Innovation Center in Five Points hopes to open by mid-April

February 15, 2023

source: News19 WLTX

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A project by The Boyd Foundation and GrowCo called the Innovation Center announced its start in July of last year, and now the entities involved in making it happen to say it could be ready to open in the next few months.

The Boyd Foundation donated $1 million for two years to help the center got started. Currently in the front of the building sits a former bar called the white mule, and in the back of the building is a much larger space that will house the innovation center.

Building owner, Richard Burts explained that these will become two separate spaces.

"The front space is a different address," Burts said. "The restaurant space up front, which has been a restaurant space for the last 35 years will stay a restaurant space."

The building also has a beer and wine license application in the window right now, but Burts explained that this would be for a pop-up his sons are planning to host during the St. Patrick's Day festivities in Five Points.

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