Earlier this week, I had an appointment downtown. The office was on the top floor of the building. When I got out of the car, I saw this view. I had to take a picture of this building! It’s now the Tapp’s Art Center. However, for many years, it was Tapp’s Department Store.
The History of Tapp’s
Tapp’s Department Store opened at the corner of Main and Blanding Streets in March of 1903. In 1938, the store relocated temporarily. The old building was razed, and a three story building was constructed on the same site. Tapp’s moved into the new building in 1940 and opened a restaurant in the building’s basement. The store was ahead of its time. Tapp’s was the only department store east of the Mississippi River that had air conditioning. Two additional stories were added to the building in 1952.
Tapp’s continued to serve downtown Columbia for many decades. However, as Columbia’s residents began moving to the suburbs, the store followed suit. By the 1970’s, Tapp’s had opened 3 additional store locations: Dutch Square, Woodhill Mall, and Trenholm Plaza. A Tapp’s furniture store also opened on Blanding Street. Unfortunately, the 1990’s brought major changes to downtown Columbia. Downtown shopping had become a thing of the past. When Tapp’s celebrated their 90th anniversary in 1993, it was the largest retailer operating on Main Street. Belk and Macy’s had left the downtown area. Their closures contributed to the declining business of Tapp’s. In 1995, the Tapp family decided to close the store.
The building remained vacant for almost a decade. In 2005, the a real estate developer purchased the building. The second through fifth floors are now 42 one- and two-bedroom apartments. In 2011, the street level floor opened as the Tapp’s Arts Center. The center features a gallery that provides space for solo and group exhibits. Tapp’s Arts Center also serves as a venue for private events, such as weddings.
My Memories of Tapp’s
When I saw the Tapp’s building the other day, it brought back fond memories and put a smile on my face. I thought of the days that my mom and I would spend downtown on Main Street. We would start the day early. Our family had one car, and my dad would need the car to go to work. So, my mom and I would walk to Two Notch Road to the bus stop. We’d ride the bus to Sumter Street and walk one block over to Main Street. We would start with breakfast at the diner in the back of Eckerd’s Drug Store. Next, Mom would do some shopping or take care of business. Then, we’d go to lunch at the Fountain Restaurant in the basement of Tapp’s. I don’t remember too much about the meals. However, the part of the meal I do remember is the corn sticks. The corn sticks were cornbread baked in the shape of corn cobs. Everyone who had lunch at the Fountain Restaurant loved those corn sticks! After lunch, we’d browse around in Tapp’s and then go to Kress Five and Dime for an Icee to have on the bus ride home.
As I’m traveling around Columbia and the surrounding areas, I see many places and things that are a part of my childhood memories. What places in the Midlands bring spark fond memories for you? Please share below!