This is so sad...this is my childhood...hanging out on Saturdays with my friends...shopping at Merry-Go-Round...a slice of pizza at Dino's....hitting up Camelot music for the latest rap and r&b cassettes/CDs....then going to the movies either inside the mall or Regency 8 behind the mall. Oh I am about to cry. :-(
That's just so surreal seeing that once-vibrant place of commerce being reduced to just an old abandoned husk. I've lived in the Augusta area since I was born in 1980, and I have a few prominent memories of the Regency Mall from my childhood. I remember when actor Jim Varney (a.k.a., Ernest P. Worrell) made an appearance at J.B. White back in 1985 and I got to meet him. I also remember seeing quite a few movies at the 3-screen General Cinemas theater (the last movie I saw before it was shuttered was Major Payne, which I saw with my father and sister). I even remember the smell as well as the multicolored lights in the fountains. Back in the 80s I always liked this mall better than the Augusta Mall because it had better toy stores (though the Augusta Mall had a proper food court, with a Gyro Wrap next to their Chick-fil-A), though my little sister preferred the Augusta Mall, which she called the "Butterfly Mall" after the ornate butterfly that used to serve as its logo until they remodeled a few years ago (now their logo is a minimalistic geometric... thing). By the mid 90s stores were abandoning the Regency Mall, that 3-screen theater closed, and eventually Ward's was the only place left, and with crime being an increasing problem (one which caused the mall's failure) there was no reason to go there. The downfall of the Regency Mall and the surrounding area is a great example of urban decay. Even surrounding businesses on Gordon Highway suffered as South Augusta gradually became little more than a low-income, high-crime slum. The Regency 8, another General Cinemas theater opened behind the mall in '87, closed in 2000, but in its heyday it was a great theater and I remember it staying relatively nice despite the location until it closed, and I went there on my first date in the late 90s. Even the nearby Putt-Putt, which probably closed down around sometime in the late 90s, was in its prime much better than the one on Washington Road, with three courses and a larger arcade. Now it sits derelict, her once pristine miniature golf courses being slowly reclaimed by nature. An entire chunk of Augusta that I have many great memories of, now no longer possessing anything worth visiting. Makes me wish I could relive the 80s & 90s all over again.
That's very cool...Vern Vern Vern Vern Vern!It is a shame that economics and crime have played a part in destroying a great family pastime,not to mention treasured childhood memories. Same thing going on with Regency Mall here in Jacksonville Florida-it has become crime central so it is suffering.Half of it non-functional anymore.We are lucky to have the memories we have.
I did the vocals for a radio ad for Regency Mall in the 90's. "Regency Mall for fun, Regency Mall for family. Regency Mall for fashion...come and see....the Regency! Regency Mall!" Sad to see it closed now.
My first real job was with JB Whites. I started as a ladies shoe stock person and worked my way up to management. Left my hometown and moved to Atlanta in 98. I loved my time at Regency and have made lifelong friends.
I remember when that mall opened back around 1977. One of the commercials used Barry White's Loves Unlimited Orchestra's "Love's Theme" as the theme music for the commercials. We used to go to Montgomery Ward and Belk to do our back to school shopping. I do wish you had video of the inside of the theaters, too...It really is unrecognizable, though, except from the outside. It's such a shame that building wasn't open for more than 30 or so years, though. It started going downhill in the late '80's, and never was able to recover.... Thanks for posting, too!
Wow! You know how my heart feels right now(???) I live in Jersey now. ..but I used to live in GA and go that mall as a kid. I just looked it up to see if they had the mall on video. WOW! I did not know it closed or could even imagine it being closed. I have memories of it and its water fountains. I remember trying to collect and save change so I could buy a warm chocolate chip cookie. I was about 7-8 yrs old. ...Wow! Many things have changed, even where I used to live in Grovetown GA.
Ooooh, the mesmerizing orange water fountains ! The, "ping ping", sound on the intercom in JB white, and the egg roles on the second floor! Awesome to a five year old in 1985!
I've lived in South Augusta most if not all of my life and I too have fond memories of this place. I used to go to see films at the attached movie theater on the opposite side of the complex. I think the RCSO had a substation there for a while, until they opened the area up to do an inspection and found traces of black mold growing in the deepest and darkest parts of the building that was beginning to spread throughout. On top of that, my uncle told me the reason the parking lot was always in such disrepair was because the land beneath the mall is some form of wetland, where there was once a lake or waterhole he used to swim in when he was a young boy.
I grew up in this mall! My dad was a security guard and my mom worked in Montgomery Ward. I even lived behind here at one point. It had the best arcade room upstairs that later became a Chic-Fil-A. Wow..Sooo many memories. I wish they would have made it into something else. Augusta needs that on that end of town
I grew up near this mall. Taking class field trips, begging to go to chick-fil-a a d my mom buying up the discounts when Montgomery Wards was closing down. I remember when they turn the old JB White into a haunted house one year.
This is one of the cleanest abandoned malls I have ever seen. Glad to see they have kept it clean. Almost looks like they were going to do something with it. I agree with others, they should really used the building/property on that side of town. Another Augusta Tech campus or medical buildings, or even an outlet style shopping area. I have always wondered what happened to it. Its sad to see it just as wasted space.
+Julie Grant The city has been trying for years to get it bought and/or converted to some type of business space. But for whatever reason it always falls short of the goal. It's a huge facility (once the largest mall in Georgia), and would be ideal for shopping due to it's location IF the area was redeveloped wisely (including addressing the drainage problem we saw during the 1990 flood -- remember what happened to Corky Bell's?). Hate to see my hometown turn out like this, because we have so much to offer in this quiet part of Georgia that's still old fashioned yet modern.
This AREA is not DEAD!!! The folks on this side of town & in the neighboring counties could use a retail area!!! I vote to bring it back!!!! I could list several stores that would do well in the space. The location opens to 5 different areas of town. For the very same reason they built it there it should reopen!!!
