Man it's painful to see this. I grew up in Augusta, but moved away in 2000. My mom always took me to Montgomery Ward, Reubens, and JB White to shop for clothes and shoes......I hated wearing Buster Brown's from JB White's (lol memories). Then during 1988 and early 90's, this was my hangout spot every Saturday with friends. No fights, but just good times. These kids now go in the malls and act like complete fools! Miss those simple days in the 80's at the mall.
Man i have so many memories in this mall.. my parents went to this mall every Saturday… I remember my old neighbor was in the body building contest in the middle of the mall..
Regency Mall would still be in business today if the owners had taken security issues seriously. I shopped there as a teenager and later as an adult. I later worked on the sheriffs department and saw first hand how much the owners just did not believe that they had a security problem. The Augusta Mall saw what was happening at Regency Mall and took action by expanding their security and cautiously updating and training their staff. Make no mistake about it poor security killed Regency Mall.
Photos were just posted inside and out of Regency Mall on the Sky City website. It was a beautiful mall, and it is a terrible shame that what happened. The same element is in Augusta Mall and will likewise ruin it. It is only holding until Riverwatch is built IMHO then it will go down fast just like Macon Mall.
There's a balcony on the backside, that you can reach through the service halls on the second floor behind the post office boxes. Well, I vaguely remember from memory, I only went on it once, when I worked there. Once the Vice Prez to be came and gave a speach, and there were secret service with sunglasses wandering around. I really didn't give a crap at the time. It was open for a time as a flea market on the first level around Orange Julius, & recently a fire in apartments behind it.
I remember coming on Saturdays when I was high school during the early 90's. The wall outside of JBWhite on the lower level would be packed with people....man the memories. I used to love shopping in Merry Go Round and grabbing an Orange Julius. I saw the mall recently when I came home, just so sad to see it in the condition it is in.
I'm originally from Augusta and I remember this mall like it was yesterday. I've driven by it as well as many other of my personal favorite landmarks whenever I'm in town. It would suck to see it go.
It Might Be a long time til we hear what they going to do with the property, Richmond County is in dept for the Reynold's st parking Deck down town, The remodeling of Hains Elementary school, and they are building a magnet school by Augusta Tech
@StMeade You make a very good point. I hadn't though about how much we're changing over to online and digital and the whole progression. That puts things in a new perspective! Thank you, too, for sharing! :)
When I Went In The Augusta Mall It Was Packed With People it was find a seat in the food court (It Reminds Me Of The Regency Mall)Augusta mall Is FAR From deserted
Hard to believe, once Regency was THE big mega empire mall, and Augusta Mall was the second run tiny out of the way loser mall. I remember rent on our little hole in the wall store was like $20,000 a month. I think the obscene rent is what kill the mall. I thought it'd make a good low budget university campus for someone trying to bootstrap a community college. You could use the stores as classrooms, the food court as food court, and all walking to class is indoors. Big stores for lectures.
I remember my dad buying me a Freddy Kruger doll from one of them toy stores in that mall, I remember Montgomery Ward, I remember they had a Pickadilly's in there or something, the movie theater, jewelry stores, health stores, etc.. I wonder what they plan to do w/ the space now. Officials was once talking about a racing track or something. Better than just a big dump of nothing sitting there....
@StMeade I agree with the online part to a point, but I think the main factor is jobs. When there were good paying jobs, people had more 'disposable' income and could afford an afternoon of shopping, a movie, and something to eat, give the kids $40 and point them towards the arcade. Now people aren't shopping at malls, OR online, they are shopping at Dollar General, and Goodwill.
start petitioning the property owner and the city to cite them as bad property owners and force them to sell or rebuild for resale or do soemthign with the property finally. It look like mess constantly, growns are not maintained..we call this a slumlord. Maybe this california company doesnt care if someone else's neighborhood looks bad..so force them?
i really wish i can buy all the 3 anchor stores and rebuild the interiors since they gutted them to. :( and then i can use them and make new stores and then make a outdoor open air shopping center in the main mall section.
Those signs certainly showed the ailing mall's forthcoming demise, as unfortunate as it was! You can find a link to the first song in the video description!
