Columbia Business 101

The top industries and employers in the Columbia metro area

State House-9690.jpg — A view down Main Street from the state house steps. | Photo by COLAtoday

More than 460,000 people (and thousands of businesses) contribute to the Columbia metro area’s $44 billion economy. But have you ever wondered about the capital city’s heaviest hitters?

Consider this Columbia Business 101 — your guide to our region’s five key industries and major employers.

Note: When we say Columbia metro area, that refers to the Central SC Region that includes Calhoun, Clarendon, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Newberry, Orangeburg, and Richland counties.

The key industries

There are five key industries that represent ~55% of the Columbia metro area’s economy, based on data from Central SC. We’ve listed them in order of employment numbers.

Health care and social assistance | 15%

Prisma Health Midlands and Lexington Medical Center are both top five employers in the region, employing over 21,000 individuals. The services in these industries are delivered by trained professionals and include establishments providing medical care, health care, and social assistance.

Retail trade | 12%

With annual sales of over 200 million, the Dick Smith Automotive Group in Richland County and Jim Hudson Ford in Lexington County are two of the largest businesses in the retail industry. The retail trade industry includes establishments that sell products and after-sale services related to these products, such as cleaning or repair.

Manufacturing | 10%

Manufacturing in Columbia comes in many different forms, but at the top of the list are Samsung, Nephron Pharmaceuticals, and Michelin. Local players such as Healthcare Us Co., which makes Memory Foam mattresses, and Westinghouse Electric Company, also carry a significant employment presence.

Accommodation and Food Services | 9%

In 2021, the Soda City welcomed over 15 million visitors according to the latest numbers from Experience Columbia SC — the marketing organization for the Columbia region. The economic impact of tourism on our region is substantial and generates $2.4 billion annually, $120 million in state and local taxes, and creates 21,000 jobs.

Public administration | 9%

The Public Administration sector consists of establishments of federal, state, and local government agencies that oversee and manage public programs. In total, the state of SC employs over 30,000 in the Midlands, the top two being the SC Department of Corrections and the SC Department of Social Services.

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Tuesday, Dec. 6

Carolina Lights (at the South Carolina State Fair) | Tuesday, Dec. 6-Monday, Dec. 26 | 6 p.m. | South Carolina State Fairgrounds, Enter Gate 6, 901 George Rogers Blvd., Columbia | $15-$20 |The holiday drive-through lights experience features more than 100 individual LED light displays synchronized to holiday music along a nearly two-mile stretch inside the fairgrounds.
The Nature of Winter | Tuesday, Dec. 6 | 12-1 p.m. | Historic Horseshoe, in front of McKissick Museum, 816 Bull St., Columbia | Free | Attend this presentation by USC Naturalist-in-Residence Rudy Mancke, the walk explores the habits of local plants and animals during the winter months.

Wednesday, Dec. 7

Gallery Talk with Wendell Brown | Wednesday, Dec. 7 | 12:30-1:30 p.m. | Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St, Columbia | Free | Join artist and educator Wendell Brown for a tour highlighting works in “The Art of Elizabeth Catlett: From the Collection of Samella Lewis.”
Riverbanks Zoo & Garden - Lights Before Christmas | Wednesday, Dec. 7-Friday, Dec. 9 | 5-9 p.m. | Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, 500 Wildlife Pkwy., Columbia | $15 | Take your photo with Santa, roast marshmallows at the Jingle Bell Bonfire, and be sure to wear your hat – it snows nightly at Riverbanks during the Lights Before Christmas.

Thursday, Dec. 8

Jingle Mingle 2022 | Thursday, Dec. 8 | 6-9 p.m. | femme x COLUMBIA | Coworking Space, 1501 Richland St., Columbia | $5-$15 | The local chapters of the American Advertising Federation, International Association of Business Communicators, American Marketing Association, and Public Relations Society of America join forces to host Jingle Mingle.
More Than Rhythm: A Black Music Series | Thursday, Dec. 8 | 6 p.m. | Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St, Columbia | Free | Violinist, arranger, composer, conductor, and Cola native Nicole Neely is bringing her string quartet, The Black Exchange, to the CMA.*

Friday, Dec. 9

The NoMa Flea | Friday, Dec. 9, Friday, Dec. 16 | 6-9 p.m. | NoMa Warehouse, 2222 Sumter St., Columbia | Free | The Friday market features vintage curators, candle makers, fine artists, herbal healers, fashion designers, local jewelers, and expert collectors with beverages + foods available.
Kringle Holiday Village | Friday, Dec. 9-Sunday, Dec. 11 | 5-9 p.m. | Fluor Field, Greenville, SC | $0-12 | Savor the season with a warm mug of glühwein or tasty beer and enjoy live holiday music from Upstate musicians, crafted goods from local artisans, kids activities + more. *

Saturday, Dec. 10

The Nutcracker w/ Columbia City Ballet | Saturday, Dec. 10, Saturday, Dec. 17 | 3 p.m. | Koger Center for the Arts, 1051 Greene St., Columbia | $35 – $60 | Nutcracker, Columbia’s holiday family tradition, has the distinction of being Koger Center for the Arts’ first Nutcracker production and longest consecutively running annual arts event.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

Arts

Try This: The Columbia Museum of Art’s “Binder” podcast

Presented by a COLAtoday Partner

Podcast host and producer smiling at camera from inside recording booth

Binder podcast is hosted by Ray McManus (left) and produced by Drew baron (right). | Photo provided by the Columbia Museum of Art

Hey, Cola — David here. 👋 Did you know that the Columbia Museum of Art has an award-winning podcast? In September, the CMA was the recipient of the 2022 Southeastern Museums Conference Gold Award for Media Production for its podcast, “Binder.”