Thank you for the video. Not much to see there anymore. :| It would be interesting to see it return. I know if it had never closed for good, the old tenants I have memories of (Taco Viva, Petland, Dino's, Piccadilly) would have likely fallen by the wayside, and replaced with more modern stores.
I missed the arcade there. It was unique, especially the artificial waterfall and mill for the shooting game found on the left-hand side if memory serves me as a kid. It was certainly a place to hang at (outside of the movies) when the parents went off to someplace boring like Montgomery Ward's or the line of temp vendors near the kiddy playground on the bottom floor. Still, the place was amazing to see during Christmas time. I'll still have the memories at least.
Not sure why the times changed. I used to go to the movies and arcades. Buy clothes at the mall and hook up with other teenagers. BMX, skateboard, roller skate etc.. It seems like now everyone is on FB and doing their shopping online. The ones that play video games do so on their own XBox or Playstations. I was in the Augusta Mall 2 days ago and you can't buy music, electronics or toys. Sears has a few things but not much. I like MP3s and streaming movies as much as the next person, but there is something nice about having a shelf with all of your CD/DVDs that you can look at and read the covers and feel like you actually own it. Everything that once was will be again. 30 years from now malls will be opening back up as the newest craze. BMX Freestyling will be in and AOL will be sent out by the millions on floppy disks mailed to every person in the universe such as back in 1995.
Wipsplash I agree. Things have indeed changed. back in the day, it wasn't a problem to be separated from your parents without any kind of worry, doing who-knows-what. Just as long as you don't break anything it was a good day. Where the weekends would be wasted on going to your nearest Blockbuster or even a Movie Gallery, get a game that that'll last you though those two special days, and send it back before you have the dread about the homework that you skipped. Even for the Augusta Mall, I felt that things ultimately changed when their arcade, Tilt, closed down. Sure, life has become convenient, but maybe that's the point. It's more exciting to take down the kid from North Augusta with Sub-Zero but get spanked when you got cocky with Liu Kang. But then gain a friend while getting an Orange Julius downstairs. That was fun. But maybe we'll see some change (like you mentioned) with the coming of the new bowling alley/arcade down North Leg where the Food Lion was. I'll be looking forward to it.
Wow!! This is really an eerie video . I got my first retail job at The Limited as a stock guy. Disco was in and that's all they played in the store. Then onto The National Shirt Shop where I sold polyester shirts and wide neck ties. Finally onto to Chess King where I could finally wear what I was selling. I remember waiting every month for military pay day when we did the most business from GI's putting everything on layaway. I was a senior at Glenn Hills High then. South Augusta was doing alright in those days and the mall was a huge hit. That is until the Augusta Mall opened which was fancier. There was a huge difference in the clientele between the two malls. My best friend and I ran the Proving Ground / Ups "n" Downs on the upper level near Montgomery Ward. I moved on to Atlanta after that and the to NYC where I live now. It's sad to see the mall like this now when I go home to visit my family. Something should be done about it. Part public park, music complex, apts with stores ???? The truth is that sadly South Augusta has never had the money that the west has and so there's just not enough to do anything to bring it into the 21st century. Augusta is one of those places that takes forever to get anything accomplished due to the inept people running things there. It's really a shame.
Kills me to think nobody could've purchased that place....the last time I was in that mall I was about 7 years old, and the last thing I remember buying was a ninja turtle toy....that's childhood memories right there! Thanks for the video.... Just creepy...
I heard it was gutted but I didn't think it would be to this extent. I really wanted to go in it and see it but I guess its not really worth the risk of getting in trouble now with no walls and signs up.
My mom used to take me here all the time when I was a kid. I can't remember the name of the store, but it was the only shoe shop for kids in Augusta that carried girl's shoes in my size. Good thing I left after school or else there would be no place to find shoes for my big ole hoofs.
Y’all are literally in the comments mad about this mall being closed?! I loved malls as much as the next person, but things change. I’m just lucky that my favorite mall, LANDMARK MALL, in Alexandria Va, was used (after it was long closed down and not in business) as the mall in WONDER WOMAN 2!!
This is crazy. We drive by here everytime to visit my grandma and now my dad lives in the same neighbor hood. I wondered what it was until my dad told me someone from work told him it was a mall. It's been abandoned for so long. It closed long before we moved here but my cousin went there before and he wondered why it shut down. I wondered what it looked like on the inside so thanks for the upload!
I too was there the day it opened. My Mom worked in the boy's dept. at Ruben's after working at the downtown location for years. I later professionally videotaped fashion shows for J.B. White and Belk. Also was the voice-over for Belk TV/Radio commercials for years. Regency was Augusta's first mall. It died because of lack of security enforcement, plain and simple..
Wow that place has really changed! They majorly gutted it! I think i remember them saying they were gutting it becouse the city kept saying it was a fire hazard i think that had to otherwise the city was going to make the owners tear it down.
I would imagine they don't want it to be a "Dixie Square" where people come in and pick it clean and use it for a photo opportunity. The decent thing for them to do would have been to sell the stuff at auction.
Augusta Technical College, with a theatre there for training, book stores, medical equipment , Gate the entrances , hire security , lets educate people. Have low cost medical and dental. And train auto mechanics, the Wards side has large places for training.Revive that area, its the Heart of Augusta, lets use it, for something. Fort Gordon could use it , out let mall . etc.
I think its going to be turned onto something.....it'd be cool if they made it into a college or even made it a mall again.....or an indoor race track for go carts or gymkhana.....the building appears to be in perfect condition and is being slightly maintained.....they probably gutted it do scrappers and vandals didn't destroy a perfectly good building
They took everything out it does not even look like the same mall from the pictures but finally we all get to see how it looks from the inside it is nothing but a shell.
