Shop Around: Kiki’s Chicken is moving down (Two Notch) road

After three years, Kiki’s Chicken and Waffles off Two Notch Road has become a local favorite — enough so that the soul food restaurant restaurant is moving to a larger space.

Kiki’s will soon move three miles south on Two Notch Road to the site of the former Caprioska restaurant and lounge near Columbia Place Mall, manager Mike Clinton said.

“I’m not sure exactly when, but it should be pretty soon,” Clinton said.

Kiki’s was opened by Kitwanda “Kiki” Smith — a former University of South Carolina women’s basketball student manager under head coach Dawn Staley — and Tyrone Cyrus in its current location at 110 Columbia Northeast Dr.

The restaurant is best known for its signature dish — a plate of seasoned, crispy-fried chicken wings served atop a warm, Belgian waffle — and as a hangout for powerful Democrats.

Vice President Joe Biden and 2016 Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton have stopped by this year for events.

Mall offering free space to flood-damaged businesses

Businesses that suffered losses from the flooding this month can find reprieve in an area mall.

Columbia Place Mall has announced it will offer free rent to qualified businesses damaged by the historic storm.

“The recent flooding in Columbia right now affects more than the displaced businesses in the flood zone — it affects the lives of those within the community and surrounding areas,” said Shawl Pryor, senior vice president of Las Vegas-based Moonbeam Capital Investments, which owns the mall off Two Notch Road.

Columbia Place did not suffer any water damage from the recent flooding and opened its doors to tenants and shoppers the day after the storm passed.

The free rent offering will allow qualified businesses to temporarily relocate while they are rebuilding their existing flood-damaged space.

Moonbeam did not disclose details of how to qualify for the free space.

For more information, send an email to Courtney Brumbelow at c.brumbelow@mlgpllc.com.

This story was originally published October 22, 2015 at 7:09 PM.