Former Hunter-Gatherer building to be ‘carefully deconstructed.’ What we know
A more than century-old Columbia building that was long home to a popular brewery will soon be sustainably deconstructed.
The building at 900 Main St. — first constructed in 1913 and home to Hunter-Gatherer Brewery & Alehouse from 1995 until last year — is set to come down piece-by-piece as part of a partnership project between the University of South Carolina’s Development Foundation, Historic Columbia, One Columbia, and Conway Salvage. The process is scheduled to begin June 9.
Officials said in a Thursday afternoon release that “the structure will be carefully deconstructed, with salvaged materials reused for projects in Columbia and nearby areas” and that “the decision to deconstruct the building ensures that its character and materials will continue to be part of the community, even as the site is prepared for future development.”
The USC Development Foundation, which makes real estate purchases for the benefit of USC, bought the property at 900 Main St. in October. It has not yet announced its future plans for the site. Hunter-Gatherer, which was Columbia’s first microbrewery, closed its location at 900 Main in December. The Hunter-Gatherer Hangar location on Jim Hamilton Booulevard remains open.
“Preserving the memory of this iconic building while supporting sustainable practices aligns perfectly with our mission,” USC Development foundation CEO Jason Caskey said of the coming deconstruction. “This project is an opportunity to honor the past while building responsibly for the future.”
Officials said in Thursday’s release that any reusable materials, such as bricks, beams, doors, windows and architectural details, will be “carefully removed” and repurposed.
“Deconstruction is about respecting history and the environment,” Historic Columbia director of preservation John Sherrer said in a statement “We are proud to partner in this effort, ensuring the story of 900 Main Street is not lost, but rather transformed and shared.”
A special part of the coming process will involve a mural along the northern outside wall of the building at 900 Main. The mural is a memorial to the late musician Aaron Graves, a revered Columbia artist and the lead singer of the indie rock band Those Lavender Whales. Graves died of cancer in 2019.
The Graves mural will be carefully deconstructed by Conway Salvage with help from original artist Lauren Andreu and community volunteers, the release said.
”Aaron’s mural has been a beautiful memorial for our family since his passing,” Jessica Bornick, Graves’ widow, said in a statement. “It’s not only a reminder of his joyful life, but an extraordinary tribute from the community he loved so much. We are very grateful to everyone involved for helping facilitate the deconstruction in a respectful way and making it possible for the bricks of the mural to have a second chance.”
One Columbia, the nonprofit that advocates for the arts in the capital city, is partnering in the mural deconstruction and will help coordinate the reuse of salvaged bricks in a future public art memorial.
Volunteers are needed to help disassemble the mural, and those interested can learn more through the @i_love_my_friends_mural Instagram page.
