Shop Around: Cantina 76 to expand to Greenville

Columbia has been good to Rob Ward and his three business partners — all of whom are co-owners of the captial city’s Cantina 76. So good, in fact, that the Mexican-inspired taqueria and bar is expanding its reach into the Upstate.

In a few months, Cantina 76 — which has locations in Columbia on Devine and Main streets — will be moving into the former Rare Steakhouse location on Main Street in Greenville.

“We are moving forward on expanding for the first time outside of the Columbia market and will be moving into a space which resides on ONE City Plaza on Main Street in downtown Greenville,” Ward said. “We had been looking to expand in Greenville for the last year and finally found the space we were looking for.”

The partners — who also recently purchased and renovated Za’s Brick Oven Pizza on Devine — have been eyeing Greenville for a possible expansion for a while, Ward said, because of its proximity and because it has “an active, vibrant downtown” like Columbia.

“We couldn’t be more excited that Greenville will be the first out-of-town location for Cantina 76,” Ward said. “The restaurant will be exactly the same as our two locations here in Columbia.”

Ward and his partners — Craig Wyatt, Chad Elsey and Jeb Babcock — hope to open the Greenville location this summer.

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 7:15 AM with the headline "Shop Around: Cantina 76 to expand to Greenville."