My dad also use to get all my transformers from the toy store here to.. Then who remember soon you get to the middle of montermery ward.. you could hear the music coming from Camelot… hey what’s the name of the 1st song
Yes I Still Live Here! I Dont Know About Any Jobs Hiring But Its Two New Schools Opening One on January 3rd 2013 And On In August 2013 AND Ive Heard Of A New Starbucks Opening In Downtown Augusta In 2014 Though
"TIme is Tight" by Booker T. and the MG's! EXCELLENT CHOICE! was one of my grandmothers favorite songs, and we used to go to Regency all the time after it opened...when it opened in 1978, the theme they used in the television commercials was "Love's Theme" by Barry White!
It's sad to see what happened to the Regency Mall and what is now happening to the Augusta Mall. Some of the commenters are talking about Online Shopping as the reason for the Regency Mall closing. This is false. The Regency Mall closed well before online shopping was ever a threat. It essentially closed before the .com bubble. I remember going there as a small child in the 80s. I put a quarter in the video game at the arcade, only to have some older thug push me aside and play my game.
I think I remember hearing about it. Macedonia, right? Last I heard, the deal fell through because the people said that the church had to buy the rest of the mall as well. I'm not sure how accurate that is, though. lol
@jgjfnxdnsdnsns There is mold on the inside, and ceiling tiles are indeed falling down. The second level has yet to collapse as far as I know, but the mall itself is sinking, having sat unused for so long and being built basically upon water, so to speak. The previous policy, after someone broke in, was that ANYONE caught would be prosecuted. I'm not sure about now, but if you go in, be careful and keep a powerful flashlight with you. Do not go in alone.
lola are u still in georgia? i use to live there and always went to regency mall. i kind of want to move back from seattle wa but not sure if its still hard to find a job there.
@billyk15 I didn't personally go in myself, these photographs were able to be found online. I do not claim the photographs, nor do I claim to have gone inside, but if you'd like to go in, you'd better be careful. The police department that's housed there will prosecute ANYONE they find in the mall, regardless of the person(s)'s intentions.
Its sad what happened my mom bought my tv from there on the last week it was open(it still works) I cried when it closed up.Health Inspectors Went in side there and found no mold in there so it's future might have a chance Thanks Lanny Onasis For Sharing!
This is the problem, wasted space. I personally think if buildings are abandoned for a certain amount of years, they should be torn down the pavement pulled up, trees planted and let it go back to its natural state or make a public park out of it.
I think they should tear it down and build.......A. A new City Park. B. A race track drag strip like the one in Jackson SC. C. New Fair Grounds because the one by May Park sucks. D sight for Paine College new Football sports complex.
Kewl. :) I think that might have been the state of things. I am not entirely sure. And, as you stated, that does explain the hope to purchase the old Winn-Dixie building. lol I'd heard about that, too. xD
Augusta has been talking about a new Civic Center for years now. Clean up this building inside and out, then everything will be good. The parking lot is already their.
I know this isnt a reason the mall closed but it part of it.... I Remember when the mall closed,i heard some people saying since JB Whites was so popular and when it move to the augusta mall, Regency Went Downhill and it realy hit rock bottom when Wards Closed i dont want and mean/Hurtful comments lets keep the peace
Dang would have made a better judicial center then the one on James Brown and Walton Way, there is absolutely no parking at all and what a mess. Put the New Judicial Center money into the Regency and you would have something. Also could be turned into a place for the homeless or some other form to serve the needy.
I do not fully remember, but I want to say that it appeared either on Google or the Augusta Chronicle on-line archives at the time I made the video. Hope this helps!
ATENTION!!!! Sky City Has The Inside Pictures From 2012!! Ive Seen Them And The Mall Is Looking Very Good I Cant Tell You More so check it out!! part 3 comming soon
OH Calutta too! Bought my first throwing stars and Iron Maiden posters there back in the 80's. Damn I have some great memories of my childhood there before the degenerates started robbing and killing.