I grew up in this mall too. Mom worked there. Several friends worked there. I saw classic movies from my childhood there with family and best friends. We'd hang out... waste quarters in the arcade. Damn. it was a happening place, like the mall from Fast Times at Ridgemont High (a film I saw there, along with Porkys and History of the World Part 1, the first 3 rated R flicks I ever saw). Loved going into the book stores, music stores, computer stores (I had a C64 and C128 at the time)... fun having all that in one place. Walmart will never compare. Times change. But it's a sad sight. One day maybe internet shopping will die and people will want to get out again to stop getting fat and out of shape. Would love to read this was being restored and reopened, but I doubt it. sending this to mom.
Dwayne Martin that was a good computer. I sold my C64 to get the C128. Then I sold the C128 to get Amiga. I sure wish I had them all. Emulation is great and all but... Yeah, it's terrible. So many memories. at the very least I wish they'd tear it down and do something with the land that was worthwhile.
South Augusta used to be awesome!...we moved to Evans in '84... my mother worked at the Montgomery Ward in the mall for a long time! My father was military.... those were great times! Do you remember Shaky's Pizza?
I am 40 now...before moving to Evans, we lived off of Gordon Hwy in a neighborhood called "Windermere"... I went to Blythe Elementary. I Remember when our big thing was to go eat at Western Sizzlin' or Mr. Gatty's Pizza on Friday night!
Thanks for sharing !! I often drive past that gost of a property and vaguely remember going there once or twice in 97? Over 22 years ago.. Sitting in the Augusta mall at the food court I decided to searxh "Augusta Mall" just for fun and saw this video (about Regency mall) ... Wow so muxh wasted space .... Could be used for a homeless shelter or something ... Something .... Anything ..
Built my first home in Appling GA 1987 but was familiar with this Mall in the 1980's before I owned property there. I believe that the US Government should buy this property and turn it into affordable housing and shopping for the military both active and reserve. The location is not far from FT Gordon & could become a viable place for temp housing, shopping and present an opportunity for homeless vets to work, live and get help. It could become a city within a city offering an economic boost to the area while solving a need for temp housing for our military. A VA medical facility combined with everything else a complex for the military would need. Doing this would also drive the criminal element out of that area. Having the military presence there would deter the would-be criminals from entering that area as they did when the mall was there. It could be built within the existing structure and expanded as needed. Being a modular design it lends itself to being expanded exponentially as the need arises and the budget would allow. It makes sense financially and practically. President Trump put this on the drawing board.
I grew up in Augusta. . I'm an 180a baby... after leaving for college in miami in 2000 and living in Philly for 4 years the people in augusta from where I stand have not changed. The place is one big ass ghetto.
That's not true. Augusta is the fastest growing city in Georgia, and has developed a lot over the years. I don't live there anymore but it gets better every time I visit.
August, GA may not have advanced like other places in the US. However, I am still proud to call this place my hometown and no matter where I travel, I am eager to share the memories and strong sense of community I have learned from the good people who live there. I was in Philly for a conference in 2011 NOW THAT IS A BIG BLIGHTED GHETTO!!!!!!!
@@zabetheli90 Dont kid yourself. I currently live in Winston Salem NC. What you see is hardly growth. I'm my late 30s and since leaving back in 2000, I ran into a young lady at my job who left there too and she says you couldnt pay her to go back.
@@rayamanelly You're responding to a 6 year old comment....Tech industry is big and growing there since having made that original comment, which is easily backed up through statistics. The anecdote about your workmate proves what exactly? I currently live in Savannah, which I love a lot more, but I still own a company in Augusta, so I'm sure any anecdote I give holds considerable more weight than " I have a workmate who lived there and won't move back". BTW I'm also in my 30's, since you mentioned age for some reason. I've been to Winston Salem....Meh
@@zabetheli90 Strangely enough I got nostalgia and came back to this video. Based on your comment, sounds like the working class which is what augusta was primarily built on; is being pushed out for more educated talent. What line of business are you in? I wholesale as well and buy and hold real estate as a growing business, and teach science during the day. I'm no economist but my overall opinion of Augusta from the prospective of growing up there, leaving and returning off and on since; as well as bumping into a few folks that are familiar all seem to fall in line with my opinion. Evan's has seemed some significant growth since l left in 2000. There are lots of new strip malls here and there and the old circuit city is now a walmart.
I drove by there Aug 7, 2017 to ride by it while passing through town. Very creepy looking outside for sure but as with everyone else on here, sad to see it, but this video it almost looks better inside than outside. When you think of the memories one had of going to the mall as a kid, esp to the pet and toy stores. A shame this has happened across the country. But I just cannot bring myself to shop online, it has to be something extremely hard to find before I will look for it online. I have to see it in person and decide if I want the product or not. Buying online and the waiting several days for the delivery isn't worth it to me, plus I actually like to have an excuse to get out of the freaking house. If gang issues was part of the problem, I cannot figure out gangs and why they insist on harassing people, are they that so insecure they have to bully others? Gangs and those in them are nothing but lowlife jerks that are a waste on society.
Remember Regency Mall when it opened. To think, finally we could shop in air conditioned comfort, considering the alternative of Sears; JC Penney and Sky City downtown before the malls went up. Now look at it. It reminds me of America today, let alone the internet. -_- It was badly managed (let alone was the city, for building two at once), and the "White Flight" moving from South Richmond county to Martinez/Evans didn't help, as the demographics changed and the population couldn't afford buying at the mall anymore. It simply became a race to the end. I still don't shop at Augusta Mall at all, because it hurts to see landmarks this big goto waste. To see it now as a literal parking lot of weeds and a big building abandoned. It feels like Augusta today, as the interest is moving to Columbia County (where residents there will just abandon it too, like they did South Augusta). -_- The city was booming in the late 70s. Jobs everywhere. Living wages and all. Now having a 40k job is being poor. :(
Did you know any of the store managers? I was the GNC store manager form 8/78 through 4/79. I am looking for the Coles store manager still. Her name was Mary.
