Regency Mall
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Regency Mall was a major regional mall in South Augusta, Georgia. Open from 1978-2001, Regency Mall was anchored by J.B. White (now Dillard's), Belk, Montgomery Ward and Cullum's (later Upton's). Regency Mall was built by the DeBartolo family and was built in a mall race with nearby Augusta Mall, making it Augusta's first mall by only a week. Never updated from opening, the mall began to fail in the early 1990s due to high crime, low security, poor location and too small of a market for the city to support two malls.
The mall's design was two levels, in a Y-shape. The mall also contained a three-screen movie theater. When the mall began to die, the first to go were Belk and Upton's (which closed with the chain in the late 1990s). J.B. White left for Augusta Mall in 1998 (and became a Dillard's when J.B. White was acquired by Dillard's). Montgomery Ward was Regency Mall's remaining anchor, and closed with the chain in 2000. The mall was boarded up when its last remaining store, International Formal Wear, closed in May 2001. It has not operated since, though it remains mostly intact.
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[edit] Early History: The Successful Years
[edit] Development
Augusta’s Regency Mall was the first enclosed regional mall in Augusta. Built by Edward J. DeBartolo and Associates, Regency Mall was constructed at the intersection of U.S. 1 and Gordon Highway in South Augusta. The mall opened for business in 1978 with four anchors and over 90 stores. Its original anchor stores were Montgomery Ward, Belk, J.B. White (a local South Carolina-based chain) and Cullum's (a local Augusta chain). The mall featured two levels (the bottom level was accessible from the front) and the cinema. In all, the entire complex encompassed 800,000 square feet.
[edit] Stiff Competition
Rouse Co. opened the Augusta Mall, seven miles away from Regency Mall, on Aug. 3, 1978. Augusta Mall was built on the western side of Augusta, on Wrightsboro Road just off the Bobby Jones Expressway (I-520). Like Regency, it has two levels, but opened with only two anchors: Rich's and Davison's (later to become Macy's). Augusta Mall has 100 stores. DeBartolo's manager of mall operations predicted "good, friendly competition" but thought Augusta could support two malls; otherwise, people wouldn't have put up all the money it took to build them.
[edit] The 80’s Happier Days
Despite their close proximity, both Regency Mall and Augusta Mall operated successfully through the 1980s. Both malls had drawn out the major downtown department stores, such as J.B. White, Belk and Cullum's at Regency Mall and Davison's at Augusta Mall. Smaller tenants had also relocated to the malls. Though the early 1980s were good for both malls, Augusta never had the population nor prosperity to support two malls. In addition, large enclosed malls began to suffer from outside competition, and Augusta's more affluent population began to move into newer suburbs in the western parts of Augusta, closer to Augusta Mall.
Regency Mall's decline was rooted, in part, in these issues. Its surrounding neighborhoods began to decline and decay. Regency Mall's location was also far away from any major freeways; in contrast, Augusta Mall was constructed just off the Bobby Jones Expressway (I-520).
Security also became an issue at Regency Mall. In 1986, a 16-year-old woman was abducted from the mall's parking lot, raped, and shot in the head four times. This crime, and its coverage in local media, led to a perception that the mall suffered from poor security, and an unease about shopping there. Other incidents over the years would contribute to a growing belief that Regency Mall was not a safe place to visit.
In addition, Regency Mall was never significantly renovated or upgraded during its life. By comparison, Augusta Mall had undergone expansion and renovation by 1990, drawing JCPenney and Sears to relocate there. In 1998 Augusta Mall drew J.B. White to open a store there, replacing its Regency Mall location. A decade earlier, the two malls and their combined 200 stores were able to co-exist; while Regency Mall had a combination of local and national anchor stores, Augusta Mall had featured the two major Atlanta anchors. Now, Augusta Mall had expanded, adding national anchors and positioning itself as the region's dominant mall. The loss of J.B. White to the Augusta Mall helped seal the fate of Regency Mall, which was bleeding stores as Augusta Mall expanded.
[edit] The 90’s: The Beginning of the End
John Hally's Commentary from Deadmalls.com: To offer another angle as to why the Regency Mall had a short-lived life, the importance of area demographics should be considered. Augusta is primarily five parts: Central, West, East, North, and South. North Augusta is actually located in South Carolina, whereas the other four sections of Augusta are situated on the Georgia side of the Savannah River.
The Regency Mall and Augusta Mall both opened in the same year, but served different sections of the city. The Augusta Mall was located in West Augusta, and drew heavily from this area as well as Central Augusta. The Regency Mall was located in South Augusta and served primarily the southern part of the city as well as drawing heavily from the service member population of Fort Gordon. Granted, there was a cross-over factor where people from the west visited the Regency Mall and people from the south visited the Augusta Mall, but this factor was not enough to sustain viability in regards to the mall in the southern portion of the city.
Along with the four primary sections of Augusta came varying income levels which should've played a huge part in the initial phase of planning which stores to place in the Regency Mall. Each part of this city had differing income levels at the time the mall was opened: the southern portion had moderate income levels, the eastern portion low income levels, while the central and western portions had the highest income levels. While there was probably a sufficient belief amongst planners that there was enough purchasing power within families who lived closest to the mall to justify building it, the initial offering of stores did not match the buying habits of these customers.
