More restaurants – and maybe another brewery? – planned for Columbia’s Cottontown

More new restaurants and businesses are on the horizon for the Cottontown neighborhood along the up-and-coming North Main Street corridor.

A local developer who already has played an instrumental role in the area’s transformation is investing more than $1 million into four buildings on Sumter Street, at least two of which are planned to be new restaurants.

The Cason Development Group announced its plans in a news release this week.

A restaurant tenant already has been chosen for 2150 Sumter St., a 1,000-square-foot building that’s part of a three-building cluster. The developer is seeking another restaurant for a 4,000-square-foot building next door at 2146 Sumter.

The two restaurants will be connected by a common courtyard and outdoor dining area, the developer says.

Rounding out that cluster of buildings is 2144 Sumter St., which will be converted into an office space.

Construction on those buildings could begin in early 2018.

The Cason group also has acquired the 6,000-square-foot former offices of Loomis Armored US at 2202 Sumter St.

The developer is seeking a “unique” business – perhaps a brewery or distillery – to fill the space, which includes a large bank vault.

The Cottontown area is full of potential for redevelopment, Frank Cason, president of the Cason Development Group, said in a news release.

“Cottontown provides an affordable and unique location for businesses that want to be in downtown Columbia,” Cason said.

The North Main Street corridor, north of Elmwood Avenue, is enjoying a renaissance that continues to pick up steam, appearing to feed off the recent and ongoing revitalization of downtown Columbia. It’s become a hub for eclectic, locally owned businesses.

The past few years have seen a number of niche businesses sprout in the area, such as Carolina Imports and Copper Barn furniture stores and the Vino Garage wine shop, which recently welcomed Curiosity Coffee Bar into its building.

A brewery and taproom called Cottontown Brew Lab has been in the works for a while.

And the popular Cromer’s P-Nuts, something of a legendary Columbia business, will move to North Main early next year.

Cason has been responsible for the development of the popular War Mouth restaurant, Indah Coffee, Circa Barber Shop, Columbia Presbyterian Church and Amsterdam Lumber Co. in the area.

The group’s new projects will expand its Cottontown footprint to a total of eight buildings.

This story was originally published December 20, 2017 at 10:20 AM with the headline "More restaurants – and maybe another brewery? – planned for Columbia’s Cottontown."