My friend Tony and I went there the day it opened, we were 11 and rode our bikes down. I lived nearby until right before the mall completely closed. I still know the layout like the back of my hand. Shocked to see the stage gone by the stairs. Makes sense that the carpet and dry wall are all gone so there's nothing to feed roaches or termites. Alot of fond memories there though, so sad that it went to hell. The entire area there in South Augusta has turned so trashy though, no way would anyone ever restore it.
Would you please send me a private message on how you got in? My team and I are very much interested in exploring this mall. Thank you in advance and have a great day!!
People were entering the mall and starting fires. The city gave the owner an ultimatum to either level the mall or secure it. The owner decided to gut the mall to brick and steel removing anything flammable, then bricked all entries shut to meet the city's code requirements. The mall is currently for sale or lease and the owner and is willing to build to suit. The location of this building is undesirable, I don't forsee anything materializing in it's future. The mall has been closed down since 2001. I was sorry to see the mall go. My wife and I would go there to shop and watch movies. It felt strange walking around the empty building. The Aiken Mall in SC which is about 20 mins away is down to a handful of stores. One of it's anchor stores (Sears) just left. I believe the Aiken Mall will close it's doors in under 10 years. The Augusta Mall seems to be hanging in there and fairly active. I know you didn't ask about all that other stuff, I put it out there for anyone reading that might be curious about the other malls.
***** Makes sense i don't live anywhere near GA but i have heard about this mall still weird to see it gutted i doubt anything will be done with it, isn't the area around the mall kinda abandoned?
Charmedone9805 The area is somewhat industrial. I think many of the people that live in the area have other interests other than a mall visit. Internet sales and side of the road strip malls have pretty much sealed the fate for all large malls. It's a shame. I remember the days of packed malls, roller skating, BMX freestyling, skateboarding and movie theaters etc... Now a lot of people sit around tapping on their smart phones instead of actually doing stuff.
that sucks we have a mall by me that's dying. all of the chain stores have shut down and have been replace with mom & pop shops only thing that's keeping it alive are Sears and an outdated Macy's. there use to be a movie theater but its been closed for about 3 years now there was also a Service Merchandise but they turned half of it into an H&M and sealed the rest of it off
I heard that Augusta university is looking at purchasing the property and they're going to tear down the mall and put a sports stadium there. they are trying to get a college football team.
God.. Del Taco.. the wet burrito was awesome. and it you took your moving stub from the theater there you would get something like a free taco.. remember the midnight movies? Rocky Horror, Pink Floyd, and usually something else. good times.
This mall was built in 1978 and closed it's doors in 2002. It has sat vacant for the past 14 years and the owners gutted it in 2013 because people were starting fires in it and water was causing mold growth. Now it's just metal and concrete. The Augusta Mall which was built the same year and is 15 minutes away from this mall has been going pretty well. The location is what made the difference between one failing and the other making it. Now they are talking about a movie studio opening in the Regency Mall.
mkfanforever58 yea i remember the mall closed when i was about 14 ish but Montgomery wards stayed along time i was almost 20 w they had a blowout sale i got all kinds of automotive chemicals for dirt cheap ..they should do something hell anything but let it sit that way if it was our house looking that shitty wed be fined .... kinda shitty of our local gov to let this prick slide all these years
no one wants to buy this place basically because of the location and the amount of money it would take to fix it up and get it running, anyway that's what i think.
Malls all over America have gone belly-up...its just a sign that the demographics have changed...people don't do their shopping at malls anymore...Internet and speciality shops and consignment stores and next-to-new shops are the in-places to go nowadays...at least that's where I go!
This is so sad...this is my childhood...hanging out on Saturdays with my friends...shopping at Merry-Go-Round...a slice of pizza at Dino's....hitting up Camelot music for the latest rap and r&b cassettes/CDs....then going to the movies either inside the mall or Regency 8 behind the mall. Oh I am about to cry. :-(
That's just so surreal seeing that once-vibrant place of commerce being reduced to just an old abandoned husk. I've lived in the Augusta area since I was born in 1980, and I have a few prominent memories of the Regency Mall from my childhood. I remember when actor Jim Varney (a.k.a., Ernest P. Worrell) made an appearance at J.B. White back in 1985 and I got to meet him. I also remember seeing quite a few movies at the 3-screen General Cinemas theater (the last movie I saw before it was shuttered was Major Payne, which I saw with my father and sister). I even remember the smell as well as the multicolored lights in the fountains. Back in the 80s I always liked this mall better than the Augusta Mall because it had better toy stores (though the Augusta Mall had a proper food court, with a Gyro Wrap next to their Chick-fil-A), though my little sister preferred the Augusta Mall, which she called the "Butterfly Mall" after the ornate butterfly that used to serve as its logo until they remodeled a few years ago (now their logo is a minimalistic geometric... thing). By the mid 90s stores were abandoning the Regency Mall, that 3-screen theater closed, and eventually Ward's was the only place left, and with crime being an increasing problem (one which caused the mall's failure) there was no reason to go there.
The downfall of the Regency Mall and the surrounding area is a great example of urban decay. Even surrounding businesses on Gordon Highway suffered as South Augusta gradually became little more than a low-income, high-crime slum. The Regency 8, another General Cinemas theater opened behind the mall in '87, closed in 2000, but in its heyday it was a great theater and I remember it staying relatively nice despite the location until it closed, and I went there on my first date in the late 90s. Even the nearby Putt-Putt, which probably closed down around sometime in the late 90s, was in its prime much better than the one on Washington Road, with three courses and a larger arcade. Now it sits derelict, her once pristine miniature golf courses being slowly reclaimed by nature. An entire chunk of Augusta that I have many great memories of, now no longer possessing anything worth visiting. Makes me wish I could relive the 80s & 90s all over again.