Of the several major anchors of the mall, only one was really capable and somewhat successful in serving the regions of South Augusta and Fort Gordon: Montgomery Ward. The other major anchors, while seemingly necessary for the mall's continued success, provided merchandise lines that were somewhat impractical if considering the disposable income levels of the areas the mall immediately served. Stores such as Cullum's, Upton's, Belk's, and JB White's all offered product lines that were more appropriately suitable for upper-income families, something that at the time was not in a high abundance in the southern portion of Augusta. They even had a fur coat store in the mall which was ludicrous when you consider that the majority of people on the south side had neither the inclination nor income with which to purchase a fur coat. Granted, there were various stores over the years at the Regency Mall that were successful, but the anchors were the main entities driving traffic to the mall, and when these began failing, the end wasn't far behind for the smaller guys. In summary, the Regency Mall had anchors that were more directed at wealthier customers that lived in Central and Western Augusta versus the less affluent area of South Augusta.
[edit] Countdown to the end – A Timeline
The events that led to the downfall of the mall began in the 1980s and accelerated in the 1990s. The dates below were specific events.
[edit] 1986
A sixteen-year old woman was abducted from the Regency Mall parking lot, raped, and shot in the head four times. The murderer was caught, tried and sentenced to death, only to have his sentence stayed indefinitely due to the mental illness of the criminal. The crime attracted media attention to allegations of poor security at the mall. At the time, the mall was still thriving, but continued media coverage of this and subsequent crimes at the complex eventually assisted in slowly bringing the life of the Regency Mall to an end.
[edit] 1993
Upton's (located in the former Cullum's) and seven other stores close at Regency this year, the first real sign that the mall is in trouble.
[edit] 1995
Ownership is transferred to Equitable Real Estate Management of Atlanta. DeBartolo's $12.5 million debt is forgiven.
[edit] 1996
Augusta/Richmond County Consolidated Government considers a plan to buy or lease office space at the ailing mall.
[edit] 1997
Raleigh businessmen Haywood Whichard & Paul Woo buy the mall property (excluding Montgomery Ward and Belk buildings) for $4.15 million (1991 Tax Records had valued the property at $33.5 million). They both admit to knowing nothing about revitalizing a mall. In an attempt to fill the 500,000 vacant square feet, rates are set as low as $3.50 per square foot (in comparison, other retail space in the region goes for $9 - $18 per square foot). A few local businesses move in, including a marine shop, but it is not enough. As managing owner, Woo would like to see the mall renovated, but doesn't have the required $30 million to risk.
[edit] 1998
- JB White opens its new store at Augusta Mall and closes its Regency Mall location. Montgomery Ward, Regency's last remaining anchor, boards up its mall entrance to save on heating and air conditioning. - Escalators are shut off to save electricity. - The mall loses money every day it is open.
[edit] 1999
Jan: AMC Development announces it wants to buy the mall and turn it into an entertainment center with amusement park rides, an ice rink, specialty stores, and office space. Nothing ever materializes. Whichard & Woo disagree about how best to cut their losses. An attempt to auction is made but the highest offer is too low (only about $2 million.) In April, Whichard buys Woo's share for $2.7 million, and tries in vain to get Augusta-Richmond County to buy it.
[edit] The End: 2000 – 2001
[edit] Dec. 29, 2000
Montgomery Ward's announces it will close all stores in 2001. Mall management said even though Ward's was closing, it didn't mean the whole mall was going to. All that’s left by now, though, is a Foot Locker, International Formal Wear, a Teen Clinic, and a Richmond County Marshals Department substation. Foot Locker soon leaves.
[edit] May 2001
Two local filmmakers, Brandon Mullis and Brandon Hendrix, shoot one hour's worth of stock inside the mall, the last known footage of the operational Regency Mall. International Formal Wear moves to a Wrightsboro Road store location, and the Teen Clinic closes. This leaves the mall completely vacant, except for the Richmond County Marshals Department substation. All entrances save for Ward's are boarded up, and the mall is abandoned.
[edit] 2004
A proposal to use the 70-acre site for construction of a new sports arena is defeated when Richmond County voters reject a sales tax proposal.
[edit] October 2005
The mall has changed hands by this time, now belonging to Cardinale Entities of Mattituck, NY. The Richmond County license and inspection department stays after Cardinale to maintain the property and repair a broken storm drain. Cardinale Entities responds that it employs a full-time maintenance worker. Cardinale also repairs a leaky roof and cleans mold out of the interior of the mall. Cardinale's property manager estimates the property's potential value at $30-$40 million, but states that no one seems interested in the property. County officials state that despite damage from vandalism, the structure remains sound.[1]
[edit] April 20, 2006
The mall is still abandoned, except for the Marshals' substation next to mall entrance 1. All buildings are starting to deteriorate. No new development plans announced.
[edit] July 29, 2006
Macedonia Baptist Church of Augusta announces plans to turn the former Montgomery Ward building into a sanctuary for 2,500 to 3,000 worshippers, a gymnasium, classrooms, bookstore and coffee shop. The church tells the Augusta Chronicle that it has reached a lease-purchase agreement on the Ward's building and 15 acres of parking. Pastor Dr. Gregory Fuller tells the Chronicle that the church is in negotiations with the owners of the rest of the mall, and that "Our hope and aim is to possess the entire mall."[2]
An interesting quote from former Regency Mall owner Haywood Whichard: "Malls are like bananas. You get some at one price and get rid of them at another. Some of them go bad. Those you throw out."
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.metrospirit.com/archive/2005/101305/101305_2.html
- ^ http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/072906/rel_90622.shtml
