Columbia's Richland Mall

The original RICHLAND, which was the Palmetto State's first mall-type shopping center, was designed by Atlanta's Toombs, Amisano & Wells and the K.S. Espedahl firm, of Columbia. Toombs Amisano & Wells also envisaged Atlanta's LENOX SQUARE (1959), Chattanooga's EASTGATE CENTER (1962), Jacksonville's REGENCY SQUARE (1967) and Greenville's McALISTER SQUARE (1968).

In November 1961, the 3 million dollar RICHLAND MALL encompassed approximately 253,600 leasable square feet on a single retail level. The complex housed twenty-one stores and services.

Drawing from the Liberty Properties Corporation

J.B. White, of Augusta, anchored RICHLAND MALL. The 1-story store covered 60,000 leasable square feet and included a White's Beauty Salon.

Photo from Mercantile Stores Company, Incorporated Annual Report 1961

A circa-1966 physical layout of the complex includes a single-screen cinema. Built as a southeastern outparcel, it  had opened for business in July. At this time, the mall provided free parking for 1,500 autos.

RICHLAND MALL TENANTS 1966:

J.B. WHITE (with Beauty Salon) / WINN-DIXIE supermarket / COLONIAL STORES  supermaket / F.W. WOOLWORTH 5 & 10 (with lunch counter) / Ashmer's Vintage Shop / Baubles N' Things Novelties / Berry's On Main ladies' wear / Cayce Radio &TV / Corn Cabin Confectionery / Eckerd Drug (with luncheonette) / Equitable Savings & Loan Association / Gerald's Shoe Service / Meri's Record Shop / Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio / Miles Shoes / Pet-A-Rama / Richland Mall Theatre (single-screen outparcel) / Ruff Hardware / S.B. McMaster Sporting Goods / Sylvan Brothers Jewelers / Redwood Cafeteria / Russell Stover Candies (outparcel) / Warwick Laundry & Dry Cleaners 

Coming Back In Style! We speed through time 29 years, to a 1990 depiction of the mall. By the late 1980s, its open-air format had become passe'. Leases of all inline tenants were terminated and the mall was demolished, leaving only White's and two outparcels standing. A new RICHLAND FASHION MALL was built in two phases. The first (dark gray) was dedicated in October 1988. A second phase (lighter gray) debuted in November 1989.

In 1994, the "Lenox Square of the Midlands" has a new anchor. Dillard's expanded a vacant Bonwit Teller and commenced operation in 1993. A rooftop multiplex has also opened. RICHLAND FASHION MALL encompassed approximately 984,000 leasable square feet, with free parking for 2,800 autos. The complex has endured management and financial problems since its late 1980s inception. In 1994, it was nearly half-vacant.

In November 1996, the official name of the shopping hub was truncated to RICHLAND MALL. Renovations were completed in 1997 and 1999; the latter relocated the Food Court from the Upper Level to the Lower. The original culinary complex was gutted and rebuilt into Richland Centre, which housed a Bell Atlantic-Verizon Call Center.

A panoramic view of the mall's Southeast Wing, with a vacant Dillard's on the left. This store was shuttered in 2003. Following this, it housed Blacklion (a furniture store), a mercantile known as The Department Store and Ping Pong Plaza, a table tennis facility.
Photo from www.showcase.com

Parisian anchored the mall's Northwest Wing between 1989 and 2007. An entity known as the South Carolina Science Academy considered leasing the building's second floor in mid-2013. Unfortunately for the mall, they decided on another location for their campus.
Photo from www.showcase.com

Between 1987 and 2010, the official name of the shopping hub changed four times. These logos depict some of the mall's many incarnations. The first trademark was introduced in late 1996. The second made its debut in late 2006, with the final logo being implemented in early 2010. By this time, the mall was on life support.
Graphic 1 from https://web.archive.org / http://richlandmallsc.com
Graphic 2 from Midtown at Forest Acres Flyer, 2005
Graphic 3 from http://www.richlandmallsc.com

North Carolina's Belk chain rebranded the mall's center anchor store in September 1998. Belk would anchor RICHLAND MALL for twenty-five years.

Photo from Mike Kalasnik

Barnes & Noble dedicated their RICHLAND store in late 1997. TGI Fridays relocated from another space in the mall around this time. The restaurant was shuttered in March 2013. Barnes & Noble pulled the plug on their store in late 2023, in anticipation of a major redevelopment. 

Photo from www.colliers.com

A wrecking ball renovation commenced in early 2024. As one might expect, a "true city center" will be an open-air mixed-use facility, with retail and residential components. A Mall Park greenspace may include walking trails and an amphitheater. 

Drawing from Forest Acres 

RICHLAND MALL
North Beltline Road and Forest Drive
Forest Acres, South Carolina

America's shopping mall phenomenon reached the Palmetto State with the completion of the RICHLAND MALL shopping center. Covering approximately 253,600 leasable square feet, the open-air complex was built on a 36-acre section of a 50-acre site. This land parcel was located 2.6 miles northeast of the South Carolina State House, in the suburb of Forest Acres.

