Renovation Rodeo | Main Street District
Friday, May 29th 2026
Palladium presented Renovation Rodeo | Main Street District on Thursday, May 28, 2026, from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Over 40 guests toured this luxury short-term rental, located in the historic Eurytania Building, while enjoying beverages from Columbia Craft Brewing Company and delicious food from Something Small Catering. This event was proudly sponsored by Garvin Design Group and Rikard & Protopapas.
Throughout the year, Palladium features a property that has undergone—or is undergoing—an impressive renovation. From tiny 1940s bungalows to turn-of-the-century mansions, and everything in between, these events give you a chance to tour properties, learn about their renovation, and have a great time doing it. And they're FREE for our Palladium members!
Event Images
History of 1730 Main Street
Ca.-1904 image courtesy Russell Maxey Collection, Richland Library, Columbia, SC.
C. Oliver Brown commissioned the local architecture firm of Sams and Carter to design this three-story, two-part masonry building in 1901 as the home of his family's prosperous hardware business founded in 1843 by English immigrant James Brown. C. O. Brown & Brother Hardware Store occupied the building from 1901 until 1947, renovating the interior in 1939 to better suit the business’needs. Marietta Paint & Color Company operated from this address from 1947 until 1952. The address remained vacant from 1952 to 1956 when the Republican Party of South Carolina campaign headquarters operated out of the space for one year but returned to its vacant state until 1959. Trade Credit Corporate Loans occupied 1730 Main Street from 1959 until 1962 and in 1968, the Davis Furniture Company began operations and remained at this location until 1975.
Photograph by Charles Old, ca. 1939.
Interior of the Marietta Paint & Color Company, 1948. Image courtesy Russell Maxey Collection, Richland Library, Columbia, SC.
The building was originally addressed 1730 and 1732 Main Street, indicating its two-part commercial design. Hudgins' Drug Store occupied 1732 Main Street from 1901 until 1916 when it moved a few doors down to 1738 Main Street. From 1916 until 1926, the Grocery Shop was the tenant, briefly followed by Matthews Grocery Store, which only operated during 1926, and the Golden Rule Dressmaking Shoppe, which operated in 1933 and 1934. The Rustin Furniture Company moved in in 1935 and remained there until 1937.
From that year until 1950 and for the next decade, a number of other tenants operated in this space such as Southern Auto Stores, Carolina Amusement Company, and Motor Credit Company. From 1950 to 1962, S&S Cigar Store was located here and remained vacant until 1968 when the UFO Coffeehouse opened as a pacifist "hippy hangout," which operated until 1970. The business was shuttered after it was declared a public nuisance due to the frequent cursing, loud noise, and marijuana use.
Officer at the UFO Club, 1970. Image courtesy The State Newspaper Photograph Archive, Richland Library, Columbia, SC.
Eurytania Building
James Siokos, a member of Columbia’s Greek community, named the neighboring building at 1728 Main Street for a mountainous area of central Greece. At the request of the Free Masons of Columbia, who operated Acacia Lodge No 94 at the site, Siokos named the building “Evrytania,” or “stronghold.” While the masons maintained their lodge auditorium upstairs, Siokos rented the building’s street level spaces to various entities. Among the tenants were the Southern Security Loan Company, the Independence Insurance Company, Sargent photography studios and the Junior Order of United American Mechanics.
Siokos’ building is another example of Columbia’s modest interest in Art Deco architecture that enjoyed international popularity during the 1920s through late 1930s. Like other examples seen on Main Street, such as the Kress building two blocks south, the Eurytania building features stylized floral capitals on its façade’s pilasters. When meshed with the ashlar, or cut stone, and Latin lettering for the building name, the result is a unique addition to Main Street that balances an interest in classical architecture with a nod to modern design trends current to the period in which the building was erected in 1938.
Renovations
Ca.-1978 image courtesy Russell Maxey Collection, Richland Library, Columbia, SC.
The first level of this Classical Revival building was renovated in 1976 to accommodate the Community Development Department, which was when the building combined from two addresses into one. The renovation enclosed the storefront from glass and aluminum framing to a first level brick facade with a centrally located door flanked by three direct set windows on each side of the door. Many of the original features were retained during this renovation such as the storefront cornice and two sets of pilasters.
The 2024 Preservation Award-winning rehabilitation reconstructed the original storefront design to the building, including the centrally located stairwell entrance and retractable canvas awnings, as well as restored the existing façade windows and cornice. The first-floor hosts various wellness-focused businesses while the second and third floors currently serve as short-term rental units.
Pre-renovation image (L) courtesy Lambert Architecture + Construction Services. Post-renovation image (R) courtesy Joshua Aaron Photography.
Managed by Historic Stays of Columbia, the six rental units boast modern conveniences from William Sonoma while retaining their historic charm. Non-historic ceiling tiles and carpet were removed, revealing original beadboard ceilings, which were restored, as were the original hardwood floors located beneath the carpet. The adaptive reuse allows the building to function like many historic downtown buildings with commercial tenants on the street level while residents occupy the upper levels, keeping Main Street thriving at all hours of the day.
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The above research was compiled by members of the Palladium Board education committee and Historic Columbia's research staff.
Event images courtesy of Historic Columbia.
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Palladium
Palladium members don't just learn about Columbia's past - they have a say in its future. Our fundraising events support Historic Columbia's important preservation and advocacy work, which in turn helps preserve the charm and vitality of the city we call home.