Nice well im going to be there in march to visit hopefully i can find a job when im there. i cant believe that kmart by the regency mall is still there lol
@billyk15 I think it may be too much to type in a comment, so I'll send it to your inbox, yeah. If I could fit it all here, though, it wouldn't be a problem if it were seen publicly. :)
It s too late. Has been for a long time. No one wants to admit to why the Regency Mall failed. Wasn't a lack of business. But lack of backbone. Became a hangout for the local thug base. Mall security, a joke. Just like Augusta Mall's are today. Shop at your own risk. I have a photo of me and my band performing at the center square in the Regency. Over 8000 people. Good memories. I also have a memeory of fighing with 4 black youths for grabbing my wife' s ass. No one helped. Closed??? Why? Thugs
@jgjfnxdnsdnsns Haha, that'd probably be a really good idea! That is, if Augusta approves of it, anyhow. I do doubt that they'll allow it, but who knows? :)
OMGOSH, racist >.> lets be nice about this.. hes just trying to find a great opportunity in something thats just sitting there wasting away.. besides the cops that are there....
Man it's painful to see this. I grew up in Augusta, but moved away in 2000. My mom always took me to Montgomery Ward, Reubens, and JB White to shop for clothes and shoes......I hated wearing Buster Brown's from JB White's (lol memories). Then during 1988 and early 90's, this was my hangout spot every Saturday with friends. No fights, but just good times. These kids now go in the malls and act like complete fools! Miss those simple days in the 80's at the mall.
AAARRGGHHHHH
Man i have so many memories in this mall.. my parents went to this mall every Saturday… I remember my old neighbor was in the body building contest in the middle of the mall..
Regency Mall would still be in business today if the owners had taken security issues seriously. I shopped there as a teenager and later as an adult. I later worked on the sheriffs department and saw first hand how much the owners just did not believe that they had a security problem. The Augusta Mall saw what was happening at Regency Mall and took action by expanding their security and cautiously updating and training their staff. Make no mistake about it poor security killed Regency Mall.
Had great times going to this mall as a kid when father was stationed at Ft Gordon back in like the early mid 80s Sad to see these pics.
Photos were just posted inside and out of Regency Mall on the Sky City website. It was a beautiful mall, and it is a terrible shame that what happened. The same element is in Augusta Mall and will likewise ruin it. It is only holding until Riverwatch is built IMHO then it will go down fast just like Macon Mall.
There's a balcony on the backside, that you can reach through the service halls on the second floor behind the post office boxes. Well, I vaguely remember from memory, I only went on it once, when I worked there. Once the Vice Prez to be came and gave a speach, and there were secret service with sunglasses wandering around. I really didn't give a crap at the time. It was open for a time as a flea market on the first level around Orange Julius, & recently a fire in apartments behind it.
Girl I Feel Ya RM Will Never be forgottoned
I remember coming on Saturdays when I was high school during the early 90's. The wall outside of JBWhite on the lower level would be packed with people....man the memories. I used to love shopping in Merry Go Round and grabbing an Orange Julius. I saw the mall recently when I came home, just so sad to see it in the condition it is in.
AARRGGGHHHHH
I'm originally from Augusta and I remember this mall like it was yesterday. I've driven by it as well as many other of my personal favorite landmarks whenever I'm in town. It would suck to see it go.
It Might Be a long time til we hear what they going to do with the property, Richmond County is in dept for the Reynold's st parking Deck down town, The remodeling of Hains Elementary school, and they are building a magnet school by Augusta Tech
@StMeade You make a very good point. I hadn't though about how much we're changing over to online and digital and the whole progression. That puts things in a new perspective!
Thank you, too, for sharing! :)
When I Went In The Augusta Mall It Was Packed With People it was find a seat in the food court (It Reminds Me Of The Regency Mall)Augusta mall Is FAR From deserted
Anyone remember Software ETC / Babbages on the second floor. That place was gangster, it was like the Gamestop of the 80's with the coolest people.
Man, I used to go here all the time while in Jacksonville, so many memories, sad to see it fall like this.
Hard to believe, once Regency was THE big mega empire mall, and Augusta Mall was the second run tiny out of the way loser mall. I remember rent on our little hole in the wall store was like $20,000 a month. I think the obscene rent is what kill the mall. I thought it'd make a good low budget university campus for someone trying to bootstrap a community college. You could use the stores as classrooms, the food court as food court, and all walking to class is indoors. Big stores for lectures.
AARRGGHHHH
I remember my dad buying me a Freddy Kruger doll from one of them toy stores in that mall, I remember Montgomery Ward, I remember they had a Pickadilly's in there or something, the movie theater, jewelry stores, health stores, etc.. I wonder what they plan to do w/ the space now. Officials was once talking about a racing track or something. Better than just a big dump of nothing sitting there....
i grew up in Augusta. was born there and lived from 1976 to 1996 we rarely ever went to regency mall i always loved augusta mall
@StMeade I agree with the online part to a point, but I think the main factor is jobs. When there were good paying jobs, people had more 'disposable' income and could afford an afternoon of shopping, a movie, and something to eat, give the kids $40 and point them towards the arcade. Now people aren't shopping at malls, OR online, they are shopping at Dollar General, and Goodwill.
