When North Point Mall opened in 1993, a large store was named in honor of Rich’s, a beloved Atlanta department store chain founded in 1867 as a dry goods store by Hungarian-born immigrant Morris Rich (1847-1928). His flagship store had closed two years earlier, in 1991.
The iconic Rich’s store occupied two blocks in Downtown Atlanta and operated from 1924 until its shutdown. The Alpharetta store at North Point Mall was named Rich’s by its owner, Federated Department Stores, which had acquired the Rich’s chain in 1976. In 1994 Federated acquired Macy’s, one of the country’s oldest department stores, founded in 1858 by Rowland Hussey Macy (1822-1877). Thus, Rich’s and Macy’s became sister companies under one owner, although they continued to operate independently. Today’s column tells the stories of Rich’s and Macy’s at North Point and the unique feature that sets both stores apart from other stores.
Rich’s was the first business to open in North Point Mall, drawing huge crowds on July 12, 1993, three months before the formal mall opening on Oct. 20, and it was always a highlight. Atlantans were still upset at the demise of their beloved Downtown Atlanta Rich’s, and Federated was determined to create a special shopping experience. Russell Stravitz, chairman and chief executive officer of Rich’s, told The Atlanta Journal, “The demographics of the population of this region indicate that the consumer is interested in upscale merchandise and wants a wide selection.”
For Federated, the Rich’s acquisition was a major entry point into the South, because at that time Rich’s consisted of 11 major department stores, three boutiques and 11 Richway discount stores in Georgia, Alabama and North Carolina. Details in the interior and exterior of the Alpharetta Rich’s were beautifully elaborate, an homage to the memory of the original store. Of special note to shoppers and historians, even today, is a series of eight commemorative plaques, or relief panels, on the exterior of Macy’s that tell the Rich’s story…