Augusta Mall facts for kids
Augusta Mall Entrance
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| Location | Augusta, Georgia, United States |
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| Opening date | August 3, 1978 |
| Developer | The Rouse Company |
| Management | Brookfield Properties Retail Group |
| Owner | Brookfield Properties Retail Group |
| No. of stores and services | 149 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 6 (5 open, 1 vacant) |
| Total retail floor area | 1,099,224 sq ft (102,121.3 m2) |
| No. of floors | 2 |
| Parking | 5,400 spaces |
Augusta Mall is a large, two-story shopping mall located in Augusta, Georgia, United States. It's one of the biggest malls in the state of Georgia. It is also the largest mall in the whole Augusta metropolitan area. The main stores, called "anchor stores," are Dick's Sporting Goods, JCPenney, Dillard's, Macy's, and Barnes & Noble. There is one empty anchor store that used to be Sears.
Augusta Mall is in a part of West Augusta called Forest Hill. This area is known for being a nice neighborhood. Many people living nearby have finished higher education and work in professional jobs.
Contents
History of Augusta Mall
Augusta Mall first opened its doors on August 3, 1978. This was just one week after another mall, Regency Mall, opened. Regency Mall is now closed.
Early Days and Design
When Augusta Mall first opened, it had about 90 stores. Its first two main department stores were Rich's and Davison's. The company that built the mall, The Rouse Company, used ideas from other successful malls they had built. For example, the special ceiling design was like those in malls such as The Mall in Columbia. The fountain and elevator in the center of the mall were similar to those at Beachwood Place.
Mall Expansions and Changes
Since it opened, Augusta Mall has grown a lot. It has had five major expansions and many smaller updates.
- 1987: The first big expansion happened in 1987. A new, larger JCPenney store was added. This made the mall much bigger.
- 1990: The mall grew again in 1990. Sears joined as the fourth main store. This project also updated the inside of the mall. It increased the number of stores from about 100 to over 130.
- 1992: In October 1992, Vice President of the United States Dan Quayle visited the mall. He held a large gathering during his political campaign. More than 5,000 people came to see him.
- 1998: By 1998, Augusta Mall was the most popular shopping spot in the area. Another department store, J. B. White, moved to Augusta Mall. It became the fifth main store, which is now Dillard's. Because so many people visited, traffic became a problem. The city helped by adding more lanes and new exit ramps to the mall.
- 2002: In 2002, the mall got some important updates. This included fixing storm drains and improving the parking lot. The Macy’s store closed for a short time. Its lower floor was changed into a furniture store.
- 2006-2007: A big new section called "The Augusta Promenade" was announced in 2006. This was a new outdoor shopping area added to the mall. Construction began in the summer of 2006. It officially opened on November 8, 2007.
Recent Updates
- 2016: Several popular stores announced plans to open at the mall. These included Vans, Torrid, and rue21.
- 2018: In April 2018, the mall started using a large solar panel system on its roof. This system helps power the mall with clean energy. Also, QC Nails Salon announced plans to open a new location.
- 2020: On February 8, 2020, it was announced that the Sears store would close. It was part of a plan to close many Sears stores across the country. The store closed in April 2020.
Images for kids
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Interior entrance to Macy's in the Augusta Mall. This was formerly Rich's.
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Interior entrance to JCPenney in the Augusta Mall
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Sign off Wrightsboro Road in Augusta, Georgia for the Augusta Mall.
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Clock in the center of Augusta Mall
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Former Davison's and Macy's was partly changed to make way for the Promenade, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Macy's.
