Beginning his operations in 1943, David “Jack” Mathias worked as a soda jerk at McGregor’s Drugstore in downtown Columbia, South Carolina. As his popularity grew, Jack realized he needed more than a soda fountain to serve the people who had come to know and trust him.

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So in 1946, Mathias Sandwiches was born.

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Jack believed that simple recipes made the best sandwiches. He believed in hard work, treating people like family, and building real relationships with his customers—values that became the foundation of the business.

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The shop remained in loving hands when Jack’s son, Sammie, took over, honoring his father’s way of doing things while adding his own heart to the place so many had come to love. Sammie proudly carried on his father’s legacy with the same dedication, heart, and commitment to quality, and shared Jack’s passion for serving the community and keeping Mathias Sandwich Shop true to its roots.

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Today, the tradition continues with the third generation of the Mathias family, honoring the legacy built by Jack, Sammie, and family members across generations—serving the same classic recipes, made with the same care, to the same community that has supported them for the better part of a century.

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Just as it has since the beginning, Mathias Sandwich Shop remains a place built on family, simple food done right, and the belief that when you serve people well, they’ll keep coming back.