It’s sad to see history taken down. I used to work at Richland Mall so it’s a bitter sweet moment 😢but it’s a future move so I can’t wait to visit Columbia so I can see the new and improve.
I grew up going to this mall often, I remember playing in the playland & that would attract a lot of kids a decade ago.. It’s sad how downhill this mall has become especially with it being in an affluent area.
Best episode yet! I am always up for a great new Richland Mall feature, and this one did NOT disappoint! From the camera work, to the historical information, this was a fitting tribute to one of the grandaddies of them all in terms of dead malls. Out of the park!
Gotta love the late 80s/early 90s "upscale mall" vibes here. That gold trim on the parking lot signs and interior architecture was so common back then. I get a slight feeling of how some of the architecture was at Phipps Plaza in the 90s. Some elements remind me of Freehold Raceway Mall and I get a little bit of Savannah Mall (Savannah, Ga).
2023 UPDATE: The mall is permanently closed with the exception of Barnes & Noble which will be leaving that site and moving early 2024 to Garners Ferry Road Southeastern(new owners) plans to erect more than 500 apartments, new restaurants and retail space, including a grocery store and a brewery, as well as a city park.
FIVE HUNDRED apartments?! HOW? Where willl all of the people park?! Does this make any more sense than having had this mall in the first place?! Madness!
Came back to view this one again. The mall is almost all gone. About 2/3 has been demolished and carted away. I should have another drone update in a week or two. Hope you’re doing well. 🎉
When I was a child, living off of Forest Drive, in the early 1960s, Richland Mall was the only actual mall in Columbia. Course, it wasn't totally enclosed. And the opening of Columbia Mall on Two Notch, in '77 really hurt it. It is located in one of the highest income areas of Columbia. Only problem, those old-money folks of Shandon, etc. weren't stupid - and the women weren't going to drop $250-plus on one dress. Enclosing it made it seem unsafe and creepy, and killed the storefronts' perimeter-road visibility. But in the late-60s, it was great to go to Mary's Record Shop and then hit Mr. Poppers for a Coke / icecream float, or a matinee at the Cinemas in the parking lot. It was a fun place in a world long gone! Add in the poor decisions of real estate redevelopers / buyers, the great recession, shopping on Amazon - and that was about it!
3/2021 - update - creepy does not begin to describe walking through this decaying mall. All of the mall entrances are closed except for the one from the parking garage to access the barber shop, the only active indoor entrance tenant. More trash cans and buckets catching water from the leaky roof. This mall seems beyond repair.
The mall is now largely through the demolition process. No one seems sorry to see it go. A $100,000,000+ mixed use development is planned for the site.
Ironically this dead mall is located in a relatively nice neighborhood,Forest Acres.... kind of strange how it never caught on.The other two malls in Columbia are in rough shape (Columbia Mall,and Dutch Square),the only thriving mall in the metro area is the Columbiana Center mall in Harbison.That place is still packed wall to wall with shoppers.Too me the Richland Fashion Mall is kind of dangerous....creepy,near abandoned with too many dark shadows.I only step foot inside of the Barnes and Nobles or the movie theatre on the roof.As a matter of fact ...a few years ago,a police officer was shot and killed inside the mall chasing after a robbery suspect I believe.
I lived there 20 years ago and that mall was never packed. You went to Dutch Square or Columbia Mall (both also dead now) if you needed something or just wanted to hang out. It was out of the way, had stores no one heard of, and felt like a tomb even when it was in good shape.
You know I never hear any word from the private investors, the investors, or these groups that made up by the mall they never openly give speeches or talk about what they're going to do for the mall we can we get interview like that
This mall never did very well, which just shows how bad L. J. Hooker was at developing and managing malls. Dillard’s and Parisian pulling the plug in the 2000s left this mall with no chance. Parisian was a beautiful store. I wish they were still around.
This mall is scheduled for demolition in a few weeks (March 2024). Thanks for making this video, a little time capsule!
It’s sad to see history taken down. I used to work at Richland Mall so it’s a bitter sweet moment 😢but it’s a future move so I can’t wait to visit Columbia so I can see the new and improve.
I grew up going to this mall often, I remember playing in the playland & that would attract a lot of kids a decade ago.. It’s sad how downhill this mall has become especially with it being in an affluent area.
This was a great video, dude! It's obvious you put a lot into it. Rock solid treatment of a seminal property in the genre. Excellent work!
I spent many a happy hour at that mall, shopping at White's, eating in the food court. It's so sad that it's gone now.
Best episode yet! I am always up for a great new Richland Mall feature, and this one did NOT disappoint! From the camera work, to the historical information, this was a fitting tribute to one of the grandaddies of them all in terms of dead malls. Out of the park!
