The City of West Columbia has partnered with West Metro News and the Greater CWC Chamber of Commerce to highlight areas of the community that promote business and visitor/tourism opportunities.

In the coming weeks this partnership will provide readers of West Metro News, and Chamber and City of West Columbia information outlets, as well as social media followers, with in-depth stories of businesses that share customers and benefit from the supportive atmosphere. After getting to know these owners, you will Love Local even more than you do now.

The first edition begins in the Meeting Street and State Street area. So much is occurring in this shopping, dining and recreation district, that it will be spread into several articles. Let’s start with D’s Wings, the family owned restaurant that was voted best wings in South Carolina in 2023. D’s Wings has been in business for four decades and it continues to thrive at its West Columbia location where customers enjoy the walk-ability of the surrounding area.

Billy Rentz, D’s owner, spoke about his experience since moving his restaurant to 415 Meeting St., in the summer of 2021. Billy talked to West Columbia Mayor Tem Miles before moving to West Columbia and received a robust welcome. 

“We’re in a great location,” he said. And the restaurant has benefited from a lot of synergy since opening. The move has been great for us. And we’re exactly 100 steps from the City of West Columbia’s free parking garage at Brookland, at the corner of State Street and Court Avenue. The city has also provided ample parking at the Interactive Art Park that is at our front door.”

D’s draws generations of families as well as all types of professionals. And it’s a good place to work.  Some of the D’s staff has been at the restaurant for close to two decades.

Besides great service, the signed “Wall of Dollars’ is another feature of D’s. “We count up the number of dollars on the wall and contribute that amount to Camp Kemo on a regular basis for kids with cancer,” Billy said.

In addition to sharing with the kids, there are a lot of businesses around D’s that share customers.
One of the businesses, that also has the “Love Local” idea, is just a few steps from D’s. Lainie Lewis opened  State Street Trading Co. at 134 State St. more than five years ago. The shop has many unique items including lots of local art, featuring the illuminated WECO block sign on Meeting Street and the historic and colorful shops of State Street.

She has made many positive relationships.

“The City of West Columbia is so easy to work with,” Lainie said. “It’s easy to have a business here. We’re in the middle of everything  and there are so many other attractive businesses around us, and we now have tourists coming in.”

A few doors down from State Street Trading Co., is HOTWORX, at 114 State St. The Chamber sponsored a ribbon-cutting for the high-intensity physical workout facility in December. It’s a “Love Local” business that is flourishing.

“We signed up 104 new members in January,” said Tara Johns, HOTWORX owner. “We’re in a good location, with traffic from Brookland and other residents who live near-by. We’ve also gotten  a tremendous number of USC students.” 

Tara also explained that HOTWORX  provides much more than a sauna workout. It’s available 24 hours-a-day. She said the benefits of the workout include increased mental clarity; weight loss; stress reduction; cellulite reduction; skin rejuvenation; and reduced blood pressure.  

So, after you have filled up with a delicious meal, HOTWORX is only 50 steps away.  Go to a hot stretch and recovery class.
There you have it. Love Local to dine, shop and exercise at a West Columbia business, today. (Photos by Michael Norris – Outside The Box and Terry Ward)