Mystery Mall (Columbia Mall?)

Columbia, Maryland - circa early '80s

I recently received the following e-mail (with the above photo attached) from MOA reader, Jeanine Long:

"Found this photo while going through old pictures. It is a lovely shot of an indoor fountain in a two story mall. The whole family tried to remember what mall it was but we are coming up short. We live in Northern Ohio in the Cleveland area but it may have been taken on a vacation to Baltimore or to Washington DC. Would love to know if any of your readers can remember where it came from. We know the photo was taken in either 1980 or 1981."

Well, I think I may have this mystery solved for you already. I believe it was taken inside Columbia Mall (aka The Mall in Columbia) in Columbia, Maryland. Pretty sure that's it, but if anyone out there thinks differently please comment or e-mail me your opinion. When/if I ever know the answer definitively, I'll update this post. Thanks for the great photo, Janine! :)

Mall history: 1971 - present
Developer: James W. Rouse
Current website: here
Current aerial view
Info from Wikipedia
Previous entries: 1

Columbia Mall (aka Avondale Mall)

Decatur, Georgia - November, 1972

Outside Georgia's first enclosed mall, Columbia Mall (renamed Avondale Mall in the mid-'80s), in November of 1972. This photo is courtesy of Judy Baxter, who was actually taking a picture of her new Plymouth Duster at the time. Glad she chose Columbia Mall's parking lot for her photo shoot! Some of the stores visible here are: Sears, Baskin-Robbins, Ryan's, Wigs, Thom McCann Shoes, John Couffiers, Walgreen's, Walgreen's Grill, and Davison's, as well as the main entrance.

Alas, this mall is now gone. Token demolition began earlier this year in February, and the razing was completed in earnest just a few months ago in March of 2007 (some of which can be viewed here), all to make way for a... any guesses? Yep, a Wal-Mart Supercenter. Many local residents protested the coming of that Wal-Mart in place of the abandoned Columbia/Avondale Mall (see their grassroots Stop The Avondale Mall WalMart page for proof of their retail unrest).

Note: The aerial link below is obviously a little outdated now, as it still shows the mall's structure (look for Belvedere Plaza Shopping Center just to the South).

Mall history: 1964 - 2001 (dead)
Current website: n/a
Current aerial view
Info from Wikipedia
Resource links: 1, 2, 3, 4
Previous entries: 1

Retro Mall Video: Columbia Mall (aka Avondale Mall) Demolition

Decatur, Georgia - March, 2007

The last Sears wall at the abandoned Columbia/Avondale Mall is razed to make way for a new Wal-Mart Supercenter in its stead--much to the dismay of many local residents (which you can read about in another Columbia Mall entry). Such a sad sight for anyone who's a vintage mall lover.

Note: This video is only part one of four. For your viewing convenience, I put them all on one page in a playlist at YouTube, if you'd like to go watch the rest after this one. Click here for the playlist.