Willy’s Bar is gone, but Vista Room is on tap

Back in March, it was announced that Willy’s Bar & Grill would close temporarily and reopen as something new.

Owner Bill Dukes said this week that Willy’s is gone for good and that the Vista Room at Blue Marlin will be in its place, 1200-B Lincoln St.

Dukes said Willy’s was a popular Vista lunch spot but that he wanted more of the dinner crowd.

The new Vista Room, adjacent to Dukes’ popular Blue Marlin restaurant, will have a separate entrance and host private functions and meetings.

The former Willy’s bar will be carpeted, well-lit and is set to open during the first week of September.

• Tax-free chatter

The eighth annual back-to-school state tax-free weekend kicked off at 12:01 a.m. and runs through midnight Sunday.

Here are a few of the retail sales for the weekend. Also, check out what’s tax-free this weekend at thestate.com.

• Columbiana Centre will host a back-to-school event noon-3 p.m. Saturday, featuring mall merchant discount offers and other giveaways.

• Shoppers who spend $100 or more with Village at Sandhill merchants will receive a $10 gift card.

• Britton’s on Devine Street is having its annual “Almost Free Sale.” The apparel boutique is offering 50-80 percent off on remaining spring and summer merchandise.

• Over at Boozer Shopping Center on Bush River Road, Fields Home Fashions is offering a buy one, get second half-price sales on selected bedding — just in time for stocking those college dorm rooms.

• Exercising downtown

Downtown residents and shoppers, things continue to look up for you.

Starbucks is beckoning you with coffee, CVS is front and center for your medicinal needs, American Apparel has T-shirts and jeans for you, and Publix has got your grits.

Now, local fitness trainer and former USC softball player Toinette Reed plans to pump you up.

Reed is moving her Brickhouse Gym from Rosewood Drive to 519 Huger St.

Reed, who also is a former strength and conditioning coach for USC, said the gym will be open seven days per week. In addition to the usual aerobics and weightlifting sessions, Reed’s fitness shop also will provide yoga, pilates, spinning and “boot camp” (weight loss and conditioning) classes for Columbia’s downtown and Vista-area residents.

Brickhouse Gym will open in early September.

• Hi-fi distribution

Real estate services firm Grubb & Ellis reported this week that AV Inc., which builds and installs high-end audiovisual systems in homes, will lease a nearly 5,000-square-foot warehouse space at the commercial development under construction opposite the Clemson University poultry center at 500 Clemson Road. DirectBuy, a membership-only furniture and home-accessories outlet, already has announced it would come to a 18,000-square-foot space nearby.

• Munchies

Here is some eatery news for the Columbia area:

• Lexington’s first Ruby Tuesday will open Sept. 5 on Sunset Boulevard near the Wal-Mart Supercenter.

The Lexington Ruby Tuesday will be corporate-owned, according to staff at the Tennessee-based restaurant chain.

Ruby Tuesday’s has five restaurants in and around Columbia and West Columbia.

• The new Bruegger’s Baked Fresh bakery open late last month at 4699 Forest Drive. It is the first Columbia market location for the Vermont-based purveyor of kettle-boiled bagels, soups, sandwiches and desserts.

Each week, Delawese Fulton, retail reporter for The State, provides the latest retail development news. The goal is to give you the skinny on the new stores in your neighborhood, as well as any businesses closing. If you have any retail news, contact Fulton at (803) 771-8659 or ddfulton@thestate.com.