Richland Mall Redevelopment

[shahram72]

I just went by this mall yesterday to kill some time with my family, and it was worse than 6 months ago. It used to be nice years ago. It's depressing and makes the city look bad. We overheard a manager saying that 5 more stores are closing soon. I don't think there were more than twice that in there. They seemed to have no idea about the redevelopment. When is the work going to begin? The city needs more than one decent mall.

[waccamatt]

I just went by this mall yesterday to kill some time with my family, and it was worse than 6 months ago. It used to be nice years ago. It's depressing and makes the city look bad. We overheard a manager saying that 5 more stores are closing soon. I don't think there were more than twice that in there. They seemed to have no idea about the redevelopment. When is the work going to begin? The city needs more than one decent mall.

The developer is building a model condo/apartment across from S&S and construction is supposed to begin in the spring. Be patient and I think the redevelopment will be cool. As far as only 1 decent mall, I think Columbia Place is also all right, the Village at Sandhill is cool, Columbiana Centre is pretty cool and then there is the Vista, Five Points and the Devine Street corridor. There are as many stores in Five Points and the Vista as in a good sized mall.

[ROBTEX]

"Malls" are definitely on the way out...as in old, traditional, enclosed malls. These cool new multi-use, outdoor shopping areas/lifestyle centers that feature a variety of businesses and residential are the present and future. They're literally popping up everywhere in the Dallas area. I, for one, hate "malls" and avoid them almost entirely. It's much more fun to park and walk around outside with beautiful landscaping, trees, flowers, birds, the sunshine, etc. Just my little ole opinion.

[krazeeboi]

^That's why I LOVE Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. Anyone who's ever been there knows what I'm talking about.

[waccamatt]

What I'm trying to figure out is, why on earth did S&S moved their sign from the mall building to the parking garage.....that is so tacky!

They did it because the area where the S&S sign had been is being converted into model apartments for the redevelopment. A Richland Mall employee told me about that.

[Temeteron]

Bombay left for the village....Euro jeans closed, saw that coming, eckerd closed.....is there going to be anything left in there? Sbarro is making their rent money off of $3.25 for a Large drink....what a rip off

[waccamatt]

LOL, I think this is a case where "it's darkest before the dawn". The remake into midtown is going to be awesome and stores will be clamoring to go back to Richland.

[mallguy]

Even the upper level of Belk's is apparently turning into LA Fitness, based on this map:

http://www.faison.com/files/120/PTY_RAM_RM...and%20Mall'

[The_sandlapper]

Ha that's cool and we can say it is the first in South or North Carolina at least to the best of my knowledge? Iv'e been to one of them out in Gwinett pretty much like any other gym though.

[mallguy]

A gym filling a department store space is a classic dead mall feature. The former Dillard's at McAlister Square in Greenville had one. I'd say this complicates the redevelopment process.

[The_sandlapper]

Well I don't think there was any question too Richland being a dead/dying mall. I just think it's cool that LA fitness in coming to the area.

[waccamatt]

Remember it will no longer be a true "mall". I think the development mix will be interesting and I'm keeping an open mind. LA Fitness is a very upscale gym and this will be their first location in the Carolinas.

[StevenRocks]

Still, Belk scaling back to one floor (?) is not a good sign.

[mallguy]

I am surprised that Richland isn't on deadmalls.com, especially as Columbia Place is.

Agreed; a department store shuttering one of its two floors isn't a good sign; Belk's apparently doesn't have too much positive anticipation about the results of the mall's redevelopment; otherwise it would stay put until then.

Anyone know what new stores are coming to Richland in its redevelopment? Maybe Belk is just subleasing one of its two floors to the gym until then? Probably not, but just a thought.

[waccamatt]

Maybe the gym will be built on the roof of the current mall over the 2 Belk floors. If Belk really is scaling back to one floor it is bad news unless they will take over part of the mall area on that first floor. I hope they aren't going to cut their size in half.

[ROBTEX]

Remember it will no longer be a true "mall". I think the development mix will be interesting and I'm keeping an open mind. LA Fitness is a very upscale gym and this will be their first location in the Carolinas.

