Richlands Mall

Richlands Mall is a shopping center in Tazewell County, Virginia, United States. It was developed in the late 1970s by Atlanta-based GG Industries through its subsidiary Tazewell Associates, and opened to the public in October 1980. The project converted the former Eastern Isles Manufacturing Plant on Front Street, opposite Clinch Valley Community Hospital, into a roughly 162,000-square-foot air-conditioned retail complex. Its development was presented as a significant new commercial facility for the surrounding area and was intended to combine supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, cinema, specialty retail, and garment-manufacturing uses under one roof. At opening, the mall's principal anchors were Roses, Kroger, and Eckerd Drug. Its smaller tenants included Sidney's, Pic' N Pay, Western Steer Restaurant, Twin Cinema, and Baskin-Robbins. The original concept therefore extended beyond conventional shopping: it incorporated everyday grocery and pharmacy services, food and entertainment, and a substantial garment facility. Contemporary planning estimates anticipated approximately 350 jobs and about $20 million in sales, although these were projections associated with the development rather than reported operating results. The mall's tenant history reflects broader changes in American retail and pharmacy branding. In 1987, the local Eckerd Drug locations, including the Richlands Mall store, were rebranded as SupeRx. The mall's SupeRx location subsequently became a Revco drugstore in 1994, and a public notice in September 1998 announced its conversion to CVS Pharmacy. Restaurant activity also changed over time: The Fig Tree opened in January 1991 with a menu spanning Mexican food, steaks, shrimp, and other dishes. Its name reportedly referred to twisted fig trees that were present throughout the mall during that period. Kroger's role as an anchor ended in March 2000, when the company closed its Richlands Mall store, citing underperformance. Later descriptions identify Grant's Supermarket and Roses as the mall's anchor tenants. Available reference material does not provide a detailed account of subsequent ownership, renovation programs, management, tenant occupancy, or current trading performance. Richlands Mall is best understood as a locally significant, community-serving shopping center whose history is closely tied to the redevelopment of an industrial property and to the changing retail landscape of southwest Virginia.

Richlands Mall originated in a 1979 development proposal by GG Industries, an Atlanta-based company that planned to build the center through a subsidiary called Tazewell Associates. The project was conceived as a major new retail facility for the Richlands area and was planned to be the region's first air-conditioned mall. The proposed complex was expected to contain approximately 162,000 square feet, including a supermarket, drugstore, restaurant, and about 35,000 square feet of additional interior tenant space. More than 20,000 square feet was also designated for a garment facility. Development projections described a potential workforce of roughly 350 people and estimated sales of approximately $20 million, although these were planning estimates rather than audited results. Rather than being built on an unused site, the mall was adapted from the Eastern Isles Manufacturing Plant. The former textile mill stood on Front Street across from Clinch Valley Community Hospital. Its conversion linked the new shopping center to the industrial history of the community while giving an existing property a new commercial use. Construction was completed and Richlands Mall opened in October 1980. The original tenant mix combined major anchors with local and national service businesses. Roses, Kroger, and Eckerd Drug anchored the mall at opening. Interior tenants included Sidney's, Pic' N Pay, Western Steer Restaurant, Twin Cinema, and Baskin-Robbins, among others. This combination gave the center a broad role in daily life: shoppers could purchase groceries, clothing, general merchandise, and pharmacy products, while also using the mall for dining and entertainment. During the 1980s and 1990s, the pharmacy space went through several successive brand identities. In 1987, Eckerd's area stores, including the Richlands Mall branch, were rebranded as SupeRx. The mall pharmacy later became a Revco drugstore in 1994. In September 1998, a public notice announced that the Revco location would become CVS Pharmacy. These changes were part of the wider consolidation and repositioning of American drugstore chains, but the available account records the tenant transitions without providing detailed information about ownership or operating arrangements. Food service also evolved. The Fig Tree restaurant opened in January 1991. Its menu included Mexican cuisine, steaks, shrimp, and other dishes, making it a full-service dining addition rather than a narrowly specialized outlet. The restaurant's name was associated with twisted fig trees that were reportedly located throughout the mall at that time. A significant anchor change occurred in 2000. Kroger announced at the beginning of March that it would close its Richlands Mall store on March 24, citing underperformance. The closure removed one of the center's original anchor businesses and marked a change in the mall's grocery offering. Later descriptions identify Grant's Supermarket and Roses as the mall's anchors. The supplied reference material does not establish the dates of those later anchor arrangements, nor does it provide reliable information about subsequent renovations, ownership, management, occupancy, or current financial performance. The documented history therefore centers on the mall's industrial conversion, its 1980 opening, its changing pharmacy and restaurant tenants, and the loss of Kroger as an anchor in 2000.

