The Soda Citizen: Local Life in Columbia, SC by The ART of Real Estate Team at eXp Realty

What does it take to build one of Columbia's most beloved local businesses? This week on the Soda Citizen Podcast , Brad Allen and Mary Lane Sloan sit down with Kellen Monroe and Katelyn Shire, the owners of Craft & Draft , to talk about how a neighborhood bottle shop grew into a true community hub. From choosing the perfect craft beer to hosting trivia nights, live music, and family-frie...

What happens when a personal challenge becomes a mission to help hundreds of families? In this episode of the Soda Citizen Podcast, Brad Allen and Mary Lane Sloan sit down with Dawn Darby, CEO and co-founder of The Therapy Place, to discuss the inspiring story behind one of Columbia's most impactful nonprofits. After her son was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Dawn saw firsthand the challenges...

What makes Columbia, SC more than just a college town? In this episode of The Soda Citizen Podcast, Brad Allen and Mary Lane Sloan sit down with Nate Terracio, Director of the Koger Center for the Arts, to discuss the growing arts, music, and entertainment scene in Columbia and why it plays such an important role in the city's quality of life.  From Broadway productions like Wicked and Beetle...

What’s it really like to live in Columbia, South Carolina and why do so many people end up staying? In this episode of The Soda Citizen Podcast: Local Life in Columbia, SC , Brad Allen and Mary Lane Sloan sit down with Jason Brunson , owner and head coach of Arena Athletic Club , to talk about life in Forest Acres, building community, family life, fitness, and the everyday lifestyle that makes Col...

What’s next for Columbia, South Carolina? In this episode of The Soda Citizen Podcast , Brad Allen and Mary Lane Sloan sit down with Columbia City Councilman Will Brennan to talk about the growth, development, and big projects shaping the future of the Midlands. From the highly anticipated Congaree riverfront project to BullStreet, Finlay Park, historic redevelopment, housing growth, and walkabili...

What does it take to bring one of the biggest music festivals Columbia, SC has ever seen to Finlay Park? In this episode of the Soda Citizen Podcast, Brad Allen and Mary Lane Sloan sit down with Trae Judy and John Katz to talk all about Songbird Music Festival 2026 coming to downtown Columbia on May 30–31. They discuss:  The vision behind Songbird 2026   Why Finlay Park is the perfect venue   Brin...

Starting with nothing but a pickup truck and a need for beer money, Parker Snell and Brandon Britt turned a college side hustle into one of Columbia’s most trusted moving companies, ProHelp Movers. In this episode of The Soda Citizen , Brad Allen and Mary Lane Sloan sit down with the founders to talk about how they built their business from the ground up learning lessons along the way, navigating...

What’s really behind the buzz around Forest Acres? In this episode of The Soda Citizen Podcast , Brad and Mary Lane sit down with Forest Acres council members Stephen Oliver and Haskell Kibler to break down why this Columbia, SC community continues to grow in popularity. From its small-town feel with big-city amenities to its loyal local businesses, top grocery spots, parks, and family-friendly li...

Columbia’s food scene is having a moment and if you haven’t noticed yet, you’re about to 👀 In this episode of The Soda Citizen Podcast, we sit down with Ashley Elsey , co-director of the Columbia Food and Wine Festival , to talk about how the city’s culinary scene has evolved into one of the South’s best-kept (and quickly discovered) secrets. From nationally recognized chefs to hidden gem restaur...

What does it take to shape the future of a city? In this episode of Soda Citizen , Brad Allen and Mary Lane Sloan sit down with Tripp Roche, fifth-generation owner of Columbia staple Villa Tronco, to talk about legacy, big ideas, and what’s next for Columbia, SC. From bringing back the Italian Festival to building a growing table tennis community and even reimagining the city skyline, Tripp shares...

What makes Columbia, SC such a special place to live and why are so many people choosing to call it home? In this episode of the Soda Citizen Podcast, Brad Allen and Mary Lane Sloan sit down with John Sherrer of Historic Columbia to break down the history, architecture, and evolution of the city in a way that actually makes sense. From Columbia’s beginnings as America’s first planned capital city...

What started as one family’s camp experience became one of Columbia’s most meaningful spaces for connection, hope, and belonging. In this episode, we sit down with Kelsey Sawyer Carter and Margaret Deans Grantz of Camp Cole to share the story behind the camp, why it was built here in Columbia, who it serves, and how it’s grown into a year-round, fully accessible facility. We talk about the real be...

Main Street wasn’t always the vibrant heart of Columbia, SC that it is today. In this episode of The Soda Citizen Podcast , Brad Allen and Mary Lane Sloan sit down with Matt Kendall, Founding President and CEO of the Main Street District, to talk about the 25-year transformation of downtown Columbia and what’s coming next. From nearly empty streets and closed storefronts to Soda City Market, stude...

Five Points isn’t just a district in Columbia, it’s a feeling. In this episode of The Soda Citizen Podcast, we sit down with Heather McDonald, Executive Director of the Five Points Association, to talk about what makes Columbia’s original neighborhood so special and why it continues to evolve. From brunch crawls and record shops to family-friendly events and beautification efforts, Heather shares...

What do home inspectors really find once they get into a home—and how does that connect to living in Columbia, SC? In this episode, we’re joined by Jacob Stevenson, owner of Magnolia Inspection Company , to talk about what commonly shows up during home inspections and why those details matter before you buy or sell. Drawing from years of inspecting homes across the Midlands, Jacob shares insight i...

In this episode of the Soda Citizen Podcast , hosts Brad Allen and Mary Lane Sloan sit down with Steve Cook , Columbia’s 2025 Restauranteur of the Year and owner of multiple beloved local eateries. Steve shares his journey from opening Saluda’s to building a larger restaurant group, acquiring Cafe Strudel , and rebranding Il Bucato as State Pizza . He also gives an insider look at Slip 53 , a hist...

On this episode of Soda Citizen , we’re joined by Joe and Mac from Classic Roofing , two local business owners who know Columbia, SC from the shingles up. What starts as a conversation about roofs quickly turns into a deep dive on entrepreneurship, honesty in contracting, and what makes Columbia such a special place to live and work. Joe and Mac share how they went from the service industry and sa...

What’s lurking under your home? In this next episode of Soda Citizen: Local Life in Columbia, SC , Brad Allen and Mary Lane Sloan sit down with Clark McCarthy and John Dando from Crawlspace Medic,  local experts and longtime friends, to talk about crawl space health, home maintenance, and the quirks of Columbia living. From half-eaten geese to mama possums, you’ll hear the craziest things they’ve...

The Vista in Columbia, South Carolina has evolved into one of the city’s most recognizable and dynamic downtown districts. In this episode of the Soda Citizen Podcast by The ART of Real Estate , we sit down with Abby Anderson, Executive Director of the Vista Guild , to talk about how The Vista has grown over the past 30 years—and where it’s headed next. We discuss downtown development, new apartme...