Plans for an EVANS SHOPPING CENTER were announced in June 1960. The prospective mall, which was being developed by the Evans Corporation of Columbia, was to be a fully-enclosed structure, with an estimated cost of 5 million dollars. By October 1960, the Greenville-based Liberty Life Insurance Company had taken over development of the project. RICHLAND MALL would be a scaled-down, open-air facility, with a price tag of only 3 million dollars. 

Atlanta's Toombs, Amisano & Wells firm designed the structure along with the K.S. Espedahl firm, of Columbia. Work commenced in December 1960, with an official grand opening being held on November 2, 1961. As part of the grand opening, several ceremonial ribbons were cut. In attendance were W.J. Stubbs, Junior (Mayor of Forest Acres), Lester Bates (Mayor of Columbia) and officials from the Forest Acres City Council, Richland Mall Association and Liberty Life Insurance Company.

Anchoring the mall was a 1-level (60,000 square foot), Augusta-based J.B. White (a.k.a. White's). The tenant list of twenty-one stores and services included Eckerd Drugs, Redwood Cafeteria, a (22,600 square foot) F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10, (22,600 square foot) Colonial supermarket and (24,800 square foot) Winn-Dixie supermarket.

The mall's first motion picture venue, the Wilby-Kincey Richland Mall Theatre, showed its first feature on July 9, 1966. The cinema, built as a southeast parking area outparcel, would eventually house four auditoriums. 

In January 1967, work got underway on an expansion of the RICHLAND MALL White's. A second floor was added, with the store's square footage increased to 120,000. New departments included the Showboat Tea Room, Paddle Wheel Coffee Shop, gourmet shop and ladies' wear Gold Room. The refurbished store held a grand re-opening on August 17, 1967.  

Major shopping centers in the RICHLAND MALL trade area included DUTCH SQUARE CENTER (1970) {5.7 miles northwest, in Richland County-Columbia}, DECKER MALL (1977) {3.6 miles northeast, in Columbia}, COLUMBIA PLACE (1977) {3.6 miles northeast, in Columbia} and WOODHILL MALL (1978) {2.7 miles southeast, in Columbia}. In later years, there were COLUMBIANA CENTRE (1990) {10.2 miles northwest, in Richland County-Columbia} and THE VILLAGE AT SANDHILL (2004) {10 miles northeast, in Richland County}.

RICHLAND MALL operated in its original configuration until late 1987. Winn-Dixie was shuttered December 23rd, signaling the beginning of a redevelopment of the property. All was demolished, except for the White's store and two outparcels. Construction of the first phase of a new fully-enclosed mall soon got underway.

Built southeast of the existing White's, the complex was constructed by Atlanta-based Hooker Development, an American subsidiary of Australia's J.L. Hooker Corporation. The first phase of RICHLAND FASHION MALL included a 2-level (80,000 square foot), New York City-based Bonwit Teller. The store, and a 2-level Phase One mall, opened for business on October 18, 1988.

A third floor and 2-level expansion were added to White's, with the newly-renovated store encompassing 219,000 square feet. At the same time, work was underway on the 2-level Phase Two mall, which extended northwest of White's and was anchored by a 2-level (99,600 square foot), Birmingham-based Parisian. This store, and its adjacent mall wing, were dedicated on November 15, 1989.

The new RICHLAND FASHION MALL featured dancing fountains, brass railings and a glass-enclosed elevator. There was a 14-bay, aviation-themed Food Court, multilevel parking garage and rooftop parking deck. The complex was considerably upscale, but also included middle-market tenants such as Woolworth Express and S & S Cafeteria.

An all-new motion picture venue, the Litchfield Theatres Litchfield 7, made its debut on March 2, 1990, signaling completion of the 150 million dollar revitalization. RICHLAND FASHION MALL now encompassed around 875,000 leasable square feet and an initial forty-five stores and services. The mall would eventually contain over 100.

Before the RICHLAND FASHION MALL project was even completed, the Hooker Corporation was in deep financial trouble. Construction of Greater Cincinnati's FOREST FAIR MALL (1988) had gone seriously over budget. Moreover, the Hooker Corporation's purchase of the Bonwit Teller chain, and a majority interest acquisition of the Parisian chain, left the company 1.7 billion dollars in the red. A chapter 11 bankruptcy was filed in September 1989, with the Hooker enterprise being purchased by another Australian concern in 1990.

Bonwit Teller was shuttered in August 1990. Its building was expanded and re-opened, as a (189,300 square foot) Dillard's, on August 4, 1993. The rooftop 7-plex became a Regal venue in 1995. By this time, the mall had been in decline for several years.

The reasons for this were many, but the fact that the shopping hub was anchored by two unfamiliar department stores probably carried the most weight. It is also opined that the parking situation, with few surface spaces, caused Columbia shoppers -who tend to dislike parking garages- to spend their money elsewhere.

By 1996, management of the shopping hub had changed four times. Youngstown's Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation had a stint, as did Montgomery, Alabama's Aranov Realty. As a promotion, the official name of the complex was truncated to RICHLAND MALL in November 1996. Customers still stayed away in droves.

Two renovations were done to RICHLAND MALL during the 1990s. The first relocated tenants such as the TGI Friday restaurant. The mall's northeast entrance was remodeled and a new facade built. A 1-level (20,700 square foot) Barnes & Noble opened on November 12, 1997. The second mall remodeling, an 11 million dollar project, relocated the existing Upper Level Food Court into a new 5-bay facility on the center's Lower Level.

