Lejeune in the phone book and we had 13 McDs, 11 BKs, 11 Papa John's, 9 Pizza Huts, 8 Taco Bells, and many more. And that was 10+ years ago, it's hard to tell how many it's grown to now... The town of Jacksonville, NC isn't really that much bigger than Sumter and it really did seem like you saw these same businesses everywhere you looked.

[painterdude]

I worked for a family last week, retired airforce of course, but of Japanese ancestry...he said the food there was fine and so did his grown daughter(around 50) who's lived all around the world. Not a spot for me though as my wife has a shellfish allergy and fears contact....oh well. As for sushi...I save "bait" for fishing !!! pd