Columbia Place Mall’s Opening: Rich’s and Two Levels
Rich’s came to Two Notch Road in 1977 with a building problem and not much South Carolina history.
The Atlanta chain’s anchor sat against a grade change on the western side of the new Columbia Mall; the lower level was partly set into the earth, and shoppers arriving from the parking field entered through an elevated connector on the upper floor.
It was the most architecturally complicated entrance at any of the four anchors. For many northeast Columbia shoppers, it was also the first Rich’s they had ever walked into…