The original culinary complex was gutted and reconfigured as Richland Centre, which housed a Bell Atlantic Call Center. This facility, which opened in October 1999, was rebranded, as the Verizon Wireless Columbia Call Center, in the year 2000. It was expanded, from 70,000 to 132,000 square feet, in May 2001.

Anchor nameplate changes began on September 23, 1998, when Charlotte-based Belk rebranded the RICHLAND MALL White's. Dillard's shuttered their store in the spring of 2003. The (93,000 square foot) first floor was leased to Charlotte-based Blacklion, who dedicated their furniture store in October 2003. This operation was short-lived and was followed by another brief endeavor known simply as The Department Store. Parisian went dark in February 2007, with its store space never being retenanted.

Raleigh's Whichard Realty acquired the struggling shopping hub in May 2003 and flipped the property. In March 2005, the Spruce Pine, North Carolina-based Peerless Development Group took possession. A grandiose, 300 million dollar renovation was proposed. An exterior Streetscape would be added, new upscale shoppes and bistros opened, and 3-level condo tower built on the Dillard's spot.

By December 2006, local residents were frustrated by the lack of progress on the mall's redevelopment. A name change, to MIDTOWN AT FOREST ACRES, was about the only thing that had transpired. Then came The Great Recession. Peerless defaulted on their 39 million dollar mall loan. The shopping center was auctioned off in February 2007.

Sarasota's Richland Joint Venture operated the mall until it was sold, to a joint venture of Columbia's Century Capital Group and Kahn Development, in early 2010. They re-changed the name of the complex to RICHLAND MALL soon after. Several stores closed, including S & S Cafeteria (January 2011), TGI Friday (March 2013), Jackson's Southern Kitchen (March 2014), China Max (May 2014), Gymboree (July 2017) and the Regal Columbia 7 (February 2022).

Augusta, Georgia's Southeastern Development devised a plan to redevelop the past-its-prime property. In November 2022, government approval was granted to demolish the mall and replace it with a 100 million dollar, mixed-use facility. This would include a supermarket, public park and 500-unit apartment complex. Demolition commenced on March 20, 2024.

Sources:

The State (Columbia, SC)

The Gamecock (Columbia South Carolina)

The Columbia Record
http://columbiaclosings.com
http://cinematreasures.org
http://columbiametro.com
http://columbiabusinessreport.com
http://irmoscnews.risblog.info

https://www.wltx.com

https://colatoday.6amcity.com / Cola Today
"Richland Mall" article on Wikipedia

Charleston's Ashley Plaza Mall

The initial section of stores at ASHLEY PLAZA opened for business in April 1964. Originally a two-store, strip-type complex, the facility was expanded into an enclosed mall in the early 1970s.  

Chucktown's ASHLEY PLAZA MALL was developed in four phases. The first (in black) consisted of a J.M. Fields and Pantry Pride strip center. Condon's (dark gray) was added in 1970. In 1972, these stores were joined by a fully-enclosed mall (medium gray). The fourth -and final- phase added the Ashley Plaza Cinema I & II, which was dedicated in 1973.

ASHLEY PLAZA MALL TENANTS 1973:

CONDON'S / EDWARDS 5 & 10 (with luncheonette) / J.M. FIELDS (with snack bar and freestanding Auto Center) / PANTRY PRIDE supermarket / Altman's Junior Bootery / American Handicrafts / Ann's Vogue ladies' wear / Ashley Plaza Cinema I & II / Charlotte Harrell's / Cindy Lee ladies' wear / Crawford's, Limited Fine Store For Men / Don's Stag men's wear / Evelyn Rubin ladies' wear / Friedman's Jewelry / Hall of Music / Hickory Farms of Ohio / Hot Sam Pretzels / John Huguley Company / John McNeil Magnavox TV & Stereo / Leo's Barber Shop / Lewis Beauty Salon / Melton-Demosthenes / Orange Bowl snack bar / Petal Pusher / Peterson's Ice Cream / Pet Village / Radio Shack / Revco Drugs (with luncheonette) / South Carolina National Bank / The Post Card / This End Up / Thom McAn Shoes 

ASHLEY PLAZA MALL included a Charleston Heights-based Edward's 5 & 10. Here we see a 1930s postcard depiction of an Edward's store. The chain had its beginnings in 1926.
Drawing from The Boston Public Library

Following the demise of the mall's J.M. Fields, the store was reconfigured as a Woolco discount mart. It welcomed first shoppers in March 1980.

The Lowcountry shopping hub took a direct hit from Hurricane Hugo in 1989. It was rebuilt, with the shopping concourse gutted and reconfigured as a Burlington Coat Factory. Remaining inline stores were given exterior entrances and the name of the shopping hub changed from ASHLEY PLAZA MALL to ASHLEY LANDING.

Photo from www.showcase.com / The Cordish Company

A.J. Wright was installed in the old Condon's spot, but was replaced by a Citi Trends store. This was shuttered in late 2015. Charleston Amish Furniture set up shop in late 2017.

