Tacos Nayarit to Open Third Columbia Restaurant in 2027

The local restaurant chain will expand into a former Shoney's space on Garner's Ferry Road by spring 2027.

Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Dining Out

Bold vector editorial illustration of stacked tacos and lime wedges, representing the expansion of a regional restaurant chain. — Tacos Nayarit will expand its Columbia footprint by opening a third location in a former Shoney's building by spring 2027. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Tacos Nayarit plans to open its third restaurant location in Columbia by spring 2027. The site will occupy a former Shoney's property that was purchased by the owner in October 2025.

Why it matters

The expansion marks continued growth for the regional chain, which currently operates locations on Percival Road in Columbia and Knox Abbott Drive in Cayce. The new site aims to capitalize on a high-traffic corridor used by thousands of commuters daily.

Owner Juan Rivera purchased the 7335 Garner's Ferry Road property for $1.15 million. The location is situated along a road that experiences daily traffic of more than 50,000 cars.

The players

Juan Rivera

He is the owner of Tacos Nayarit who purchased the new restaurant property for $1.15 million.

Tacos Nayarit

This is a restaurant chain that currently operates locations in Columbia and Cayce.

The details

The new restaurant will be located nine minutes from the original Percival Road site via Interstate 77. This expansion follows the opening of a second location in Cayce in 2025 and precedes a planned future site in Irmo.

August 2025: The Shoney's restaurant previously at the site closed.
October 2025: Juan Rivera purchased the property for the new location.
2025: The restaurant opened its second location in Cayce.
Spring 2027: The new Garner's Ferry Road location is scheduled to open.

Culture Shift

The conversion of the former Shoney's site into a new restaurant reflects the trend of adaptive reuse of shuttered casual dining properties. This shift allows local businesses to occupy established infrastructure while revitalizing high-traffic retail corridors.

Residents in the Garner's Ferry Road area can expect new dining options in the coming months as the project moves toward its spring 2027 opening. The site's location on a busy 50,000-car artery may influence local traffic flow and retail access for commuters.

The takeaway

Selecting sites with high daily vehicle volume is a common strategy for restaurants looking to capture transient business. Patrons can anticipate a new location that provides a similar menu to the existing Columbia and Cayce branches.