Richlands Mall is a shopping mall located in Tazewell County, Virginia. The mall is anchored by Grant's Supermarket and Roses.

Richlands Mall
Closed interior of the Richlands Mall in 2024.
Map
LocationRichlands, Virginia, United States
Coordinates37°05′35″N 81°49′17″W / 37.0931°N 81.8213°W / 37.0931; -81.8213
Opening dateOctober 1980
DeveloperGG Industries, inc. and Tazewell Industries
OwnerColdwell Banker Commercial BRE
No. of anchor tenants2
Total retail floor area148,216 sq ft (13,769.7 m2)[1]
No. of floors1
Websitefletcherbright.com/shopping-centers/va/107

History

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Richlands Mall was announced in 1979 by Atlanta-based group GG Industries inc. Operating under a subsidiary known as Tazewell Associates, they would develop the shopping center, which was to be the first air conditioned mall in the region.[2][3] The mall was to be roughly 162,000 square feet, and feature a supermarket, a drug store, a restaurant, and 35,000 square feet of other interior tenant space. In addition, a garment facility would occupy over 20,000 square feet of space at the mall.[2] It was estimated that the mall would employ about 350 people, and generate $20 million dollars in sales.[2]

The mall was retrofitted from an old textile mill known as the Eastern Isles Manufacturing Plant, which was located on Front Street across from the Clinch Valley community hospital.[2]

The property would be completed, and opened to the public in October 1980. Roses, Kroger and Eckerd Drug anchored the mall, with interior tenants Sidney's, Pic' N Pay, Western Steer Restaurant, Twin Cinema and Baskin Robbins present at opening, among others.[3]

In 1987, both of the Eckerd Drug locations in the area, including the one in Richlands Mall, were rebranded as SupeRx drug stores.[4]

1990s

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In January 1991, a new restaurant would open at the mall, named 'The Fig Tree.' Their menu consisted of a variety of foods, from Mexican cuisine, to steaks, shrimp and more. The Fig Tree was named because of the twisted fig trees located throughout the mall during the time.[5]

The SupeRx Drug Store inside the mall would become Revco drug in 1994.[6] Then, in September 1998, Revco drug would become CVS Pharmacy, announced by public notice in the newspaper.[7]

2000s

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It was announced at the beginning of March 2000 that Kroger would close its doors on March 24 of the same year, citing underperformance.[8]

References

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  1. ^ "Richlands Mall". Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d "New Shopping Centers To Open In October". Clinch Valley News and Richlands Press. June 20, 1979. p. 13. Retrieved November 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b "Summer Opening for Center". Clinch Valley News and Richlands Press. March 12, 1980. p. 1. Retrieved November 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "The Richlands & Tazewell area Eckerd stores are becoming SupeRx Drug Stores!". Clinch Valley News and Richlands Press. November 18, 1987. p. 8. Retrieved December 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "New restaurant opens in Richlands Mall". Clinch Valley News and Richlands Press. January 30, 1991. p. 5. Retrieved November 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "You've Got A New Friend In Town. SupeRx Is Now Revco". Clinch Valley News and Richlands Press. July 20, 1994. p. 9. Retrieved December 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Public Notice Revco is now CVS Pharmacy". Clinch Valley News and Richlands Press. September 16, 1998. p. 5. Retrieved December 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Richlands Mall Kroger to close". Bristol Herald Courier. March 1, 2000. p. 8. Retrieved November 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.