Photo from www.showcase.com / The Cordish Company

Meanwhile, the exterior of ASHLEY LANDING was given a 2 million dollar face lift between 2014 and 2015.

Drawing from http://www.faison.com / Faison Enterprises

In 2019, one of the newest tenants at ASHLEY LANDING is the Frothy Beard Brewing Company-Zombie Bob's Pizza. This combo craft brewery and pizzeria opened in early 2017. The Charleston Stage West Ashley Theater Center assumed a vacant CVS space in late 2018.

ASHLEY PLAZA MALL

Sam Rittenberg Boulevard and Old Town Road
Charleston, South Carolina

The first two shopping malls in -or around- Charleston were dedicated in 1972. NORTHWOODS MALL held its official grand opening in June, with the ASHLEY PLAZA MALL making its debut in August of the same year.

ASHLEY PLAZA, a two-tenant strip center, had been built on a 35-acre plot, located 3.5 miles northwest of downtown Charleston. Developed by Fort Lauderdale-based Gate City Realty and New York City-based Food Fair Properties, the shopping facility was dedicated on April 16, 1964. It consisted of a 1-level (87,000 square foot), Salem, Massachusetts-based J.M. Fields discount mart and adjacent Pantry Pride supermarket.

These were divisions of the Philadelphia-based Food Fair supermarket chain. Combo stores similar to those at ASHLEY PLAZA were built along America's East Coast during the 1960s. They featured J. M. Fields and either a Food Fair or Pantry Pride supermarket.

In March 1970, a 1-level (35,000 square foot), Charleston-based Condon's opened northwest of the existing ASHLEY PLAZA. It was the chain's first branch location. A fully-enclosed mall, linking the two structures, was constructed by the New York City-based LeFrak Organization and Baltimore-based Cordish Company.

ASHLEY PLAZA MALL was officially dedicated on August 10, 1972. The single-level complex encompassed approximately 389,000 leasable square feet and, when fully leased, housed thirty-nine stores and services. These included Revco Drug, Radio Shack, Hickory Farms of Ohio, This End Up, Pet Village, Cindy Lee Shop ladies' wear, Friedman's Jewelers, and an Edward's 5 & 10.

The General Cinema Corporation Ashley Plaza Cinema I & II showed first features on May 25, 1973. A third auditorium was added in 1980, with the theater renamed as the Ashley Plaza Cinema I-II-III.

Major shopping facilities in the ASHLEY PLAZA trade area included the aforementioned NORTHWOODS MALL (1972) {9.2 miles northwest, in North Charleston}. There were also CHARLES TOWNE SQUARE (1976) {4.3 miles north, also in North Charleston} and CITADEL MALL (1981) {2 miles southwest, in Charleston}.

Store rebrandings at ASHLEY PLAZA commenced with the acquisition of the Edward's chain, by Nashville's Kuhn's Big K, in September 1977. Following the merger, Edward's stores were branded as Big K-Edward's. In May 1979, the J.M. Fields and Pantry Pride chains went out of business. The vacant J.M. Fields re-opened as a Woolco discount mart in March 1980. The Pantry Pride morphed into a Jameson's Red & White grocery.

The Woolco space was vacant, once again, in January 1983. It was divided and leased by an array of retailers over the years. These included a North Carolina-based Brendle's Catalog Showroom and United Clothing Company in 1987 and North Carolina-based Carolina Pottery, in 1997. By the year 2000, the store space was divided between Dollar Tree, Pivotal Fitness and Bumper To Bumper Auto Parts. The grocery spot eventually housed a Columbus, Ohio-based Big Lots.

The mall struggled through the 1980s and took a hit from Hurricane Hugo in September 1989. It was rebuilt and re-opened, as ASHLEY LANDING in 1990. 75,000 square feet of the complex (the bulk of the interior mall) had been gutted and reconfigured as a Burlington Coat Factory.

ASHLEY LANDING was given an exterior face lift in 1995. In the early 2000s, a revitalization plan was proposed. Under this plan, sections of the parking lot would be filled with office and residential structures, with the existing complex being given a modernizing makeover. In the aftermath of The Great Recession, this redevelopment was categorized as "deader than dead." 

 

Charlotte-based Faison Enterprises acquired ASHLEY LANDING in January 2015. An adjacent 2.5 acre plot was eventually purchased, as well. The new owner performed a face lift, with new landscaping, lighting and store facades installed. An A.J. Wright discount apparel had been operating in the old Condon's space for some time. This store closed in 2011 and was replaced by Citi Trends, which closed in late 2015. Faison Enterprises split into two entities in January 2017. One of these, Wintergreen Capital, assumed ownership and operation of ASHLEY PLAZA. Wintergreen continued to retenant the shopping facility.

Frothy Beard Brewing Company and Zombie Bob's Pizza, installed in the old Edward's 5 & 10 space, served first libations on February 11, 2017. A (10,000 square foot) outparcel structure was built, which contained Navy Federal Credit Union, WingStop and Famous Toastery. These opened in -or around- February 2018.

 

In the mid-2020s, plans for a mixed-use redevelopment of ASHLEY LANDING resurfaced. A Public Infrastructure Improvements Agreement, with Columbia-based Edens, was approved by the Charleston City Council in September 2024. A 345 million dollar redevelopment would feature 425 residential units, 230,000 square feet of retail and restaurants and 6 acres of public green space.   

