Happy birthday to us

Go Cola, it’s your birthday. And you can party like it’s your birthday.

Tomorrow is COLAtoday’s birthday and to celebrate 4 years with all of you, we put together some of our favorite stories + a little reminder of who we are.

It’s our birthday. | Gif via GIPHY

On April 3, 2017, 6AM City staff sent the very first newsletter and since that day we have grown to share what’s happening with 52,000+ Soda Citizens every week day.

Let’s look back on the good times. Here’s how it started.

The first newsletter | Gif via GIPHY

And here’s how it’s going. While things may look a little different, our goal is still the same — to deliver the need-to-know to your inbox every morning at 6 a.m.

Here are a few of our most popular conversations.

• 9 Facts about Lake Murray Underground — There’s a lot to learn about Lake Murray and what can still be found under the water, including a grave yard, a bridge, and a school.
• 10 Airbnb Rentals on Lake Murray — 2020 was the perfect opportunity for a staycation at Lake Murray, which explains why this list was so popular.
• Columbia’s Stay Home, Stay Safe Order — Remember that one time when folks in South Carolina stayed home for two weeks? Yeah us too. Recall the details of that executive order from this time last year.
• Honorable mention goes to 10 of Columbia’s Longest Standing Restaurants by Mike the Wine Guy.

Everyday, we (Jess + Lauren) work to bring the most local news to you and if you don’t know who we are, let us re-introduce ourselves — meet the COLAtoday editors. Fun fact — we are both celebrating birthdays along with COLAtoday, Jess on March 26 + Lauren on April 11, and COLAtoday’s birthday is exactly in between those dates. Coincidence? We will let you decide.

Here are a few conversations Jess had the most fun writing this year:

• Chill out with Columbia’s penguins — As a lover of all animals, this celebration of the penguins that reside at Riverbanks Zoo was even cooler when we got to go behind the scenes and meet them.

• Cracking open South Carolina’s open container laws — This hypothetical question poses the opportunity for learning more about the local open container laws and what other cities are doing.

• Raise a glass to freedom — Hamilton’s connection to SC — Learn more about Hamilton’s friend John Laurens and his connection to South Carolina.

Here are a few conversations Lauren had the most fun writing this year:

• Home sweet home from a box — Sears and Roebuck mail order homes were very popular in the early 1900s and there are even a few that still stand locally.
• Columbia’s underground tunnel system — is it real? — The rumors are true – there are tunnels that lie beneath our city.

Do you follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram? If not, you might be missing out on news + photos that celebrate Soda City.

We couldn’t do what we do without our incredible Partners. These local bizzes invest back into their community by supporting COLAtoday and help us provide this free newsletter every morning.

• AllSouth Federal Credit Union
• Columbia Fireflies
• Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE)
• Estates & Companies
• Lexington Medical Center
• LTC Hospitality
• Merrill Gardens
• Nephron Pharmaceuticals

Want to learn about how you can be a part of the conversation? Check out our advertising opportunities here.

We will leave you on a sweet note. What’s a birthday without a little cake?

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