COLUMBIA — The wait is finally over.Â
Drake's Duck-in, Columbia's longtime fast-casual chicken joint, will reopen its iconic Main Street location March 21, according to a press release from the city of Columbia.
A grand reopening ceremony to kick off the chicken spot's return to its home will take place at 10:30 a.m. that day, per the release.
The restaurant's main location, 1544 Main St., was shut down in spring 2023 to make time for major renovations to the space, which hadn't been updated since the early 90s. While the Main Street location was shuttered, a temporary spot at 1840 Hampton St. operated for nearly a year.Â
The move comes just a few weeks after owners closed down the Hampton Street location in preparation to move back to Main Street.
At the end of February, the Flutter Wing, a boutique hotel from the same folks behind Hotel Trundle, opened above the chicken joint. The newly renovated Drake's Duck-in space is outfitted with new, more modern booths. Its walls are adorned with framed newspaper and magazine articles about the iconic eatery.Â
The Capital City staple opened in 1907 and has been in various locations around the city for the better part of a century. In 2015, its longtime owner Steve Rowland sold the building and business to its current owners, Daniel Boan and Matthew Bridges.Â
