A very visible eyesore left over from the 2015 flood in Columbia has finally been torn down.
Demolition crews ripped down what was left of the TitleMax store in the 4400 block of Devine Street, which is beside the Bi-Lo shopping center.
On October 4, 2015, the historic recording flooding in the city caused the Gills Creek, which is right beside the store, to flow out of its banks. Combined with the floodwaters that were coming down from further upstream, that stretch of Devine Stret turned into a raging river for several hours.
The force of the waters broke through the glass of the front of the store and the adjacent Liberty Tax Service, blowing most of the contents of the stores down an embankment and into the creek below.
Two adjoining buildings across the street, a Title Loans and a Subway, were also gutted by water.
But getting rid of the damaged buildings took a bit of time and effort.
The Subway was finally demolished in September of 2018, and the Title Loan wasn't removed until the middle of this month.