Popular downtown Columbia restaurant temporarily closed after fire
A popular restaurant in downtown Columbia is temporarily closed after a fire in the building.
The Grand on Main is not open for business following the fire, which broke out after the restaurant and bar closed for the night, Grand officials said Wednesday.
No one was injured in the fire, Columbia Fire Department spokesman Mike DeSumma told The State Thursday.
The Grand on Main is at 1621 Main St., between Blanding and Taylor streets. It’s on the same block as the Nickelodeon Theatre, Lula Drake Wine Parlour, Main Course and the Mast General Store among other businesses and restaurants that are about a mile from the South Carolina State House.
Firefighters responded to The Grand at about 1:30 a.m., and found fire coming from the rear side of the roof, DeSumma said.
“We are incredibly thankful for the first responders who worked tirelessly to help save our beautiful Grand building in the wee hours of the morning,” restaurant officials said.
The origin of the fire was traced to the exhaust system, which was damaged in the blaze along with some ceiling tiles, according to DeSumma. No other damage to The Grand or any neighboring buildings was reported.
“Our investigator concluded that a malfunctioning oven caught fire and ignited grease in the hood system,” DeSumma said.
There was no word when The Grand on Main will reopen.
Officials said they will contact anyone who bought tickets for an event or had scheduled an upcoming private event at the venue.
“Thank you so much for your care and concern during this time,” officials said. “We look forward to serving you again soon.”
The Grand on Main opened in 2017 in the Robinson Building.
The building was constructed in the summer of 1866, and 13 years later it was bought by William and Selina Robinson, according to Historic Columbia. From 1909 through 1914, it was home to the Grand Theatre, which featured a knife-throwing act among other performances, and the building later housed a clothing shop before it’s previous tenant, an Army-Navy store, moved in 1983, according to the historic organization.
In 2021, the venue’s hidden lower level was renovated into a dessert lounge called the Robinson Room.
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This story was originally published August 18, 2022 at 11:03 AM.
