Hammered Daisy sets up shop at Soda City Market, offering upcycled apparel and gifts. | Photo by Hammered Daisy
What makes Columbia’s small business scene unique? We posed that question to local biz owners, and their responses painted a picture of collaboration, creativity, and genuine community connection. From the buzz of Soda City Market to word-of-mouth support, here’s what they few of them had to say:
“Columbia’s small business scene thrives on a mix of innovation, local pride, and community support. The city’s collaborative spirit fosters strong networking opportunities, helping startups and independent businesses succeed.” — Central Carolina Cooling
“I have made so many small business friends since joining the community. Everyone is extremely welcoming and loves to promote each other’s businesses. Soda City Market definitely embraces the small business community and helps promote Columbia. — Hammered Daisy
“Local businesses are the glue that holds the community together. When a local small business’s mission, vision, and core values connect with shoppers, you create a distinct identity that resonates on a deeper level.” — Jackie’s Workstyles
Food Truck Friday | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | REI Co-op parking lot | Price of purchase | Lunch Box, Mahjal’s Filipino, Mamas Taste of the World, and Petite Sweets Bakeshop will be on site this week.
“Legally Blonde” | Times vary | Friday, May 9-Sunday, May 11 | Workshop Theatre | $27 | Follow the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes and scandal in pursuit of her dreams.
7th Annual Art on State | 5:30-9:30 p.m. | 100 Block of State St., West Columbia | Free | Enjoy live music, food + drinks from local restaurants, and live painting in the street.
Bloom & Sip: A Floral Experience | Times vary | Loveland Coffee | $40 | Ticket includes a hand-crafted bouquet arrangement you’ll build yourself to take home, one drink, and a fresh house-baked pastry.
Sunday, May 11
Pots & Petals: A Mother’s Day Celebration at the Farm | 11 a.m.-1 p.m. | 1074 Woolbright Rd., Santee | $40 | Experience fun-filled pot decorating where each guest receives a beautiful plant and pot to personalize and take home.
Pro tip: Tickets are free, but spots are limited — be sure to reserve yours early. | Photos provided by South Carolina Research Authority
Want to meet some of the Palmetto State’s top minds in tech?
Join the South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) for Tech Founders Night on Wednesday, May 14 at Segra Park, sponsored by Ameris Bank and Nelson Mullins.
Whether you’re starting a company, scaling your business, or working in areas like cybersecurity or digital transformation, this is a great chance to meet other entrepreneurs and explore funding opportunities — all while enjoying good food + baseball.
South Carolina softball’s Arianna Rodi launched two home runs to set a single-season record in a 6–2 SEC Tournament win over Alabama on Wednesday. The Gamecocks advanced to face Texas A&M in Thursday’s quarterfinal. (Gamecocks Online)
Development
Summit Lockers is expanding its Columbia facility to keep up with demand for its custom lockers, cubbies, and cabinets. Hill Construction broke ground this week on the new build, which will boost production with upgraded tech and workflow.
Biz
Muc-Off is rolling into West Columbia with a new 56,000+ sqft distribution hub at 803 Park, near the Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE). The UK bike care brand picked the site for its quick access to UPS, I-26 + the Port of Charleston. (Columbia Business Report)
Announced
Know someone with local pride and a packed event calendar? Nominations are open through Wednesday, May 14, for the 2026 Experience Columbia SC Ambassadors.
Community
The City of Columbia’s Touch-A-Truck event returns to Soda City Market on Saturday, May 17, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Families can explore fire trucks, excavators, and a bomb-disposal robot while learning how city crews keep operations running.
Family
Dig intoStorytime Sprouts, a free reading event for families on Saturday, June 7 from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. at Earlewood Park Pavilion. Expect crafts, games, snacks, and a literacy workshop for caregivers, hosted by Limitless Possibilities Through Literacy.
Listen
South Carolina lawyers up against the NCAA. Go beyond the scoreboard and behind the scenes of the Gamecocks with Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Announced
Spots in our 2025 Parents’ Gift Guide are full ahead of Mother’s Day. Luckily for you, we’ve added a few more for Father’s Day. Hurry — save 20% with code PGG2025 when you secure your spot now.
Featured Deal
This Memorial Day, Ford & Sims Pressure Washing is honoring all military members, veterans, and first responders with 25% off any service, now through May 31 — just in time to refresh the patio and get it ready for summer barbecue season.*
Tech
AI won’t take over the world — people who know how to use AI will. Subscribe to Superhuman AI for free and learn AI skills in just three minutes a day.*
Category
Outdoors
🪷 See these lily rare flowers
The Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies bloom for only a few weeks every year. | Photo via Congaree River Keeper
The rare and stunning Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies (Hymenocallis coronaria) are now blooming in SC rivers, including the Broad and Congaree. These resilient aquatic flowers grow in only a few places worldwide, and the Midlands is lucky enough to be one of them.
This year’s Lily Watch update from Landsford Canal State Park (as of May 8) reports that over 50% of the lilies are blooming, with peak bloom expected soon. Thanks to recent rain, some may still be submerged, but now’s a great time to catch them.
Note: These flowers are protected, so please don’t pick them — photos only.
The Buy
Support small businesses and artisans across the country when you shop Amazon Handmade. The marketplace features thousands of unique products and gifts, like this etched rolling pin that can transform your homemade baked goods into genuine works of art.
Keep some change in your car — five artist-painted meters in The Vista are collecting coins for the American Heart Association. They’ll be here for a month, and every coin goes to support heart health in our community.
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