• 2000

  Kroger closes

  [1]Richlands Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Kroger closed its Richlands Mall store on March 24, citing underperformance.

• 1998

  CVS conversion announced

  [1]Richlands Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A public notice announced the conversion of the Revco pharmacy to CVS Pharmacy.

• 1994

  SupeRx becomes Revco

  [1]Richlands Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The pharmacy tenant changed its branding from SupeRx to Revco.

• 1991

  The Fig Tree opens

  [1]Richlands Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Fig Tree restaurant began operating at the mall with a varied menu.

• 1987

  Eckerd becomes SupeRx

  [1]Richlands Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall's Eckerd Drug location was rebranded as SupeRx.

• 1980

  Mall opens

  [1]Richlands Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Richlands Mall opened in October after the former Eastern Isles Manufacturing Plant was converted into a shopping center.

• 1979

  Development announced

  [1]Richlands Mallen.wikipedia.org

  GG Industries announced the planned Richlands Mall project through its Tazewell Associates subsidiary.

Regional and community-serving shopping center

• Retail property · 1980

  Shopping-center retail space

  Richlands Mall provides an enclosed retail environment for anchor stores and smaller tenants. Its documented tenant mix has included grocery, pharmacy, apparel, general merchandise, restaurants, dessert service, and cinema entertainment. The center was designed to consolidate everyday shopping and leisure activities in a community-serving location.

• Supermarket · 1980

  Grocery retail

  Grocery retail was part of the mall's original concept and was represented at opening by Kroger. Kroger later closed its location in 2000 after citing underperformance. Later descriptions identify Grant's Supermarket as an anchor, but the available material does not specify when that tenancy began.

• Pharmacy · 1980

  Pharmacy retail

  The mall's pharmacy space has operated under several chain brands. It opened as Eckerd Drug, was rebranded as SupeRx in 1987, became Revco in 1994, and was announced for conversion to CVS Pharmacy in 1998.

• Food and beverage · 1980

  Restaurant and food service

  Food service has been part of the mall's tenant offering since its opening, including Western Steer Restaurant and Baskin-Robbins. The Fig Tree later opened in 1991 with Mexican dishes, steaks, shrimp, and other menu items.

• Discount department store · 1980

  Roses

  Roses was one of Richlands Mall's original anchor tenants and is identified in later descriptions as an anchor alongside Grant's Supermarket. The available material does not provide a detailed account of its merchandise mix or present operating status.

• 2000

  Kroger closes its anchor storeStrategy

  Background

  Kroger announced that its Richlands Mall store was underperforming.

  Action taken

  The supermarket closed the location on March 24, 2000.

  Aftermath

  The closure removed one of the mall's original anchors; later descriptions identify Grant's Supermarket and Roses as anchors.

  Source

• 1998

  Revco pharmacy conversion to CVS announcedOther

  Background

  The pharmacy space had operated under the Revco name since 1994.

  Action taken

  A September public notice announced that the Revco location would become CVS Pharmacy.

  Aftermath

  The announcement continued the sequence of pharmacy-brand changes recorded at the mall.

  Source

• 1994

  SupeRx pharmacy becomes RevcoOther

  Background

  The mall's pharmacy tenant underwent another chain-brand transition.

  Action taken

  The SupeRx store was converted to the Revco brand.

  Aftermath

  A public notice later announced a further conversion to CVS Pharmacy in 1998.

  Source

• 1987

  Pharmacy rebranding from Eckerd to SupeRxOther

  Background

  The Richlands area had two Eckerd Drug locations undergoing a brand change.

  Action taken

  The Eckerd location inside Richlands Mall was rebranded as SupeRx.

  Aftermath

  The pharmacy later changed brands again, becoming Revco in 1994.

  Source

• 1979

  Redevelop a former textile mill as an enclosed mallStrategy

  Background

  GG Industries and its Tazewell Associates subsidiary sought to create a major air-conditioned retail center in the Richlands area.

  Action taken

  The developers converted the former Eastern Isles Manufacturing Plant into a shopping mall planned at approximately 162,000 square feet.

  Aftermath

  The completed property opened in October 1980 with grocery, pharmacy, restaurant, specialty retail, cinema, and dessert tenants.

  Projected annual sales. $20 million estimated (1979 development planning)

  Source

1. 1Richlands Mallen.wikipedia.org