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If you’ve spent any time in downtown Columbia, chances are you’ve stumbled upon Goldie’s Bagels, grabbed a slice at Pizza Tree or tried a smoothie at Main Squeeze. What you might not know is that all three spots are run by one couple, John Gilbreth and Amanda Rainey, who are quietly shaping the city’s food scene, one restaurant at a time.
John Gilbreth opened his first business, Pizza Tree, in 2014. While working at Shakespeare’s during his early years in Columbia, he set out to create a pizza spot that could rival the competition. As Pizza Tree rose in popularity, naturally, small improvements needed to be made that eventually reshaped the space entirely. “About five or six years ago, we closed our small dining area because of COVID. It was a tiny room with only 16 seats, right next to the counter, so everything felt cramped and chaotic. There was just too much going on in such a small space, and we decided it was time to make a change,” Gilbreth says.
As the business was undergoing changes, Gilbreth’s wife, Amanda Rainey, was also entering a new chapter. Transitioning from her role at Hillel, the Jewish Student Center, she simultaneously prepared to welcome their first child. “My plan was to go back to work. Six months after our youngest turned one, I was going to look for a new job and she would be in a daycare. I wanted to get a job in health insurance, but then the pandemic happened so we decided not to send the kids to school that soon with COVID and everything, so I stayed,” Rainey says.
She quickly realized she needed something to get her out of the house that wasn’t grocery shopping or running errands, and she found herself intrigued by the baking industry, giving her the perfect creative outlet with just the space to experiment in. “I needed a project, I needed to get out of the house, I just needed something. Since I needed to stay with the kids, I would go up to the Pizza Tree once a week and start making the bagels in the kitchen,” Rainey says.
Building on her passion for baking, Rainey saw an opportunity when the spot that now houses Goldies Bagels went up for sale. She teamed up with Sarah Medcalf, former bar manager of Top Ten Wines, and the new bagel shop was created. As a co-owner of Pizza Tree, Rainey was eager to join John in opening a new location — one that reflected her vision for a more woman-led business. It’s a priority for Rainey to incorporate her religious ties not just to the restaurant but to the Columbia community.
“As far as Jewish businesses, there aren’t many around. It was a big part of why I wanted to start Goldie’s. We provide challah every week for the synagogue and the hillel on campus, and provide bagels for both as well. And for all the Jewish holidays, we do special pastries and things like that. I used to work in Jewish nonprofits, and so for me to still be a part of that community but owning a business on my own terms is really special,” Rainey says.
After running two successful businesses together, a third opportunity came their way. Main Squeeze opened in 1996, when Leigh Lockhart introduced a smoothie bar inside Lakota Coffee Company. She later expanded it into a full café offering smoothies and plant-based meals. After many years, Gilbreth came across a social media post by Lockhart, looking for new ownership. Gilbreth took over soon after, aiming to preserve the café’s commitment to clean, vegetarian and plant-based food for the Columbia community.
“I built a door that connects up to Pizza Tree in the back, and there’s an office space here, which was something that we needed for all of our businesses. It was just an opportunity that played out in front of me. It was never part of the whole plan, it doesn’t work like that. It just felt right in the moment,” Gilbreth says.
After taking over their third location in January and reopening it in March, the couple believes they’ve helped “keep Columbia weird,” Gilbreth says. “This town kind of deserves its own little quirky vegetarian restaurants and places with character. It just felt like something was missing from our downtown landscape and community without them here.” Agreeing with her husband, Rainey added, “I think people take weird local businesses for granted — places like Sparky’s or Lakota that have been around forever. It takes a lot of work to keep them running, and without them, it would just be another… well, vape shop.”
For Gilbreth and Rainey, their journey isn’t just about running businesses; it’s about creating spaces that reflect their values and the community they love. From starting with the perfect slice at Pizza Tree, to baking bagels that honor Rainey’s traditions at Goldie’s and now keeping healthy, plant-based options alive at Main Squeeze, the couple has incorporated their personal story into downtown Columbia in a way you can’t miss.