Sources:

The Post-Courier (Charleston, South Carolina)

http://www.mallmemories.com / Randy Barton
https://www.cinematreasures.org
http://www.frothybeard.com
http://www.faison.com / Faison Enterprises
https://www.wintergreencapital.com

https://www.williamtinkler.com

"Ashley Plaza Mall" article on Wikipedia

Greenville's McAlister Square

The original trademark of the Palmetto State's very first enclosed and air-conditioned mall. McALISTER SQUARE, promoted as "Greenville's Shopping Showplace," opened in stages between February and June of 1968.

Graphic from McAlister Development Company

J.B. Ivey (a.k.a. Ivey's) presided over the north end of the SQUARE. The store, Ivey's third Greenville location, originally encompassed 1 level and 60,000 square feet. A second floor was completed in 1972.
Drawing from J.B. Ivey & Company

On the opposite end of the mall stood a 63,000 square foot Meyers-Arnold; the chain's first branch. It, too, had a single level. An upper floor opened in 1971.
Drawing from the Meyers-Arnold Company

In late 1968, the 7 million dollar dumbell plan mall spanned approximately 420,000 leasable square feet and contained thirty stores and services. Free parking was initially provided for 1,800 autos.

MCALISTER SQUARE TENANTS 1968:

J.B. IVEY / MEYERS-ARNOLD (with Coiffures America Beauty Salon) / S.H. KRESS 5 & 10 (with Whirly-Q Luncheonette) / WALGREEN DRUG (with Walgreen Grill) / Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors Ice Cream / Bobbie Brooks ladies' wear / Browz-A-Bit Cards & Books / Butler Shoes / Casual Corner ladies' wear / Eleanor Shops ladies' wear / Fanny Farmer Candies / Fidelity Federal Savings & Loan Association (outparcel) / Friedman's Jewelers / Glenn's of McAlister Hair Fashions / H & H Barber Shop / Hale's Jewelers / Harriet Hess Gifts & Interiors / Hickory Farms of Ohio / Heyward Mahon Company apparel / Ken Vaughn's Florist Shop / Lerner Shops ladies' wear / Morrison's Cafeteria / Parisienne Wig Shop / Patton, Tilman & Bruce Shoes / Pets Galore / Record Bar / Singer Sewing Center / So-Fro Fabrics / The Little Shop, Limited / Thom McAn Shoes / Webster's Men's Clothes 

A freestanding Convenience Center was built on the mall's northern periphery in the early 1970s. The first phase consisted of the Camelot Theatre, whose first feature played in September 1970. A Winn-Dixie supermarket, package liquor store and Radio Shack were added. The former opened for business in June 1972.

Graphic 1 from the Wilby-Kincy Theatre Association

Graphic 2 from Winn-Dixie Stores, Incorporated

In March 1973, a 6 million dollar mall renovation was announced. This would add twelve inline stores and a 2-level Belk-Simpson.
Drawing from Belk Brothers Company

 

The New Mall expansion (dark gray) was built onto the southeast side of McALISTER SQUARE. Dedicated in March 1974, it increased the leasable square footage of the complex to around 705,000 square feet. There were now fifty stores and free parking for 3,400 autos.

Our third McALISTER SQUARE layout is dated 16 years after the previous plan. After enjoying several years as the only major mall in town, the SQUARE began to encounter competition from GREENWOOD MALL (1978) and HAYWOOD MALL (1980). In 1990, the north and south anchors at McALISTER SQUARE have been rebranded. The mall is faring well enough, but a store exodus will soon be underway. 

A keeping up with Haywood face lift was performed between 1992 and 1993. Decorative elements added to the mall's main entrance are seen in this early 2000s snapshot.
Photo from http://www.chholdings.com / Carolina Holdings

In a more recent photo, we see that the gaudy, Post-Modern bric-a-brac of the 1990s has been ripped down from the mall's exterior, leaving a more spartanly-appointed -and attractive- main entry.
Photo from Wikipedia / Mike Kalasnik

Above and below are interior views of the today's McALISTER SQUARE. In its present state, the complex encompasses around 552,000 square feet.
Photo from http://www.chholdings.com / Carolina Holdings

These days, most of the mall is not devoted to retail. It houses several educational facilities, medical offices, traditional offices and a full-service restaurant.

Photo from http://www.chholdings.com / Carolina Holdings

A recent view of the Convenience Center that was added to McALISTER SQUARE in the early '70s. Today, the mini-complex is known as McALISTER MARKETPLACE. Its name is a homage to the Winn-Dixie Marketplace grocery that was in operation here until 1993.
Photo from www.loopnet.com

After several years of decline, a moribund McALISTER SQUARE was purchased by a public-private consortium in 1999. Greenville Technical College became the new owner of the three anchor store structures, with the Greenville Tech Foundation taking possession of all common mall area.