Well said. This will no longer be an old, 1980s-type, 'uh-muh-gawd' enclosed shopping mall. If it turns out to be like similar developments in the Dallas area, it may only have 1 or 2 large, traditional department store anchors. This is the crux of the difference here...the main emphasis will no longer be on the "big box" dept. stores! The one remaining dept. store could turn out to be Parisian...and that would be just fine. After all, they did choose their Richland Mall location over their Columbiana location. Somebody in Birmingham is looking at the future potential here. The rest will be an eclectic mix that a lot of people just can't wrap their minds around just yet, as this is still a very new concept for a lot of areas in the U.S., and Columbia is certainly one such area. Trust me, losing this "traditional mall" will NOT be a true loss! I think Verizon, L.A. Fitness, Barnes & Noble, the cinema, and Parisian (Belk is also welcome to stay! ) will fit in nicely with the new concept.

[tablrock]

i remember when this mall was first rebuilt and bonwit teller (now defunct) was an anchor. the talk of the town was that richland "fashion" mall as it was called then would be the next lenox square. man times have changed. btw is the anna nicole smith shop still there?

[sonofaque86]

Richland Mall is the nicest designed mall in Columbia...Its just boring and empty

[The_sandlapper]

Yeah the mall is actually changing more than likely for the better.

[krazeeboi]

It has to be. Many of the dying malls today exist in predominantly minority, low to moderate income neighborhoods. Neither of those conditions exist in Forest Acres.

[StevenRocks]

I am surprised that Richland isn't on deadmalls.com, especially as Columbia Place is.

Deadmalls.com is based on user submissions, so if you want to write an entry on Richland Mall, they'll be glad to put it on.

Many of the dying malls today exist in predominantly minority, low to moderate income neighborhoods. Neither of those conditions exist in Forest Acres.

Yep. Can't blame Richland Mall's demise on "changing demographics" "safety concerns" or "rowdy teens."

[Temeteron]

Richland Mall is just one big mystery to me......Why they took the "fashion" part out of the name.....and why hasnt it been as successful as it used to be......why have so many stores closed, and continue to close.....there isnt really that much crime there, nor is there teen loitering......the demographics arent that bad like you said krazeeboi......its just a big mystery to me, it is a beautiful mall, but why is it so dead?

[mallguy]

I'd guess that it is dying because, like Greenville Mall, it just never had a large enough mass of stores to attract people. I read a study about malls that stated that the main factor in the success of a mall is its size; the larger the more successful. I went to Richland Mall the first time in 1995 and it was pretty empty. Did the mall have more stores when it opened in 1989?

I'd also think that Columbia has too many malls for its size. When I first went to Richland, Columbia still had at least one department store downtown, plus Columbia Place/Mall, Columbiana Centre and Dutch Square, in addition to Richland. That is too many department stores at least for a city of Columbia's size.

[emerging.me]

Richland Mall is just one big mystery to me......Why they took the "fashion" part out of the name.....and why hasnt it been as successful as it used to be......why have so many stores closed, and continue to close.....there isnt really that much crime there, nor is there teen loitering......the demographics arent that bad like you said krazeeboi......its just a big mystery to me, it is a beautiful mall, but why is it so dead?

I think a lot of it has to do with changing trends and perceptions... I think the idea of a traditional enclosed shopping mall in an urban setting (at least one like Forest Acres that has a pedestrian scale) has become more and more unappealing to people. They might not even realize that or be able to articulate it, but I think the underlying negative perception is there for that reason.

[mallguy]

I think a lot of it has to do with changing trends and perceptions... I think the idea of a traditional enclosed shopping mall in an urban setting (at least one like Forest Acres that has a pedestrian scale) has become more and more unappealing to people. They might not even realize that or be able to articulate it, but I think the underlying negative perception is there for that reason.

Agreed. Richland (Fashion) Mall seemed dead in 1995 when I went, although it was nicer then than now. People just don't like shopping in dead malls.

Also, like Bell Tower Mall in Greenville, Richland doesn't have a mass of other destination retail around it.

Thus if people want to get a lot of shopping done in one trip, they probably wouldn't go to Richland if they also need to shop at Target or Best Buy or the like or if they also want to stop for dinner or lunch.

Poor Richland. But some of those tenants- especially "The Department Store" (what a name!)- and that Columbiana Centre billboard in front of Richland (adds insult to injury to a dead mall) really make me laugh!