Beginning in Stephenville, Texas, Barefoot Campus Outfitter has now made its way to Columbia, South Carolina. Barefoot opened in August 2016 and have been apart of everything Gamecock since. Located right across the street from Colonial Life Arena, we’re in the perfect spot to grab a quick t-shirt on your way to cheer on USC’s amazing Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams. After all, Final Four AND National Champions…we are unstoppable!
Gamecock fans bring an entire new meaning to the term loyal. Regardless of the game outcome, you can be sure every fan will always be ready to throw Spurs Up for Sandstorm and unify in forever hating Clemson. But how intense is this rivalry you may ask? Two words: Tiger Burn. This past Fall marked the 65th annual tradition in which USC students build a 30-foot replica of the Clemson tiger just to burn it down in preparation for the football game. Go Cocks!
Besides a renowned Gamecock fan community, Columbia is a historic and unique city. Just a few blocks away from our Barefoot store, is the State House. Although it was destroyed during the Civil War, it now is a major site for the city as it hosts protests, conferences, tours, and celebrations. We definitely suggest taking a visit to Drip on Main Street to grab a coffee and a snack to enjoy outside the State House on a nice day.
Let’s get one thing straight: Columbia doesn’t mess around when it comes to brunch. The city is filled with countless options, but we have narrowed down our top 3 absolutely-must-try-and-fall-in-love-with hotspots. First up, Carolina Café, which is right across the street from USC’s Horseshoe. Need to start your day with a carb frenzy? Their homemade bagels will hit the spot every time no matter if you are a simple cinnamon raisin bagel with honey butter fan or a bacon egg and cheese on an everything bagel kind of person. The people are friendly, the service is quick, and you will leave happy and full.
Next we have The Gourmet Shop located in Five Points. This half restaurant, half shop provides a perfect time killer when you are waiting for your table. The shop is filled with fancy cheeses, wine, and assorted kitchenware gifts. The shop opened in 1979, and you cannot go wrong with anything on their menu. We definitely recommend “A Little French Cheese” appetizer, which comes with melted brie, a baguette, and homemade raspberry jam. Last but not least, we have the beloved Café Strudel across the bridge on State Street. Folks will wait for more than two hours to be seated on a busy Sunday afternoon. We suggest going a little earlier so you can skip the lines and indulge that much sooner. If you do have to wait though, treat yourself to a complimentary coffee bar (bottomless, delicious brews). Everything here is incredible but we definitely suggest the bacon-infused Bloody Mary and the Hangover hash browns…your world will be forever changed.
Columbia has so many local options of places to eat or things to do, it makes any visitor feel like part of this great community. You can catch all the locals bright and early Saturday mornings setting up Soda City Market on Main Street. This event from 9am to 1pm hosts craft vendors selling homemade goods and gifts. Musicians cover the streets and an array of food trucks are ready to fill your stomachs. You can even get some grocery shopping done as the local farms set up stands for their fresh produce.
We’ve loved making our home in Columbia. It’s a great community to be apart of and we can’t wait to be here for years to come. So when you come and visit, do as the locals do—eat well, embrace the historic culture, and shop Barefoot.