Graphic from https://www.gvltec.edu / Greenville Technical College

The south anchor box housed department stores operated by Meyers-Arnold (1968-1987) and Uptons (1987-1999). It became the Greenville Technical College ARC (Admissions & Registration Center), which serves as a one-stop student orientation facility and book store.
Photo from http://www.gvltec.edu / Greenville Technical College

University Center of Greenville is part of today's multi-college satellite campus inhabitng the old McALISTER SQUARE mall.
Graphic from https://greenville.org / University Center Greenville

University Center leases the north anchor structure, which formerly housed department stores operated by Ivey's (1968-1990) and Dillard's (1990-1995). Seven Upstate institutions of higher learning hold classes in the facility, which opened in 2001.

Photo from https://greenville.org / University Center Greenville

McALISTER SQUARE
South Pleasantburg and East Antrim Drives
Greenville, South Carolina

The Palmetto State's first fully-enclosed shopping center was built by a joint venture of the Greenville-based Caine Company and McAlister Development. The complex was designed by Atlanta's Toombs, Amisano & Wells firm.

McALISTER SQUARE was built on a 46-acre parcel, located 1.8 miles southeast of downtown Greenville. The site had been occupied by the Charles McAlister farm for several years. The single-level complex originally encompassed approximately 420,000 leasable square feet and contained twenty-nine stores and services under its roof.

Anchoring the venue were a 1-level (63,000 square foot), Greenville-based Meyers-Arnold and 1-level (60,000 square foot), Charlotte-based J.B. Ivey. These stores became the mall's first operational tenants on February 15, 1968.

A mall-wide grand opening was held on March 25, 1968. Charter McALISTER SQUARE tenants included Walgreen  Drug, Heyward Mahon apparel, Bobbie Brooks ladies' wear, Pets Galore, Morrison's Cafeteria, Eleanor Shops ladies' wear, Casual Corner ladies' wear, Record Bar and a (16,000 square foot) S.H. Kress 5 & 10.

A freestanding Convenience Center was built northeast of the mall proper. Its first phase consisted of the Wilby-Kincey Camelot Theatre, which showed its first feature on September 3, 1970.  The second phase added a (28,300 square foot) Winn-Dixie supermarket and three inline stores. Winn-Dixie commenced operation in June 1972. The cinema re-opened, as the Camelot II,  on March 23, 1974 and was eventually expanded into a 7-screen operation.

Meanwhile, the McALISTER SQUARE Myers-Arnold was enlarged with a second level. Completed in October 1971, it enlarged the store to 123,000 square feet and included the chain's corporate offices. In August 1972, Ivey's new second floor was opened. That store now covered 120,000 square feet.

A second -and final- expansion of McALISTER SQUARE was under construction by March 1973. The 6 million dollar project added a 2-level (142,000 square foot), Greenville-based Belk-Simpson and twelve inline stores. These included A Shop of John Simmons, J. Riggings men's wear and Lillie Rubin ladies' wear. Inline stores in the New Mall opened in November and December 1973. Belk-Simpson was officially dedicated on March 6, 1974. The mall now spanned over 700,000 leasable square feet and contained fifty stores and services.

McALISTER SQUARE was the preeminent "Upstate" shopping mall for several years. The community-class BELL TOWER MALL (1969) {1.9 miles west, in Greenville city} was no match. Commercial competition finally arrived with the opening of GREENVILLE MALL {3 miles east, in Greenville County}, in August 1978.

A fire raged through the North Wing of McALISTER SQUARE on December 12, 1981. Six stores were seriously damaged; these being World Bazaar, Hickory Farms of Ohio, Butler Shoes, Eleanor Shops, Magnavox Home Entertainment Centers and Webster's Men's Clothes. The entire mall was given an interior face lift as part of its restoration. A Center Stage was added, with a 20 thousand dollar sound system, and new new tile flooring was installed throughout the complex. A formal re-dedication was held on February 4, 1982.

Anchor store nameplate conversions began on November 1, 1987, when Meyers-Arnold became a Norcross, Georgia-based Uptons. Ivey's was rebranded, as a Dillard's, on October 1, 1990. The Belk-Simpson banner was truncated to simply "Belk" in 1998.

McALISTER SQUARE started to decline after the dedication of HAYWOOD MALL {1.6 miles west, in Greenville County}. This 956,000 square foot buying behemoth debuted in July 1980. The McALISTER SQUARE Dillard's relocated to HAYWOOD MALL on April 5, 1995. The abandoned store was never retenanted.

 A newly-enlarged HAYWOOD MALL encompassed 1,256,000 leasable square feet and was now the largest shopping center in the state. Within a few years, the remaining anchors at McALISTER SQUARE were pulling up stakes. Belk was shuttered in January 1999. Uptons, already downsized into its ground floor, went dark in September.

In August 1999, the virtually vacant shopping complex was sold to a joint venture of Greenville Technical College and the Greenville Tech Foundation, who gradually repurposed it as a retail, office and educational facility.

Today, the mall houses several educational facilities. University Center, a 7-college consortium of satellite classrooms, occupies the old Ivey's-Dillard's. The Greenville Technical College Admissions & Registration Center operates in the Meyers Arnold-Uptons building. Former inline store space is leased as offices for several medical, non-profit and county agencies. There are also a full-service restaurant and small collection of retail stores.

