1869 was an extraordinary year. I am sure it was for Mr. Michael Brennen because he finally began to build on Main Street across from the Capital. He bought the property on Main the year the Civil War began and after Sherman burned Columbia and his property along with it ... Brennen began to build a new building in it's place. Unfortunately he also died that same year .... some say his "ghost" still haunts the property.
Speed ahead to 2013 and First Citizens bought the building and hired Studio 2LR to bring it back to life and "building code". Hood Construction did a great job handling the re-construction. The building is now home to First Citizens Bank - Offices upstairs, First Citizens Cafe lower right side and now BOURBON resides in the the lower left portion - street level.
Many of the original details were saved and reinstalled , other parts were re-created to maintain the original feeling of the building. Bringing a Historic Building back to life is a major undertaking in preserving the details that make it Historic. In walking through the building you get a feeling of what it must have been like over a hundred years ago.
We can't forget that this was also the home to the "infamous" Capital Cafe which was an institution for decades ... ask anyone from Columbia and they likely have a story from the "Capital" ... not all of them "G" rated.
We were moved by History as well on one of our photo sessions to re-create what it must have been like for Mr. Brennen to return to work one evening "afta suppah" ...... or perhaps that really was the ghost of old Michael himself ! ?
Also, if you look closely you may also see the original version of a "Palmetto Moon". The moon really was just like this that night.