The Lantern Columbia opens as inclusive boutique hotel

The Lantern Columbia brings new life to an old fire station, and a new way of life to some of its employees.

The 59-key boutique hotel opened Jan. 21 in the heart of the city’s Vista neighborhood, bringing a new purpose to the historic Columbia Central Fire Station while pioneering a model of inclusive employment, according to a news release.

The hotel was brought to life by Raines, a hospitality management, development and investment company based in Florence with a regional office in Charleston.

The company says The Lantern Columbia is a signature property in Raines’ Woven portfolio of unique lifestyle hotels — an upscale accommodation with a purpose-driven destination. Through a partnership with the University of South Carolina’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management and the CarolinaLIFE program, the hotel provides meaningful career pathways and gainful employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the news release said.

“The Lantern Columbia represents the future of what we call ‘intentional hospitality,’” David Tart, Raines managing partner, said in the release. “We’ve taken a cherished local landmark and transformed it into a space that serves both guests and the community in truly remarkable ways. The collaboration between seasoned hospitality veterans, future hospitality leaders, and the students from CarolinaLIFE creates an atmosphere of genuine warmth that is unlike anything else in the market.”

The property’s adaptive reuse efforts were led by Raines Development, with architecture by Garvin Design Group and construction by Mashburn Construction. The design honors the building’s legacy as a firehouse while introducing modern, boutique luxury, the release stated.

At the heart of the property is Ladder 13, a restaurant serving cocktails and Mediterranean-inspired fare with Lowcountry spirit, according to Raines. The food and beverage program was created by Kevin Johnson, a James Beard Award nominee with strong ties to the University of South Carolina and known for his restaurants, The Grocery in downtown Charleston and Lola Rose in Mount Pleasant.

Leading the team at The Lantern is General Manager Rick Hayduk, a 35-year hospitality veteran with a specialized background in mission-driven leadership. Hayduk previously served as the opening GM for The Shepherd Hotel in Clemson, where he worked with the ClemsonLIFE program to create an employment model in which just about 30% of the staff were comprised of individuals with disabilities. Under his leadership, the hotel achieved a top 1% guest satisfaction ranking among 100,000 Expedia hotels.

“The Lantern Columbia’s guest experience is defined by the unique culture we are building within these historic walls,” Hayduk said in the release. “Having our team made up of local hospitality professionals, local individuals with disabilities, USC’s Hotel, Retail, and Sports Management students, and CarolinaLIFE students is a first, anywhere. We think it will portray the best of Columbia. Our ambition is to have guests of The Lantern and the patrons of Ladder 13 leave inspired, aside from having an incredible stay or dining experience.”

For Raines, the opening of The Lantern is a milestone that goes far beyond adding another property to its portfolio. “This project is personal proof that high-end hospitality and meaningful community impact are not mutually exclusive,” Grey Raines, Raines managing partner, said in the release. “Seeing the historic Central Fire Station revitalized is incredible, but seeing our team — comprised of seasoned professionals and eager students from the HRSM and CarolinaLIFE programs — working side-by-side is the true achievement. We’re opening minds to what inclusive leadership looks like, right here in the Columbia community.”

A grand opening is planned for March 2026 but the hotel started booking on Jan. 21.

Raines has 55 hotels and 5,949 keys throughout the Southeast, including notable boutique hotels such as Hotel Theo in New Orleans, The Foundry Hotel in Asheville, and Hotel Florence in the company’s hometown.