There’s a new food hall and retail spot coming to this Columbia district. What we know
A new food hall and community hub is planned for a growing Columbia district.
GATHER COLA, which will feature numerous spaces for food vendors, two bar areas, retail spaces, office space and more, will open later this year in the BullStreet District, according to a Monday morning release from Cason Development Group.
Cason is partnering with Four Oaks Property Group and Hughes Development — the master developer for the sprawling, 181-care BullStreet project — to bring in the multi-use food hall facility, which will span more than 32,000 square feet across multiple levels.
Site work has already begun on the food hall and community space, which will be located at the corner of Sabal and Freed streets in the BullStreet development. That’s just south of the REI outdoor retailer and right beside the WestLawn office building.
GATHER COLA would be Columbia’s first food hall, bringing to town the cafeteria-like concept linking multiple food options that has proven popular in other cities.
“We could not be more excited about our partnership to bring the GATHER concept to Columbia,” Cason Development Group president Frank Cason said in a statement. “There is nothing like GATHER in the market today. This project will bring a diversity of food offerings and a vibrant energy to the already active BullStreet project.”
Four Oaks Property Group developed the GATHER GVL food hall located on Augusta Street in downtown Greenville. The Greenville food hall, located a short distance from Fluor Field baseball stadium, is home to a host of food vendors, including Coco Bowlz, Greenville Beer Exchange, HenDough fried chicken and doughnuts, Mercado Cantina and others.
In 2023, USA Today named GATHER GVL as one of the 10 best food halls in the U.S.
The GATHER COLA location also will be close to a minor league baseball stadium. The Columbia Fireflies’ Segra Park is just a short walk east from the coming food hall site.
According to the Monday release, GATHER COLA will have nine restaurant and food vendor spaces “showcasing local and international flavors.” It is also set to feature two bar areas, pop-up retail areas for micro-retailers, 8,500 square-feet of office space across multiple floors and an outdoor gathering area with seating and space for live entertainment.
There was no immediate announcement as to what food options will be housed at the GATHER in Columbia.
“The GATHER concept has evolved,” Four Oaks Property Group co-founder Mack Cross said in a statement. “And we wanted to be more intentional about some retail space and some office space alongside the food and beverage. We think there’s a great opportunity for that. We host pop-up retailers all the time in Greenville, but we don’t have a designated space for retailers, and we will in Columbia.”
This isn’t the first time a food hall concept has been mentioned for the BullStreet District. Four years ago there was talk of the possibility of a food hall coming to the former Chapel of Hope church building on Pickens Street. However, to date that project has not happened.
The GATHER COLA facility will be just a short distance from The Lawn, the recently announced BullStreet initiative that will be a 1-acre community hub and gathering space located between the WestLawn office building and the Bennet at BullStreet apartment complex. The Lawn will have a 3,750-square-foot artificial turf play area with tiered seating, an event stage, café and bistro tables, and other features, and will be home to a Coastal Crust Wood-fired Pizza restaurant
Hughes Development CEO Robert Hughes said in a release that project officials are “honored” GATHER chose BullStreet for its second facility in SC.
“GATHER COLA will be the ultimate gathering spot for families and friends — the perfect place for co-workers to eat when everyone wants something different, and the perfect place for friends and families to get together on nights and weekends,” Hughes said in a statement. “We are excited that Columbia’s first food hall will be at BullStreet, and even more excited that it’s GATHER.”
This story was originally published February 10, 2025 at 10:53 AM.
