Fresh Face: Market on Main

Gourmet kitchen with seasonal cuisine · Beautiful and lively bar · Specialty retail market · Large covered outdoor patio · Large open-air venue with outdoor kitchen & self-serve taps

AT THE CORNER OF MAIN AND LADY STREETS in downtown Columbia, just a block away from the State House and in the heart of the Main Street District, you’ll find Main Street’s newest addition this season: Market on Main. Market on Main is a specialty gourmet food and beverage experience that expertly pairs a global culinary vision with its central location, the beautiful city views from the outdoor patio, and the owners’ desire to support local farmers and producers. They have taken up residency in the first floor of the Meridian Building in the 1300 block
of Main Street and will have ample outdoor area for their customers to enjoy throughout the day and into the evening. Customers will be able to conveniently pop in for lunch during their busy work day, to stop by after work for Happy Hour with friends, can drop in to pick up a bite to go, and will be able to shop specialty foods.

“We don’t want to just offer high quality food and great service,” said Market on Main’s co-founder, Josh Willoughby. “We are aiming to deliver a unique and very memorable experience that will become a symbol of gourmet food, entertainment, and culture in Columbia.”

Chef Howard Stephens, previously of the Village Gourmet, The Oak Table, and currently at Sapori, will lead the culinary creativity at Market on Main while Mai Turner, a long-time manager of The Gourmet Shop in 5 Points will head up the front of house. When Market on Main opens, it will bring a healthy, entertaining, and convenient experience to downtown Columbia. It will feature a gourmet kitchen with seasonal cuisine, a beautiful and lively bar, a specialty retail market, a large covered outdoor patio, and a large open-air venue with an outdoor kitchen and self-serve taps.

“We’ll host all kinds of events in our open-air venue,” Willoughby said. “Watch parties for big games, movie nights, concerts, pet friendly events, private events, and more. If there is a demand for it, we’ll consider it.”

Chef Howard Stephens & Josh Willoughby

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