Awww, I miss this mall.... I stayed on Bungalow Rd right by it.... Damn they need to do something....
they did.....they tored it down
start petitioning the property owner and the city to cite them as bad property owners and force them to sell or rebuild for resale or do soemthign with the property finally. It look like mess constantly, growns are not maintained..we call this a slumlord. Maybe this california company doesnt care if someone else's neighborhood looks bad..so force them?
i really wish i can buy all the 3 anchor stores and rebuild the interiors since they gutted them to. :( and then i can use them and make new stores and then make a outdoor open air shopping center in the main mall section.
Demolition of the mall began late last year. Supposedly removing everything less the slab last I read.
Bring back so many memories from when I was a lil kid... =)
It was gutted a few days ago. Everything that was in the mall has been taken out and destroyed. (besides the JB White sign for some reason.)
Those signs certainly showed the ailing mall's forthcoming demise, as unfortunate as it was!
You can find a link to the first song in the video description!
My dad also use to get all my transformers from the toy store here to.. Then who remember soon you get to the middle of montermery ward.. you could hear the music coming from Camelot… hey what’s the name of the 1st song
I can agree but I remember a big brawl breaking out in Augusta mall back in the day...They had to shut it down for the day.
Yes I Still Live Here! I Dont Know About Any Jobs Hiring But Its Two New Schools Opening One on January 3rd 2013 And On In August 2013 AND Ive Heard Of A New Starbucks Opening In Downtown Augusta In 2014 Though
Does anybody remember The Bulldog
man, i wish i could have explored this before it was gutted. :( it looked so cool, especially with the power still on. :(
They have started to dismantle some of the anchor stores not sure yet what the over all plans are for the mall.
"Can't Turn You Loose". I think several versions exist here on UA-cam!
"TIme is Tight" by Booker T. and the MG's! EXCELLENT CHOICE! was one of my grandmothers favorite songs, and we used to go to Regency all the time after it opened...when it opened in 1978, the theme they used in the television commercials was "Love's Theme" by Barry White!
It's sad to see what happened to the Regency Mall and what is now happening to the Augusta Mall. Some of the commenters are talking about Online Shopping as the reason for the Regency Mall closing. This is false. The Regency Mall closed well before online shopping was ever a threat. It essentially closed before the .com bubble. I remember going there as a small child in the 80s. I put a quarter in the video game at the arcade, only to have some older thug push me aside and play my game.
Crime destroyed this mall! This mall was the best mall in Augusta at the time spacious great stores etc.
@Anynom You used to travel all the way to Augusta for the Regency? :-o
I think I remember hearing about it. Macedonia, right? Last I heard, the deal fell through because the people said that the church had to buy the rest of the mall as well. I'm not sure how accurate that is, though. lol
@jgjfnxdnsdnsns There is mold on the inside, and ceiling tiles are indeed falling down. The second level has yet to collapse as far as I know, but the mall itself is sinking, having sat unused for so long and being built basically upon water, so to speak. The previous policy, after someone broke in, was that ANYONE caught would be prosecuted. I'm not sure about now, but if you go in, be careful and keep a powerful flashlight with you. Do not go in alone.
lola are u still in georgia? i use to live there and always went to regency mall. i kind of want to move back from seattle wa but not sure if its still hard to find a job there.
1:28 blue brother mall chase music whats the name of that song?
I went to this mall when i was young. I love urban exploration, and i wish it was lawful to go inside. All i want to do is take pictures. Anyone know?
@billyk15 I didn't personally go in myself, these photographs were able to be found online. I do not claim the photographs, nor do I claim to have gone inside, but if you'd like to go in, you'd better be careful. The police department that's housed there will prosecute ANYONE they find in the mall, regardless of the person(s)'s intentions.
man i miss the mall
Its sad what happened my mom bought my tv from there on the last week it was open(it still works) I cried when it closed up.Health Inspectors Went in side there and found no mold in there so it's future might have a chance Thanks Lanny Onasis For Sharing!