Sources:

The Greenville News
The Herald-Journal (Spartanburg, South Carolina)
https://www.greenvilleonline.com
https://www.cinematreasures.org
https://movie-theatre.org / Mike Rivest
https://www.choldings.com / Carolina Holdings, Incorporated
https://www.gvltec.edu / Greenville Technical College
https://greenville.org / University Center Greenville
Greenville County, South Carolina property tax assessor website
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Spartanburg's Westgate Mall

An early '70s rendering depicts the Sparkle City's WESTGATE MALL, which would feature four anchor department stores and encompass around 885,100 leasable square feet when completed. The complex opened, in October 1975, as the largest shopping mall in the Palmetto State. 

Drawing from Humphreys & Associates

The interior of the original mall was decorated in a railroad motif, which carried over into the design of its logo. This trademark depicted the 1921-vintage locomotive; centerpiece of the West (Piccadilly Cafeteria) Court.

Graphic from Arlen Shopping Centers

 

In early 1976, WESTGATE MALL spanned approximately 786,000 leasable square feet. Its parking area could accommodate 4,200 autos. Sears and Meyers-Arnold were the initial anchors. Belk-Hudson joined the fold in April 1976. J.C. Penney (shown here as "Future Development") would commence operation in March 1978.

WESTGATE MALL TENANTS 1976:

BELK-SIMPSON / MEYERS-ARNOLD / SEARS (with Coffee Shop and freestanding Auto Center) / Anderson-Little / August W. Smith / Awake West / B. Dalton Bookseller / Big Top Sandwich Shop / Break Away Levis / Brooks Fashions / Butler Shoes / Camelot Music / Carolina Baby / Carol's Boutique / Carousel Snack Bar / Casual Corner / Chick-fil-A / Children's Photographer / Cricket's Hallmark / Crutchfield's Sporting Goods / Curious Cargo / D.P. Paul Jewelers / Ellis Optical / Federal Bake Shop / Fine's Mens Wear / First Citizen's Bank / First National Bank Night Depository / Ford Shoes / Friedman's Jewelers / Garner Health Foods Restaurant / Gateway Cards / George's Shoe Boutique / Gordon's Jewelers / Granby's Restaurant / Hanover Shoes / Hickory Farms of Ohio / Karmelkorn / Kelley & Green / Kinney Shoes / Joli's / Just Pants / LaMarick Beauty Salon / Land of Oz / Leaf 'n Petal / Lerner Shops / McCall's men's wear / Morrow's Nut House / Ormond / Page's Uniforms / Pet Luv / Playhouse / Piccadilly Cafeteria / Picture Pact / Radio Shack / Record Bar / Singer Sewing Center / Spencer Gifts / The Junction / The Standard / The Tinder Box Tobacconist / The Village Green / Things Remembered / Thom McAn Shoes / Thomas & Sons & Carolyn's Bridal Shop / Topps & Trowsers / Yarn Barn / Zales Jewelers

 

20 years later, the mall has just emerged from a massive remodeling. This added Dillard's, J.B. White and an enlarged Belk. A West Wing (medium gray) was also built, that included a large Food Court and in-mall megaplex. Free parking was now provided for over 5,200 autos. For the next 3 years, the 1.2 million square foot WESTGATE could boast of being the only 6-anchor mall in the Carolinas.

Photos above and below show WESTGATE MALL as it appeared following its mid-1990s expansion and renovation. The southeast entry is seen in this snapshot.
Photo from Wikipedia / Mike Kalasnik

Here we see The Oasis, an 8-bay food court in the mall's West Wing. It is the second centralized food facility to operate in WESTGATE.
Photo from https://svnblackstream.com / SVN Blacksmith Commercial Real Estate

Another major WESTGATE renovation was completed in 2007. During this project, the west anchor, originally a J.B. White, was demolished and replaced with a freestanding Costco. The adjusted gross leasable area of the mall proper now stood at around 1,100,600 square feet.

As part of Sears' ongoing retail retreat, the south anchor at WESTGATE was vacated in September 2018. Sears had been the mall's first operational store, in 1975.
Photo from https://www.flickr.com / Jarrett Cunningham

WESTGATE MALL
West Blackstock Road and W.O. Ezell Boulevard / US 29
Spartanburg, South Carolina

In April 1972, plans for a major Sparkle City retail complex were announced. This would be developed by Arlen Shopping Centers (a precursor of today's CBL Properties) and New York City's First National City Bank and Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. The mall was being designed by Chattanooga's Humphreys & Associates firm.

A 75-acre site, located 3 miles southwest of downtown Spartanburg, was purchased from the Yeomans family. An official groundbreaking was held on September 12, 1974. A 2-level (193,400 square foot) Sears became the first operational WESTGATE store on August 21, 1975. Next came a 1-level (70,000 square foot), Greenville-based Meyers-Arnold, which was dedicated on October 3rd.

An official dedication of the "fully-climatized" mall was held on October 29, 1975, when forty-five stores and services opened for business. In attendance were Jay Solomon and Charles B. Liebovitz (of Arlen Shopping Centers), John Baehr (Mayor of Spartanburg) and Robert G. Rowell (Spartanburg County Commission Chairman).

Assisting in a ceremonial ribbon cutting were Annette Huckaby, "Miss Spartanburg 1975," and Rita Chastain, "Miss Greenville 1975." Entertainment was provided by the University of South Carolina Bicentennial Chorus, Paul W. Dorman High School Band, Spartanburg High School Band Color Guard and members of Miss Marion's Dancers.

