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A new Cava restaurant will open in this prominent spot in Columbia’s Vista

A Vista space that was once the location of a prominent coffee shop will soon be the home of a national Mediterranean restaurant.

Cava, which has restaurants in nearly two dozen states, including several shops in the Midlands, has signed a lease for the space at 831 Gervais St. in the Vista, according to property owner Scott Garvin. That address was formerly home to a Starbucks coffee shop, which closed in late 2021.

“We are getting ready to start doing our landlord work on it, and (Cava) will be doing their upfit, probably starting in a couple months, and it should be open by late spring, early summer,” Garvin said Friday afternoon. “I think it’s a perfect fit. When Starbucks made that surprise (closure) announcement, we had a lot of interest for that space. Honestly, we turned a bunch of people down because we didn’t think it was the right concept. But I think Cava is a great fit.”

Cava has locations in 21 states, according to a locator tool on its website. Its menu allows diners to customize bowls, starting with a base such as salad, grains or pita, and then add on various dips, spreads, meats, and vegetables.

The Post and Courier first reported the Vista Cava news.

There are currently three Cava locations in the Midlands, including one in Lexington, one in Forest Acres and another on Two Notch Road in Columbia.