AARRGGHHHHH
I Really Enjoyed The Apartments By The Mall (Regency Village) Very Clean Environment, Nice Staff Even Though its by a dead very sad mall
anyone know the name of the first song?
This is the problem, wasted space. I personally think if buildings are abandoned for a certain amount of years, they should be torn down the pavement pulled up, trees planted and let it go back to its natural state or make a public park out of it.
I think they should tear it down and build.......A. A new City Park. B. A race track drag strip like the one in Jackson SC. C. New Fair Grounds because the one by May Park sucks. D sight for Paine College new Football sports complex.
Did you attempt to get inside?
@halfpintingals Ah, yes! I'd forgotten about that one! :)
It's now being demolished.
Kewl. :)
I think that might have been the state of things. I am not entirely sure. And, as you stated, that does explain the hope to purchase the old Winn-Dixie building. lol I'd heard about that, too. xD
IKR My Mom Said That kmart been there since the 70's
i shopped there when i was @ fort gordon in 84
Augusta has been talking about a new Civic Center for years now. Clean up this building inside and out, then everything will be good. The parking lot is already their.
I know this isnt a reason the mall closed but it part of it.... I Remember when the mall closed,i heard some people saying since JB Whites was so popular and when it move to the augusta mall, Regency Went Downhill and it realy hit rock bottom when Wards Closed i dont want and mean/Hurtful comments lets keep the peace
This is a common site in every city that you can name in the US!
there were 2 boys that got inside the mall, it's crazy, they took pic of everything.
Dang would have made a better judicial center then the one on James Brown and Walton Way, there is absolutely no parking at all and what a mess. Put the New Judicial Center money into the Regency and you would have something. Also could be turned into a place for the homeless or some other form to serve the needy.
Me Too!! I Didnt even know that Augustal Mall exsisted until JB Whites Move There I always went To Rengency. Rip Regency Gone But NEVER FORGOTEN
I Used To Live On Bungalow Road!!!
and lola hammond dont for get about the movies buliding by the mall loved that place
where did you find the picture of wards with the going out of business banner?
I do not fully remember, but I want to say that it appeared either on Google or the Augusta Chronicle on-line archives at the time I made the video. Hope this helps!
TheFieldsAwakens thanks love this video very appropriate music
They sure did! Sad and pathetic.. and Augusta Mall isn't too far behind!
Hope They Don't Tear It Down I Had a dream it opened (I had it about 3 or 4 times)
I did to a few years back..
ATENTION!!!! Sky City Has The Inside Pictures From 2012!! Ive Seen Them And The Mall Is Looking Very Good I Cant Tell You More so check it out!! part 3 comming soon
OH Calutta too! Bought my first throwing stars and Iron Maiden posters there back in the 80's. Damn I have some great memories of my childhood there before the degenerates started robbing and killing.
1:46 subliminal message on the shape of the mall of aerial view hahahah
Nice well im going to be there in march to visit hopefully i can find a job when im there. i cant believe that kmart by the regency mall is still there lol
i want to play paintball in this building! lol it would b an awesome urban course.
@billyk15 I think it may be too much to type in a comment, so I'll send it to your inbox, yeah. If I could fit it all here, though, it wouldn't be a problem if it were seen publicly. :)
I think it is too late
Not to mention the money we are wasting on the Tea Center...(is that what it is called? ) Oh where or where has my tax dollars gone....
It s too late. Has been for a long time. No one wants to admit to why the Regency Mall failed. Wasn't a lack of business. But lack of backbone. Became a hangout for the local thug base. Mall security, a joke. Just like Augusta Mall's are today. Shop at your own risk. I have a photo of me and my band performing at the center square in the Regency. Over 8000 people. Good memories. I also have a memeory of fighing with 4 black youths for grabbing my wife' s ass. No one helped. Closed??? Why? Thugs
wow that mall still look in godo shape
@jgjfnxdnsdnsns Haha, that'd probably be a really good idea! That is, if Augusta approves of it, anyhow. I do doubt that they'll allow it, but who knows? :)
OMGOSH, racist >.> lets be nice about this.. hes just trying to find a great opportunity in something thats just sitting there wasting away.. besides the cops that are there....
Crash, Bush, Clinton, Obama 🤪
blacks closed the mall