That's very cool...Vern Vern Vern Vern Vern!It is a shame that economics and crime have played a part in destroying a great family pastime,not to mention treasured childhood memories. Same thing going on with Regency Mall here in Jacksonville Florida-it has become crime central so it is suffering.Half of it non-functional anymore.We are lucky to have the memories we have.
I too was born 1980. Went to Monta Santo el, lake alfred middle, glen hills and rich academy.
aaaarrggghhhhh
I did the vocals for a radio ad for Regency Mall in the 90's. "Regency Mall for fun, Regency Mall for family. Regency Mall for fashion...come and see....the Regency! Regency Mall!" Sad to see it closed now.
Collectorofstuff do you have a recording of that
My first real job was with JB Whites. I started as a ladies shoe stock person and worked my way up to management. Left my hometown and moved to Atlanta in 98. I loved my time at Regency and have made lifelong friends.
Do anyone remember the the original cookie store? They had the best cookies, they would sell them by the pound
I remember when that mall opened back around 1977. One of the commercials used Barry White's Loves Unlimited Orchestra's "Love's Theme" as the theme music for the commercials. We used to go to Montgomery Ward and Belk to do our back to school shopping. I do wish you had video of the inside of the theaters, too...It really is unrecognizable, though, except from the outside. It's such a shame that building wasn't open for more than 30 or so years, though. It started going downhill in the late '80's, and never was able to recover....
Thanks for posting, too!
I managed GNC from August 1978 through April 1979. The mall was bustling.... Did you know the Cole Book Store Manager by any chance?
I feel like I've been gutted. I grew up in that mall.
You and me both. Born 1980 went to Monta Santo elm.
I feel u on that point
Wow! You know how my heart feels right now(???) I live in Jersey now. ..but I used to live in GA and go that mall as a kid. I just looked it up to see if they had the mall on video. WOW! I did not know it closed or could even imagine it being closed. I have memories of it and its water fountains. I remember trying to collect and save change so I could buy a warm chocolate chip cookie. I was about 7-8 yrs old. ...Wow! Many things have changed, even where I used to live in Grovetown GA.
Ooooh, the mesmerizing orange water fountains ! The, "ping ping", sound on the intercom in JB white, and the egg roles on the second floor! Awesome to a five year old in 1985!
I almost lost it when you mentioned the JB White intercom Ping Ping.
My childhood is RUINED.
Thank you so much for filming and posting this. My childhood. It's sad to see the mall in such bad shape.
went there once as a teenager. Had the time of my life! I can't believe what Im seeing!
I spent my teens shopping at this mall. So many good memories. Such a shame that the mall shut down.
Was at this mall many times in 88 and 89 couple times in 91 it was nice in its day.
I've lived in South Augusta most if not all of my life and I too have fond memories of this place. I used to go to see films at the attached movie theater on the opposite side of the complex. I think the RCSO had a substation there for a while, until they opened the area up to do an inspection and found traces of black mold growing in the deepest and darkest parts of the building that was beginning to spread throughout. On top of that, my uncle told me the reason the parking lot was always in such disrepair was because the land beneath the mall is some form of wetland, where there was once a lake or waterhole he used to swim in when he was a young boy.
I have been in the renovation business for 30+ years. This is the cleanest demo I have ever seen. My guess is the mall will be re-purposed.
I grew up in this mall! My dad was a security guard and my mom worked in Montgomery Ward. I even lived behind here at one point. It had the best arcade room upstairs that later became a Chic-Fil-A. Wow..Sooo many memories. I wish they would have made it into something else. Augusta needs that on that end of town
I grew up near this mall. Taking class field trips, begging to go to chick-fil-a a d my mom buying up the discounts when Montgomery Wards was closing down. I remember when they turn the old JB White into a haunted house one year.
I remember shopping there and going to the cinema sometimes. That whole place is abandoned. I wish they would do something with it.
This is one of the cleanest abandoned malls I have ever seen. Glad to see they have kept it clean. Almost looks like they were going to do something with it. I agree with others, they should really used the building/property on that side of town. Another Augusta Tech campus or medical buildings, or even an outlet style shopping area. I have always wondered what happened to it. Its sad to see it just as wasted space.
+Julie Grant The city has been trying for years to get it bought and/or converted to some type of business space. But for whatever reason it always falls short of the goal. It's a huge facility (once the largest mall in Georgia), and would be ideal for shopping due to it's location IF the area was redeveloped wisely (including addressing the drainage problem we saw during the 1990 flood -- remember what happened to Corky Bell's?).
Hate to see my hometown turn out like this, because we have so much to offer in this quiet part of Georgia that's still old fashioned yet modern.
AAAAARRRGGHHHH
What happened to the escalator hand rails and other parts of it at 2:37?
This AREA is not DEAD!!! The folks on this side of town & in the neighboring counties could use a retail area!!! I vote to bring it back!!!! I could list several stores that would do well in the space.
The location opens to 5 different areas of town. For the very same reason they built it there it should reopen!!!
What a cigarette bodega?
Thank you for the video. Not much to see there anymore. :| It would be interesting to see it return. I know if it had never closed for good, the old tenants I have memories of (Taco Viva, Petland, Dino's, Piccadilly) would have likely fallen by the wayside, and replaced with more modern stores.
AAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH
I missed the arcade there. It was unique, especially the artificial waterfall and mill for the shooting game found on the left-hand side if memory serves me as a kid. It was certainly a place to hang at (outside of the movies) when the parents went off to someplace boring like Montgomery Ward's or the line of temp vendors near the kiddy playground on the bottom floor. Still, the place was amazing to see during Christmas time. I'll still have the memories at least.
Not sure why the times changed. I used to go to the movies and arcades. Buy clothes at the mall and hook up with other teenagers. BMX, skateboard, roller skate etc.. It seems like now everyone is on FB and doing their shopping online. The ones that play video games do so on their own XBox or Playstations. I was in the Augusta Mall 2 days ago and you can't buy music, electronics or toys. Sears has a few things but not much. I like MP3s and streaming movies as much as the next person, but there is something nice about having a shelf with all of your CD/DVDs that you can look at and read the covers and feel like you actually own it.
