‘Big potential’: MOA Korean BBQ stakes claim to location in downtown Columbia
Downtown Columbia’s Main Street restaurant scene is growing once again.
The company that owns 929 Kitchen and Bar in the Vista and MOA Korean BBQ and Bar in Uptown Charlotte is set to open a new MOA location at 1333 Main St., according to owner Sean Kim. Pre-construction work is set to kick off next week, Kim said, with an opening targeted for September or October.
929 Kitchen opened in 2018 and has proved to be a popular destination in Columbia’s Vista nightlife and entertainment district, specializing in authentic Korean offerings with a modern flair. Meanwhile, MOA in Charlotte opened in 2020 and focuses on upscale Korean barbecue and diverse bar offerings.
The MOA at 1333 Main, which will be on the bottom floor of the office building there, will have more than 6,000 square feet of space and seating for more than 250. Kim noted the restaurant will be on the southern side of the ground floor of the building at 1333 Main. Granger Owings clothing shop is on the northern end of the ground floor of that location.
The restaurant group that owns MOA and 929 Kitchen initially announced it was a opening a Columbia location in a December social media post but didn’t initially say where it would be. The fact that it is setting up shop in the 1300 block of Main Street was first reported by Columbia’s Free Times.
A native of Seoul, South Korea, the 49-year-old Kim is a University of South Carolina graduate who has been involved with several business ventures through the years. The 2018 opening of 929 Kitchen was his first foray into restaurant ownership after he finished a culinary program USC a couple of years before.
Kim said he thinks Columbia is ready for a concept like MOA.
“Compared to the population and demand, I don’t see upscale Korean restaurants in Columbia,” Kim told The State. “I feel like we need more in Columbia.”
Kim said the Main Street dining scene has continued to gain strength, and he was attracted to the idea of adding Korean barbecue to the mix downtown.
“I am so excited,” Kim said. “Korean food and Korean culture has been very trendy in the last few years. ... In terms of demand, there is big potential and opportunities in Columbia.”
Matt Kennell is the CEO of the City Center Partnership, the group that advocates for property owners and businesses in the downtown Main Street District. He said he he was thrilled to hear Kim was planning a new MOA location for 1333 Main, noting it would strengthen the Main Street dining scene.
“I think it is great,” Kennell told The State. “929 Kitchen has been a big success. I know they will do a good job, and I think they picked a really good spot on Main Street. There’s so much going on with Market on Main across the street and Cantina 76 is just killing it down the street. We sort of have two major restaurant districts going on Main Street now, sort of in that 1300 block area and in the 1600 block area.”
