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Note: The aerial link below is obviously a little outdated now, as it still shows the mall's structure (look for Belvedere Plaza Shopping Center just to the South).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

Shopping Mall Sign: Regency Mall

Augusta, Georgia

Entrance sign (along with cinema listings) for Regency Mall, in Augusta, Georgia. While the above photo was taken in 2006, this dead mall has been long-abandoned and was never updated during its lifespan, so the sign you see here is frozen in time, still sporting its original 1970s look! Some design notes from Wikipedia:

"Regency Mall was configured in a Y-shaped layout. Its surrounding landscape was terraced, providing ground-level entrances to the upper and lower levels. The mall’s interior was decorated in an alabaster motif with brown accents, and its floors were finished in brown-speckled terrazzo tile. Live trees were planted at intervals along the lower-level concourses.

The mall’s three wings met at a 28,000 square-foot center court, framed by 45-foot pillars and featuring a fountain, a 28-foot clock tower and a stage area floored in brown tile. Regency Mall had more than 800,000 square feet of space; when it opened, it was the largest enclosed shopping mall in Georgia."

Btw, take a look at my recent Randall Park Mall video (Ohio). Aside from the name of course, the entrance sign seen there looks identical to this one. Same developer, same era, so it makes sense, but still interesting to note.

Mall history: 1978 - 2002
Developer: Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr.
Current website: n/a
Current aerial view
Info from Wikipedia
Reference links: 1
Previous entries: none