Everything that once was will be again. 30 years from now malls will be opening back up as the newest craze. BMX Freestyling will be in and AOL will be sent out by the millions on floppy disks mailed to every person in the universe such as back in 1995.
Wipsplash
I agree. Things have indeed changed. back in the day, it wasn't a problem to be separated from your parents without any kind of worry, doing who-knows-what. Just as long as you don't break anything it was a good day. Where the weekends would be wasted on going to your nearest Blockbuster or even a Movie Gallery, get a game that that'll last you though those two special days, and send it back before you have the dread about the homework that you skipped. Even for the Augusta Mall, I felt that things ultimately changed when their arcade, Tilt, closed down. Sure, life has become convenient, but maybe that's the point. It's more exciting to take down the kid from North Augusta with Sub-Zero but get spanked when you got cocky with Liu Kang. But then gain a friend while getting an Orange Julius downstairs. That was fun. But maybe we'll see some change (like you mentioned) with the coming of the new bowling alley/arcade down North Leg where the Food Lion was. I'll be looking forward to it.
I also remember seeing the movie The Last Emperor here with my dad when I was about 8. Beetlejuice was playing one theater over....
Wow!! This is really an eerie video . I got my first retail job at The Limited as a stock guy. Disco was in and that's all they played in the store. Then onto The National Shirt Shop where I sold polyester shirts and wide neck ties. Finally onto to Chess King where I could finally wear what I was selling. I remember waiting every month for military pay day when we did the most business from GI's putting everything on layaway.
I was a senior at Glenn Hills High then. South Augusta was doing alright in those days and the mall was a huge hit. That is until the Augusta Mall opened which was fancier. There was a huge difference in the clientele between the two malls.
My best friend and I ran the Proving Ground / Ups "n" Downs on the upper level near Montgomery Ward.
I moved on to Atlanta after that and the to NYC where I live now.
It's sad to see the mall like this now when I go home to visit my family. Something should be done about it.
Part public park, music complex, apts with stores ????
The truth is that sadly South Augusta has never had the money that the west has and so there's just not enough to do anything to bring it into the 21st century.
Augusta is one of those places that takes forever to get anything accomplished
due to the inept people running things there.
It's really a shame.
they could still use that building for something
Kills me to think nobody could've purchased that place....the last time I was in that mall I was about 7 years old, and the last thing I remember buying was a ninja turtle toy....that's childhood memories right there! Thanks for the video.... Just creepy...
I just left the mall
I heard it was gutted but I didn't think it would be to this extent. I really wanted to go in it and see it but I guess its not really worth the risk of getting in trouble now with no walls and signs up.
finally some inside footage
My mom used to take me here all the time when I was a kid. I can't remember the name of the store, but it was the only shoe shop for kids in Augusta that carried girl's shoes in my size. Good thing I left after school or else there would be no place to find shoes for my big ole hoofs.
This could be the perfect factory space!
I just watched Ace's Adventures' video on this and the mall didn't change that much
There is talk about turning the Regency Mall into a Movie Studio as of Aug. 22, 2018
What day did Regency Mall Close in 2002?
Y’all are literally in the comments mad about this mall being closed?! I loved malls as much as the next person, but things change. I’m just lucky that my favorite mall, LANDMARK MALL, in Alexandria Va, was used (after it was long closed down and not in business) as the mall in WONDER WOMAN 2!!
I could actually see the stores still in there I worked at the Lerner's that was at the top of that first staircase the cameraman went up.
I also worked at GNC from 8/78 trough 4/79. Did you know any of the other store managers, esp. Coles Book Store?
how'd you get inside?
This is crazy. We drive by here everytime to visit my grandma and now my dad lives in the same neighbor hood. I wondered what it was until my dad told me someone from work told him it was a mall. It's been abandoned for so long. It closed long before we moved here but my cousin went there before and he wondered why it shut down. I wondered what it looked like on the inside so thanks for the upload!
wasn't this being used as some sort of training facility by the police or fire department?
It looks like somebody blasted there way in. Doesn't even look recognizable anymore...thanks for making the video.
There was water in that spot/location years ago.....then the Mall was built and they started having problems with the structure.
Why does this place look familiar y Hawthore plaza Mall
Imagine this etierh turning into a school building or a nice apartment complex. It is very saddening to see my childhood "dead" like this.
I too was there the day it opened. My Mom worked in the boy's dept. at Ruben's after working at the downtown location for years. I later professionally videotaped fashion shows for J.B. White and Belk. Also was the voice-over for Belk TV/Radio commercials for years. Regency was Augusta's first mall. It died because of lack of security enforcement, plain and simple..
I can see it being used for filming purposes
Wow that place has really changed! They majorly gutted it! I think i remember them saying they were gutting it becouse the city kept saying it was a fire hazard i think that had to otherwise the city was going to make the owners tear it down.
I would imagine they don't want it to be a "Dixie Square" where people come in and pick it clean and use it for a photo opportunity. The decent thing for them to do would have been to sell the stuff at auction.
I am surprised that they don't turn this into a call center.
Augusta Technical College, with a theatre there for training, book stores, medical equipment , Gate the entrances , hire security , lets educate people. Have low cost medical and dental. And train auto mechanics, the Wards side has large places for training.Revive that area, its the Heart of Augusta, lets use it, for something. Fort Gordon could use it , out let mall . etc.
I read they wanna turn into a movie studio
I think its going to be turned onto something.....it'd be cool if they made it into a college or even made it a mall again.....or an indoor race track for go carts or gymkhana.....the building appears to be in perfect condition and is being slightly maintained.....they probably gutted it do scrappers and vandals didn't destroy a perfectly good building
They took everything out it does not even look like the same mall from the pictures but finally we all get to see how it looks from the inside it is nothing but a shell.
