A Starbucks is coming to Columbia’s Vista. Here’s where the new spot will be

Coffee giant Starbucks is returning to Columbia’s Vista district, in a location that will be quite accessible to University of South Carolina students.

A Starbucks is being planned for a retail storefront on the first floor of the 650 Lincoln student apartment development. It will be near the Jersey Mike’s and Tropical Smoothie shops, and will face out onto Lincoln Street. The 650 Lincoln development is on the southern side of the Vista, near Colonial Life Arena where the Gamecocks play basketball.

There is a city of Columbia building permit hanging in the window indicating the Starbucks is coming to 650 Lincoln. The city issued the permit on Sept. 2. Contractors were on-site going over plans Tuesday morning when a reporter briefly stopped by. The Starbucks would be in the spot formerly occupied by Zombie Coffee.

The Post and Courier first reported the Starbucks plan at 650 Lincoln.

“USC Lincoln St. Starbucks: This application is for minor demolition only of the former Zombie coffee location, to convert it to a different brand coffee location with updated cosmetics and lineflow,” the city’s building permit for the site reads.

This would mark a return to the Vista for Starbucks. Last December, the company closed its long-running location at 831 Gervais St., roughly a half-mile from the 650 Lincoln site.

Starbucks has a robust presence in the Midlands. There are more than 30 Starbucks stores in the Columbia and Lexington area, according to a store locator tool on the company’s website. Another location just opened in August on Longs Pond Road in Lexington.