Once Dianne's, then Tallulah, Devine Street restaurant building now listed for sale

The building that housed Tallulah restaurant, and Dianne's on Devine before that, has been listed for sale or rent by NAI Avant.

A description of the property says that it has been "recently renovated with more than $600,000 worth of improvements ... Fully equipped and functioning restaurant with walk-in cooler and 16-camera alarm system. Only thing that needs to be changed are the locks and alarm code."

Chef Russell Jones opened Tallulah on Jan. 14, 2017, in the former Dianne's on Devine restaurant location.

Dianne Light, who had owned and operated Dianne's, knew Jones' family and offered him the space for rent after he and his young family returned to Columbia from Washington, D.C. The space underwent a complete remodel, and Jones launched his concept of Tallulah based around a menu of small plates representative of the regions of South Carolina (Lowcountry, Sandhills, Piedmont and Appalachia).

In May 2017, Jones said in an interview with The State that customers found the menu confusing and that "the younger generation seems to think we're an extension of Dianne's, and the older generation sees us as the usurpers. I have to convince both crowds that what we're doing here is something different and it's worth coming to."

Before closing on June 2, 2018, Tallulah's kitchen boasted the talents of Jones as well as chefs Blake Fairies and Charlie Scruggs.

The 5,333-square-foot space, built in 1954, is listed for $1.3 million.

This story was originally published July 3, 2018 at 3:46 PM.