Last Call, but Not Last Rites: Deconstruction's Role in Preservation
Thursday, October 23rd 2025
Photo courtesy Anna Garrison
When a beloved local landmark closed its doors, the community faced the loss of more than a favorite gathering place. What happened next turned a story of demolition into one of preservation, creativity, and collaboration.
For more than a generation, Columbia residents and visitors looking for craft beer and live music found their way to the corner of Main and College streets. Inside a one-story brick building with exposed walls, hand-hewn beams, iron railings, and a mezzanine crafted from reclaimed wood, Hunter-Gatherer Brewery offered both atmosphere and comfort. Since 1995, entrepreneur and brewmaster Kevin Varner welcomed people to enjoy pints and meals in a space that felt both timeless and familiar.
The building at 900 Main Street had a long history before Hunter-Gatherer made it home. Built in 1913 for the E.B. Lyon Motor Car Company, it later became Campus Club South in 1970, a college bar known for its proximity to campus and affordable beer. A series of bars and eateries followed, paving the way for Garner’s microbrewery, which would become a fixture of the city for nearly three decades.
When Hunter-Gatherer closed its doors in December 2024, many assumed the building would continue under new ownership. But without local landmark status or protection as part of a historic district, preservation wasn’t guaranteed. Despite Historic Columbia’s appeals to retain the building—or at least its defining elements—the University of South Carolina moved forward with plans to demolish the structure for future campus development.
What seemed destined to be a total loss, however, took a different turn. Alan Todd and Sara Keever of Conway Salvage and Heritage Project, along with their partners at Re:Purpose Savannah, offered an alternative: deconstruction. Rather than sending the building to a landfill, they carefully disassembled it so that valuable materials could live on elsewhere. The structure’s sturdy heart pine, pecky cypress, and early 20th-century brick were salvaged to support the rehabilitation of other historic properties and inspire new construction.
Working alongside Historic Columbia and artist Lauren Andreu—whose mural on the building’s north wall honored friend and musician Aaron Graves—Conway Salvage led a community effort. Volunteers, donated equipment from Blanchard Equipment, storage help from USC Facilities, and support from Amick Equipment all played a role. Over seven weeks in the summer of 2025, the project transformed what could have been a wasteful demolition into an opportunity to preserve resources and history. The ribbon above highlights just how much was saved.
The project’s outcome was both practical and symbolic. Though no one celebrated the loss of a historic building, the careful work of deconstruction showed that even in moments of loss, there are ways to create lasting benefits.
If Columbia hopes to avoid similar situations in the future, stronger preservation tools will be essential. Expanding local historic districts, designating landmarks, and raising awareness of how real estate decisions affect our shared history all matter. When we act together, we can protect more of the city’s built heritage—and rely less on salvaging its remains.#video
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