I grew up in this mall too. Mom worked there. Several friends worked there. I saw classic movies from my childhood there with family and best friends. We'd hang out... waste quarters in the arcade. Damn. it was a happening place, like the mall from Fast Times at Ridgemont High (a film I saw there, along with Porkys and History of the World Part 1, the first 3 rated R flicks I ever saw). Loved going into the book stores, music stores, computer stores (I had a C64 and C128 at the time)... fun having all that in one place. Walmart will never compare.
Times change. But it's a sad sight. One day maybe internet shopping will die and people will want to get out again to stop getting fat and out of shape. Would love to read this was being restored and reopened, but I doubt it.
sending this to mom.
I had a Commodore 128...lol...this mall was so happening! My buddied and me would spend a whole Saturday there...it is so sad to see it like this!
Dwayne Martin
that was a good computer. I sold my C64 to get the C128. Then I sold the C128 to get Amiga. I sure wish I had them all. Emulation is great and all but...
Yeah, it's terrible. So many memories. at the very least I wish they'd tear it down and do something with the land that was worthwhile.
South Augusta used to be awesome!...we moved to Evans in '84... my mother worked at the Montgomery Ward in the mall for a long time! My father was military.... those were great times! Do you remember Shaky's Pizza?
Dwayne Martin
We moved to Augusta in 1979. My father was with GA power.
Oh yeah! Shaky's was the best. My whole family loved that pizza.
I am 40 now...before moving to Evans, we lived off of Gordon Hwy in a neighborhood called "Windermere"... I went to Blythe Elementary. I Remember when our big thing was to go eat at Western Sizzlin' or Mr. Gatty's Pizza on Friday night!
Thanks for sharing !! I often drive past that gost of a property and vaguely remember going there once or twice in 97? Over 22 years ago.. Sitting in the Augusta mall at the food court I decided to searxh "Augusta Mall" just for fun and saw this video (about Regency mall) ... Wow so muxh wasted space .... Could be used for a homeless shelter or something ... Something .... Anything ..
Built my first home in Appling GA 1987 but was familiar with this Mall in the 1980's before I owned property there. I believe that the US Government should buy this property and turn it into affordable housing and shopping for the military both active and reserve. The location is not far from FT Gordon & could become a viable place for temp housing, shopping and present an opportunity for homeless vets to work, live and get help. It could become a city within a city offering an economic boost to the area while solving a need for temp housing for our military. A VA medical facility combined with everything else a complex for the military would need. Doing this would also drive the criminal element out of that area. Having the military presence there would deter the would-be criminals from entering that area as they did when the mall was there. It could be built within the existing structure and expanded as needed. Being a modular design it lends itself to being expanded exponentially as the need arises and the budget would allow. It makes sense financially and practically. President Trump put this on the drawing board.
I grew up in Augusta. . I'm an 180a baby... after leaving for college in miami in 2000 and living in Philly for 4 years the people in augusta from where I stand have not changed. The place is one big ass ghetto.
That's not true. Augusta is the fastest growing city in Georgia, and has developed a lot over the years. I don't live there anymore but it gets better every time I visit.
August, GA may not have advanced like other places in the US. However, I am still proud to call this place my hometown and no matter where I travel, I am eager to share the memories and strong sense of community I have learned from the good people who live there. I was in Philly for a conference in 2011 NOW THAT IS A BIG BLIGHTED GHETTO!!!!!!!
@@zabetheli90
Dont kid yourself. I currently live in Winston Salem NC. What you see is hardly growth. I'm my late 30s and since leaving back in 2000, I ran into a young lady at my job who left there too and she says you couldnt pay her to go back.
@@rayamanelly You're responding to a 6 year old comment....Tech industry is big and growing there since having made that original comment, which is easily backed up through statistics. The anecdote about your workmate proves what exactly? I currently live in Savannah, which I love a lot more, but I still own a company in Augusta, so I'm sure any anecdote I give holds considerable more weight than " I have a workmate who lived there and won't move back". BTW I'm also in my 30's, since you mentioned age for some reason. I've been to Winston Salem....Meh
@@zabetheli90
Strangely enough I got nostalgia and came back to this video. Based on your comment, sounds like the working class which is what augusta was primarily built on; is being pushed out for more educated talent. What line of business are you in? I wholesale as well and buy and hold real estate as a growing business, and teach science during the day. I'm no economist but my overall opinion of Augusta from the prospective of growing up there, leaving and returning off and on since; as well as bumping into a few folks that are familiar all seem to fall in line with my opinion. Evan's has seemed some significant growth since l left in 2000. There are lots of new strip malls here and there and the old circuit city is now a walmart.
I drove by there Aug 7, 2017 to ride by it while passing through town. Very creepy looking outside for sure but as with everyone else on here, sad to see it, but this video it almost looks better inside than outside. When you think of the memories one had of going to the mall as a kid, esp to the pet and toy stores. A shame this has happened across the country. But I just cannot bring myself to shop online, it has to be something extremely hard to find before I will look for it online. I have to see it in person and decide if I want the product or not. Buying online and the waiting several days for the delivery isn't worth it to me, plus I actually like to have an excuse to get out of the freaking house. If gang issues was part of the problem, I cannot figure out gangs and why they insist on harassing people, are they that so insecure they have to bully others? Gangs and those in them are nothing but lowlife jerks that are a waste on society.
I've tried going in there before, but there was someone else in there.
We're you scared when you heard someone in there?
yeah i live in augusta ga
has been built into a well-defended fortress new jack city come get your wholesale
The fact the signs inside got scrapped really doesnt sit well with me. The things I would of done for the Wards and JB White signs.
Remember Regency Mall when it opened. To think, finally we could shop in air conditioned comfort, considering the alternative of Sears; JC Penney and Sky City downtown before the malls went up.