I recently joined Binder host Ray McManus and producer Drew Baron for a chat about the podcast, what they’ve learned since it started in 2021, and some of the stories they’ve been able to tell.

In addition to being the host of the podcast, Ray McManus is the CMA’s inaugural Writer-in-Residence. He earned his MFA in poetry and his doctorate in rhetoric and composition from USC, and is an associate professor of English at USC Sumter. Together with Drew, the duo tells the stories of artists, scholars, curators, and more through monthly episodes in which listeners can get insight into all things CMA-related.

Here’s more on the podcast + how you can Try This:

What we tried:

The CMA’s “Binder” podcast is a free offering from the museum that can be streamed or downloaded from your favorite podcast app. Episodes range from short 20-minute specials to hour-long feature interviews with artists.*

WHAT NOT TO MISS

Weather

64º | Showers | 45% chance of rain ☔

Open

Goodwill Industries will open its new retail venture, Auten’s Loft, today at 11 a.m. Located next to the Chapin Goodwill Retail Store (524 Columbia Ave.), the boutique will offer affordable designer clothing and name-brand items. 👚

Biz

IWG, the world’s largest provider of flexible workspaces, opened a Regus center at 140 Stoneridge Dr. in Columbia. Located just off Interstate 126, the Regus center offers collaboration spaces, meeting rooms, and IT services. (Columbia Business Report)

Sports

Gamecock Football accepted a bid to play Notre Dame on Friday, Dec. 30 in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. The game will take place at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, FL and kickoff on ESPN at 3:30 p.m. Just a four-hour drive from the Soda City, tickets are available here. 🎳 (Gamecocks Online)

Edu

Forever to thee. USC will host its annual fall commencement ceremony at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 12 at Colonial Life Arena. This year the university will award 2,174 degrees from the Columbia campus, including graduates from associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and professional degree programs.

Eat

Five Points’ Southern food staple, Mr. Friendly’s, is now open for lunch on Mondays. The local eatery is also offering a holiday deal giving away one complimentary bottle of wine to take home with each $50 gift certificate purchase. 🍲

Community

Do you have a storage area full of potential treasures? The reality television show American Pickers is coming to our area in February and looking for participants. If you or someone you know has a large collection of antiques, reach out here. 🕰️

Seasonal

Flying with gifts this holiday? Pro tip: Wait to wrap them. Any wrapped gift in a carry-on might need to be opened if an alarm is triggered. And who wants to wrap gifts twice? Not us. 🎁 *
Looking to impress your holiday dinner guests? From pre-chopped veggies to entertainment trays, here are six hacks to take advantage of during this busy season, courtesy of Lowes Foods.*

Shop

We can’t stop thinking about the luxurious floral embroidery on this beautiful red and black dress — and it would be perfect to wear to Moët’s Red Carpet NYE event, too. The best part? It can be in your closet by Saturday with code RTRx6AM.*

Health

Open enrollment for individual and family health insurance is now. Enrollment events are happening this week at Insurance Advantage at 511 Meeting St. in West Columbia Fri., Dec. 9 from 12 p.m.-7 p.m., and Simplesurance at 4326 Ft. Jackson Blvd. in Columbia on Sat., Dec. 10 from 10 p.m.-5 p.m.*

Featured Space

The Class A commercial space at 1200 Colonial Life Blvd. currently has 10,000-120,000+ sqft available to sublease. The space boasts on-site building security, highly visible signage opportunities, a fitness center, full service food court + conference rooms/collaboration spaces in a suburban campus setting. Take a (photo) tour.*

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Peak Drift, it’s what’s on tap

Find Peak Drift Brewing on Tap around the Soda City

Peak Drift-4382.jpg — KW Beverage picks up the first shipment of kegs brewed at Peak Drifting Brewing Company. | Photo by COLAtoday

On Friday, KW Beverage picked up the first shipment of Peak Drift kegs that are now available on tap at select bars + restaurants throughout the Midlands.

To celebrate, Peak Drift will be hosting a series of grand opening events throughout the month of December, including five this week. Stop by one of the following locations to try the NEIPA, Golden Ale, a rotating series of Red IPAs, or the Berry Crumble Fruited Sour Ale.

Peak Drift Launch Party at WECO | Tuesday, Dec. 6 | 626 Meeting St., West Columbia | 5-8 p.m.
Peak Drift Launch Event at Green’s | Thursday, Dec. 8 | 4012 Fernandina Rd. | 5-7 p.m.
Peak Drift Launch Party at Craft And Draft Irmo | Thursday, Dec. 8 | 7583 St Andrews Rd., Irmo | 5-7 p.m.
Peak Drift Launch Party at The Grand | Friday, Dec. 9 | 1621 Main St. | 6-9 p.m.
Peak Drift Launch Event at Soda City Beer Garden | Saturday, Dec. 10 | 1624 Main St. | 12-2 p.m.

While the Peak Drift production facility is now up and running, construction is still underway at the 64,849-sqft brewery and entertainment complex located in the North Main area. Expect it to open sometime next year.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by David.

Editor’s pick: On Friday, we went to Korea Garden Restaurant at 2318 Decker Blvd. for the first time in a few years. The menu had changed a little, but the food was as good as always. I had the Bibimbap, a dish that was always my go-to at Blue Cactus in Five Points when it was open.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Check out our experiential gift guide for the Soda City, here.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Samantha Robertson, David Stringer, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Emily Shea| Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Lindsey Rhinesmith| Advertise with us.

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.

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