WECO sign homage shows the history of the sign. | Graphic via Riggs Partners
When driving into Columbia on Meeting Street from Lexington, the WECO sign on the left-hand side of the street has undoubtedly caught your eye.
The iconic sign lets you know you’re in West Columbia as it sits near eye level with the downtown Soda City skyline.
Today the sign is past its prime, a rusty relic with white paint flaking off pool balls, giving way to a rich history buried underneath. Tomorrow, the sign will be gone, but not for long.
Thanks to a partnership between Riggs Partners — the marketing firm headquartered beside the sign — and the City of West Columbia, the iconic sign will see new life and will soon light up the night.
A quick history of the sign The building where the sign is located was built in 1949 as a grocery store known as the Lower Main Market, which soon after became Dixie Home stores. If the Dixie Home name doesn’t sound familiar, the Winn-Dixie name might ring a bell.
The sign was added sometime between 1965-1969 when the building became the Carolina Tile and Carpet Center.
But what about the pool balls? From 1970-2001, the location served as home to WECO Billiards when the pool balls were added. When WECO Charity Thrift took over the space from 2002-2006, the pool balls were painted white. In 2007, Riggs Partners took over the location and renovated the building. Now it’s the sign’s turn for a little renovation.
Rack ‘em up — soon the balls will be back in all of their glory.
The sign is scheduled for removal tomorrow at 10 a.m. and will be refurbished locally. You won’t be missing it for too long, though. The refurbishment is expected to take 6-8 weeks, after which, the sign will be unveiled during a ceremony in November.
Locals can expect the sign to showcase new lights, fresh paint, and a new clean look, reviving the sign for years to come.
Use the links below to share this free newsletter with your friends who love iconic Columbia landmarks.
Marionette Monday: Winnie the Pooh | Mon., Sept. 19 | 10-11 a.m. | Columbia Marionette Theatre, 401 Laurel St. | $7 | Join Christopher Robin, Winnie the Pooh, and Piglet on their adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood. 🧸
Tuesday
Nature of Fall with Rudy Mancke | Tues., Sept. 20 | McKissick Museum on UofSC Horseshow | Free | Join naturalist Rudy Mancke on a quarterly, lunch hour talk, that will highlight the wonders of the natural world during the cool autumn months. 🍁
Wednesday
The Supper Club At Chayz Lounge | Wed., Sept. 21 | 6-9 p.m. | Chayz Lounge, 607 Meeting St. | $20 | Experience a symphony of flavors and artistry, lovingly prepared with flair by Chef Augusta and her talented team. 🥘
Thursday
Garden Asana | Thurs., Sept. 22 | 8:15-9 a.m. | Gardener’s Outpost, 1211 Franklin St. | $15 | Breath-centric, in-person yoga for everyone
Craft in America: A Conversation | Thurs., Sept. 22 | 6-7:30 p.m. | The Columbia Museum of Art | Free for members | Grab a cocktail and listen to several luminaries in the art world discuss America’s rich landscape of craft artists, who blend history with living practice. 🎤*
Friday
The Music Man | Thurs., Sept. 22-Sat., Sept. 24, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., Sept. 25, 3 p.m. | Town Theatre, 1012 Sumter St. | $25 | When a con man tries to swindle an entire town out of its money to start a boys’ band, it leads to an old-fashioned love story. 🎭 *
Plan Ahead
The South Carolina State Fair | Wed., Oct. 12-Sun., Oct. 23 | South Carolina State Fairgrounds, 1200 Rosewood Dr. | Times vary | $10-20 | Enjoy 12 days of food + fun, entertainment, and the free daily circus at the annual state fair. 🎡 *
We have amonthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*
Super Coffee is available in three flavors: Cinnamon Roll, Caramel Waffle, and Blueberry Muffin. | Photo provided by Super Coffee
Real talk, Cola: A lot of us are go, go, go all of the time. If you’ve ever wished you could get your protein smoothie + caffeine fix at the same time, then Super Coffee might be exactly what you need.