Now look at it. It reminds me of America today, let alone the internet. -_-
It was badly managed (let alone was the city, for building two at once), and the "White Flight" moving from South Richmond county to Martinez/Evans didn't help, as the demographics changed and the population couldn't afford buying at the mall anymore. It simply became a race to the end. I still don't shop at Augusta Mall at all, because it hurts to see landmarks this big goto waste.
To see it now as a literal parking lot of weeds and a big building abandoned. It feels like Augusta today, as the interest is moving to Columbia County (where residents there will just abandon it too, like they did South Augusta). -_-
The city was booming in the late 70s. Jobs everywhere. Living wages and all. Now having a 40k job is being poor. :(
Did you know any of the store managers? I was the GNC store manager form 8/78 through 4/79. I am looking for the Coles store manager still. Her name was Mary.
My friend Tony and I went there the day it opened, we were 11 and rode our bikes down. I lived nearby until right before the mall completely closed. I still know the layout like the back of my hand. Shocked to see the stage gone by the stairs. Makes sense that the carpet and dry wall are all gone so there's nothing to feed roaches or termites. Alot of fond memories there though, so sad that it went to hell. The entire area there in South Augusta has turned so trashy though, no way would anyone ever restore it.
Would you please send me a private message on how you got in? My team and I are very much interested in exploring this mall. Thank you in advance and have a great day!!
I can get you in for a price
If hell was on earth...
why did they bother gutting the mall? seems like a waste of money
People were entering the mall and starting fires. The city gave the owner an ultimatum to either level the mall or secure it.
The owner decided to gut the mall to brick and steel removing anything flammable, then bricked all entries shut to meet the city's code requirements.
The mall is currently for sale or lease and the owner and is willing to build to suit.
The location of this building is undesirable, I don't forsee anything materializing in it's future. The mall has been closed down since 2001.
I was sorry to see the mall go. My wife and I would go there to shop and watch movies. It felt strange walking around the empty building.
The Aiken Mall in SC which is about 20 mins away is down to a handful of stores. One of it's anchor stores (Sears) just left. I believe the Aiken Mall will close it's doors in under 10 years.
The Augusta Mall seems to be hanging in there and fairly active.
I know you didn't ask about all that other stuff, I put it out there for anyone reading that might be curious about the other malls.
*****
Makes sense i don't live anywhere near GA but i have heard about this mall still weird to see it gutted i doubt anything will be done with it, isn't the area around the mall kinda abandoned?
Charmedone9805 The area is somewhat industrial. I think many of the people that live in the area have other interests other than a mall visit.
Internet sales and side of the road strip malls have pretty much sealed the fate for all large malls.
It's a shame. I remember the days of packed malls, roller skating, BMX freestyling, skateboarding and movie theaters etc...
Now a lot of people sit around tapping on their smart phones instead of actually doing stuff.
that sucks we have a mall by me that's dying. all of the chain stores have shut down and have been replace with mom & pop shops only thing that's keeping it alive are Sears and an outdated Macy's. there use to be a movie theater but its been closed for about 3 years now there was also a Service Merchandise but they turned half of it into an H&M and sealed the rest of it off
Charmedone9805 I know there was alot of copper removed that equals alot of money ...
This place was partially torn down in 2022
Parts of the building were still up as of January 2023.
The Montgomery Ward portion has been demolished.
I heard that Augusta university is looking at purchasing the property and they're going to tear down the mall and put a sports stadium there. they are trying to get a college football team.
Hawthorne Plaza number 2
Being from Augusta I hate and enjoy seeing this, simultaneously. I wis hthey would at least use it for something else.. somehow. someday..... kbye.
Del Taco..Shalimar III... Ol Calcutta....and Cross Colours clothing! Those were the dayz, Lol
I had a friend that worked there. Last time I saw him was there in the late 80s. :(
God.. Del Taco.. the wet burrito was awesome. and it you took your moving stub from the theater there you would get something like a free taco.. remember the midnight movies? Rocky Horror, Pink Floyd, and usually something else. good times.
ch3apjoe
I remember the free tacos now! Fun times, man...
Dino's Pizza, Picadilly Cafeteria and Eggroll King were some great places to eat....this was a great mall!
Ol Calcutta is a place I spent money .
I honestly believe that america is fed up with huge commercial chain'stores . I know i am ( screw you walmart )
It looks like a developer started building it but ran out of money and abandoned it
This mall was built in 1978 and closed it's doors in 2002. It has sat vacant for the past 14 years and the owners gutted it in 2013 because people were starting fires in it and water was causing mold growth. Now it's just metal and concrete.
The Augusta Mall which was built the same year and is 15 minutes away from this mall has been going pretty well. The location is what made the difference between one failing and the other making it. Now they are talking about a movie studio opening in the Regency Mall.
***** i know, i ment to say if someone who didn't know the history of the mall went in there they would think it never got finished
Never go in there when it's dark it's scary and I think hobos live inside it.
Its a waste..
Very true. A Waste..
wow seems like its ready for something to be built there ...I wish they would do something with it looking like hell all closed up
It's up for sale, there is a tarp type thing saying something "will build to suit" over the old mall sign.
mkfanforever58 yea i remember the mall closed when i was about 14 ish but Montgomery wards stayed along time i was almost 20 w they had a blowout sale i got all kinds of automotive chemicals for dirt cheap ..they should do something hell anything but let it sit that way if it was our house looking that shitty wed be fined .... kinda shitty of our local gov to let this prick slide all these years
no one wants to buy this place basically because of the location and the amount of money it would take to fix it up and get it running, anyway that's what i think.
Malls all over America have gone belly-up...its just a sign that the demographics have changed...people don't do their shopping at malls anymore...Internet and speciality shops and consignment stores and next-to-new shops are the in-places to go nowadays...at least that's where I go!
Its a waste..