Gotta love the late 80s/early 90s "upscale mall" vibes here. That gold trim on the parking lot signs and interior architecture was so common back then. I get a slight feeling of how some of the architecture was at Phipps Plaza in the 90s. Some elements remind me of Freehold Raceway Mall and I get a little bit of Savannah Mall (Savannah, Ga).
Great video! Seeing this brought back so many memories and reminded me of how much time I spent at the mall with my family.
I love this 😂!!!
2023 UPDATE: The mall is permanently closed with the exception of Barnes & Noble which will be leaving that site and moving early 2024 to Garners Ferry Road Southeastern(new owners) plans to erect more than 500 apartments, new restaurants and retail space, including a grocery store and a brewery, as well as a city park.
FIVE HUNDRED apartments?! HOW? Where willl all of the people park?! Does this make any more sense than having had this mall in the first place?! Madness!
That is a late 80’s time-warp 🟦🟨🔹🔸
Wow I remember going up this more used to be the gorgeous even back in 2000
Great music choice again! Great opening!
Came back to view this one again. The mall is almost all gone. About 2/3 has been demolished and carted away. I should have another drone update in a week or two.
Hope you’re doing well. 🎉
SOLD!!! The mall was SOLD today!!! Huge multi use complex coming!!! I will have a video up soon.🎉🎉🎉
I went to high school just one street over. This was the mall we skipped school and chilled at. Then went there on weekend nights to meet our friends.
AC Flora?
When I was a child, living off of Forest Drive, in the early 1960s, Richland Mall was the only actual mall in Columbia. Course, it wasn't totally enclosed. And the opening of Columbia Mall on Two Notch, in '77 really hurt it. It is located in one of the highest income areas of Columbia. Only problem, those old-money folks of Shandon, etc. weren't stupid - and the women weren't going to drop $250-plus on one dress. Enclosing it made it seem unsafe and creepy, and killed the storefronts' perimeter-road visibility. But in the late-60s, it was great to go to Mary's Record Shop and then hit Mr. Poppers for a Coke / icecream float, or a matinee at the Cinemas in the parking lot. It was a fun place in a world long gone! Add in the poor decisions of real estate redevelopers / buyers, the great recession, shopping on Amazon - and that was about it!
This mall was so nice back in the day!...Now it’s a thing of the past...smh
wow! I live in Colombia, SC
iv'e passed by this mall many times
Did you ever go in to it?
This mall gives me the creeps, I only go there for Barnes and nobles
3/2021 - update - creepy does not begin to describe walking through this decaying mall. All of the mall entrances are closed except for the one from the parking garage to access the barber shop, the only active indoor entrance tenant. More trash cans and buckets catching water from the leaky roof. This mall seems beyond repair.
The last time I was there was about 12 or so years ago and it was so sad then.
Hate to see dead malls it's so sad, but happy to say the three malls near me in Tampa Bay are Thriving.
At least fix the water ingress. Especially as there are still tenants and customers. Water ingress and vandalism is a death sentence to these malls.
Wow last time inwent there in 2008 the lights were still goin :(
Does anyone know how to get back to the food court? Isn’t it all boarded off?
The mall is now largely through the demolition process.
No one seems sorry to see it go.
A $100,000,000+ mixed use development is planned for the site.
New subscriber here! Awesome video
Ironically this dead mall is located in a relatively nice neighborhood,Forest Acres.... kind of strange how it never caught on.The other two malls in Columbia are in rough shape (Columbia Mall,and Dutch Square),the only thriving mall in the metro area is the Columbiana Center mall in Harbison.That place is still packed wall to wall with shoppers.Too me the Richland Fashion Mall is kind of dangerous....creepy,near abandoned with too many dark shadows.I only step foot inside of the Barnes and Nobles or the movie theatre on the roof.As a matter of fact ...a few years ago,a police officer was shot and killed inside the mall chasing after a robbery suspect I believe.
The movie theater closed recently.
I bet 20 years ago that mall used to be packed! (What Happend) ?
I lived there 20 years ago and that mall was never packed. You went to Dutch Square or Columbia Mall (both also dead now) if you needed something or just wanted to hang out. It was out of the way, had stores no one heard of, and felt like a tomb even when it was in good shape.
Where does this guy and people get their information to speak of malls?!
columbus had the only airport I've ever been to that was completely dead
With all that mold how is this place not condemned?
I've wondered that myself!
You know I never hear any word from the private investors, the investors, or these groups that made up by the mall they never openly give speeches or talk about what they're going to do for the mall we can we get interview like that
This mall is now being demolished.
That mall looks to be in a lot worse condition than Forest Fair
The collapse of society and civilization. We now live in planet of the apes for all tense and purposes.
This mall never did very well, which just shows how bad L. J. Hooker was at developing and managing malls. Dillard’s and Parisian pulling the plug in the 2000s left this mall with no chance.
Parisian was a beautiful store. I wish they were still around.
My mother bought us the Batman Nintendo game from this mall back in 1989 🥲