Super Coffee uses all-natural ingredients, including:
Monk fruit (sweetens without processed sugar)
10 grams of protein (powers your day)
MCT oil (supports brain function)
It’s a real “two birds, one stone” kind of thing. ☕ *
Cash’s Chicken, a fast-casual restaurant serving chicken tender meals and more, is now open at 145 Chapin Rd. in Chapin. In addition to the tender meals, the restaurant is known for its “bird dogs” + flaky croissants. 🐔 (The Post and Courier)
Tech
UofSC is partnering with Verizon to launch a new Innovation Experience Hub in the McNair Center. The new hub will showcase Verizon’s 5G Ultra-Wideband Internet technology + its applications in health care, manufacturing, and civil infrastructure. Ultra-Wideband offers massive capacity for efficient transfer of large amounts of data to power applications. 🌐
Theater
The Shakespeare Festival Stage will make its debut at UofSC Oct. 2-9 presenting Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” outdoors. The Shakespeare Festival Stage is located across from the Russell House at 1492 Greene St., between Woodrow College and the Melton Observatory. Tickets are on sale now. 🎭
Concert
The LRADAC Foundation is hosting its annual Rock 4 Recovery fundraiser concert on Sept. 23 from 5:30-10 p.m. at Icehouse Amphitheater(107 West Main St., Lexington.) This year’s concert will raise money for recovery resources with musical guest Revisiting Creedence, a Creedence Clearwater Revival legacy band. 🎹
Plan Ahead
Tickets are on sale now to see Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson at the Koger Center on Jan. 11. Neil is the host of the popular podcast Startalk, is head of the Hayden Planetarium, and is also a research associate of the Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History. ⭐
Halloween is just around the corner, and the City of Columbia is hosting a drive-thru “Spooktacular Halloween Party” on Mon., Oct. 31 from 5-8 p.m. at Dutch Square Mall (421 Bush River Rd.) This year’s event will feature a costume contest, games, candy, and more. 👻
Cause
The United Way of the Midlands is looking for volunteers to read to elementary-aged students in support of its Midlands Reading Consortium (MRC) for the 2022-2023 school year. MRC is a literacy-focused program that supplements + enhances reading experiences igniting the love of reading in young students. 📚
Announced
Congrats to Kelsey B. the winner of our “$1K Staycation Giveaway” withAllSouth Federal Credit Union (a $1,000 value). Kelsey has been contacted by our team and will enjoy playing tourist for a weekend here in Cola with their winnings. (Congrats!) 🎉 *
Community
Soda Citizens, when was the last time you hopped on The COMET’s Soda Cap Connector? The service conveniently connects you to major downtown Columbia destinations, including the Vista, Meeting Street, Five Points, the Cayce River District, the BullStreet District, and the Historic House District. Bonus: It’s $1 to ride. Plan your trip. 🚌 *
Health
Have a health concern, but don’t have time to wait to receive care? Palmetto Primary Care offers same-day appointments. Bonus: They have multiple locations throughout the greater Columbia area. Find a location near you.*
Eat
Restaurant Week Midlands and the Soda Cap Connector are partnering for a food tour through three Cola districts. Park at the South Carolina State Museum and ride through West Columbia, The Vista, and the Main Street District trying food from a restaurant at each stop. Grab your tickets here.
Expecting a busy week? This Easy Cheesy Lasagna recipe takes only 15 minutes to prep + makes great leftovers (that don’t feel like leftovers). 🥘 *
Drink
Get a behind-the-scenes look of the Steel Hands Brewhouse. Free toursare available on a walk-in basis on Fridays and Saturdays. Explore the production facility, meet the folks behind the beer, and sample staple and seasonal brews. 🍻*
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There are surprisingly few Columbias in the midwest. | Google Map created by COLAtoday
29. That’s how many places in the United States are named Columbia. That’s a lot of Columbias.
From burroughs to towns to unincorporated communities, let’s take a look at the competition. (Though, let’s be honest, can you really compete with Cola?)
Columbia, CA | The furthest Columbia from SC, this former gold-rush town was established in 1850.
Columbia, NC | Originally founded as Elizabethtown in 1793, the northern Carolina Columbia is much smaller with a population of 891.
Columbia, AL | Tied for closest Columbia with North Carolina, the Alabama Columbia borders Georgia and was a major port for steamboats in the 19th century.
THE WRAP
Today’s issue was written by David.
Editor’s pick: Tune into our Instagram account on Tuesday morning where I’ll be sharing the removal of the WECO sign on our stories. I’m also planning to go behind-the-scenes as they refurbish the sign and look forward to sharing it all with you.
Missed yesterday’s newsletter?Read our guide to the Rosewood neighborhood.
Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.
* This content is paid advertising, or contains links to our Six & Main marketplace, or affiliate partners which we may receive a commission from. ^ This content is created by our content studio.