A 2-level (124,500 square foot), Spartanburg-based Belk-Hudson made its debut, along with fifteen inline stores, on April 21, 1976. At this time, WESTGATE MALL encompassed approximately 786,000 leasable square feet and housed sixty-eight stores and services.

Charter WESTGATE tenants included Topps & Trowsers, Camelot Music, Record Bar, Chick-fil-A, Curious Cargo, Pet Luv, Ormond Junior Specialty Shop and a Piccadilly Cafeteria. The basic footprint of the mall was established with the completion of its fourth anchor. A 1-level (99,100 square foot) J.C. Penney commenced operation on March 1, 1978.

Meanwhile, the ABC Southeastern Westgate Twin Theatres had been built on a pad located .3 mile southeast of the mall. First features were shown on December 25, 1975. This movie house, which eventually housed four auditoria, was in operation until 1990. A second theatrical venue, the General Cinema Corporation Westgate Mall Cinema VI, was built in the mall's west parking area. It was dedicated on February 17, 1984 and shuttered and demolished in 1995.

The only sizable competition that WESTGATE experienced in its early years came from HILLCREST MALL (1982) {5.9 miles northeast, in Spartanburg}. WESTGATE eventually prevailed, with HILLCREST enduring a prolonged demise. It was demalled between 1999 and 2001.

In January 1986, the first renovation of WESTGATE MALL got underway. The court in front of Piccadilly Cafeteria was rebuilt, with its vintage locomotive removed. A food court, known as The Garden, was created. Existing restaurants -Cossenza's Pizza, Chick-Fil-A and Grecian Expo- were joined by Taco Bell, Yummy Yogurt and Sbarro the Italian Eatery. New flooring, landscaping, skylights, mirrors and neon lighting were installed, with the food facility being officially dedicated on June 1, 1986.

Meyers-Arnold's was shuttered on August 2, 1987, after the chain was acquired by Norcross, Georgia-based Uptons. The store re-opened, as an Uptons, on November 1, 1987. It was shuttered in September 1999 and divided into a (36,100 square foot) Bed, Bath & Beyond and (35,000 square foot) Dick's Sporting Goods. These stores began business in late 2000 and early 2001, respectively.

Meanwhile, Chattanooga-based CBL & Associates Properties had acquired the mall building (but not the land) in March 1995. Basically, they reestablished ownership of a property that was sold some years before by Arlen Shopping Centers.

Work on a two-phase mall addition commenced in August 1995. A 2-level (150,000 square foot) Dillard's was built at the original Main Entrance and a West Wing added. This would be anchored by a 2-level (158,000 square foot), Augusta, Georgia-based J.B. White (a.k.a. "White's").

Belk, on the north end of the complex, was expanded into a 156,800 square foot store. The existing mall was also given a major makeover, with new storefronts, flooring and entrances installed. Forty stores and services were added during the expansion.

The new West Wing included The Oasis, an 8-bay food court, and two casual dining restaurants. A mall-wide dedication was held on October 23, 1996. Stores new to the mall included The Gap, Gadzooks, Small Sports, Gardens Botanica, Marks & Morgan Jewelers and a J.B. White For The Home store (a northern outparcel). The Regal Westgate Mall 8 occupied a second level over The Oasis and opened on October 25, 1996. The mall now housed approximately 1,258,600 leasable square feet and 120 stores and services.

J.B. White at WESTGATE was short-lived. It was rebranded by Alcoa, Tennessee-based Proffitt's on October 3, 1998. This chain was bought by Belk in July 2005. With two prospective Belk locations at WESTGATE, the parent company decided to permanently close the Proffitt's store in December 2005. The building, which was only 10 years old, was razed in 2006.

A 1-level (150,600 square foot), Washington State-based Costco was built as a freestanding unit with no connection to the mall. The store opened on August 15, 2007. With this modification, the retail area of the WESTGATE MALL (sans Costco) had been reduced to around 1,000,600 leasable square feet.

Major tenants pulled up stakes in the 21st century. Sears, which had anchored WESTGATE MALL for 43 years, shut down on September 2, 2018. Dick's Sporting Goods was demoted to a Clearance Center in 2019 and closed for good in 2021. The Regal Westgate Mall 8 went dark on October 14, 2021. Bed, Bath & Beyond closed, along with the chain, in January 2023.
 
Meanwhile, CBL & Associates had filed for bankruptcy in November 2020. They defaulted on their WESTGATE loan. In September 2023, the New York City-based Spinoso Real Estate Group became receiver and manager of the property until a buyer could be found. The mall (but not the land) was sold to Great Neck, New York's Namdar Realty Group in May 2024.

Sources:

The Herald-Journal (Spartanburg, South Carolina)
The Greenville News (Greenville, South Carolina)
https://www.cinematreasures.org
http://www.westgate-mall.com (website on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
https://www.westgate-mall.com
https://www.cblproperties.com
https://qpublic.schneidercorp.com / Spartanburg County, South Carolina tax assessor website
https://svnblackstream.com
"Westgate Mall" article on Wikipedia