DEAD MALL UPDATE Dutch Square Center Columbia South Carolina Christmas Cinema Rainbow Former Belk

[@thecandyman9308]

Went to college in Columbia and first time I stumbled on this mall was in 2003. It was bustling on a Saturday and I picked up some used PS2 games at Gamestop. Got a job a couple years later in the mid 2000s and spent a decent amount of time at this mall and that's about when things started...changing. Haven't been here in almost 15 years so kind of surprised it's still open tbh but man even compared to like 2009 this is kind of shocking. Pretty haunting.

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

Yea, its bad now... just some random folks walking and sitting around because I don't think they have anywhere better to go. Its sad but its part of our world today. I am still amazed at how many old retail strip malls and other retail buildings are all around Columbia. Its crazy.... Thanks for watching!

[@thecandyman9308]

@@charlestonpinballarcade Sure thing, friend. Keep filming! ♥

[@SCICU2]

The J.B. White chain was acquired by Dillard’s who did a store swap with Belk. Belk got the Dutch Square Mall J.B. White location and the Columbiana Centre J.B. White store. At the time Dillard’s already operated stores at Columbiana Centre, Richland Fashion Mall (former Bonwit Teller) and Columbia Place (former Belk).

[@BoratWanksta]

Was the Snipes store here, a former Jimmy Jazz? I think I heard they were taking over all the Jimmy Jazz stores, out there. Good to see the mall still throws up Christmas decorations, but what the heck is with Burlington closing their inside entrance? Weird the sign was updated to their newest logo, yet the inside entrance isn't opened up. Sad to see.

[@vistatiger7493]

Tapp's (a former Columbia department store chain) was located where the movie theater was rebuilt and I assume the Burlington anchor building was originally a Woolco/Woolworth store. Those two along with JB White were the original anchors I believe.

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

Thanks for the info on the previous tenants. Unfortunately, this place is really rough at the moment. I don't think it can last much longer. The inside reminds me of a dying flea market.

[@o4liberty]

Best buy is opening at 11am at all their stores now.

[@cptbusstop92]

Lol I never considered Dutch Square a mall. It was more like a shopping plaza.

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

Hi CPT! Oh yea, the inside is definitely a old school enclosed mall, but very run down at the moment. Do you live in the area? I am not sure if redevelopment or renovations will happen here, I think its the has passed. I am still in amazement at how much retail was built around Columbia. Malls, strip malls, restaurants.... many now abandoned or run down. Its fascinating! Thanks for watching!

[@phqutub]

Those candy machines have never been refilled since the Grand opening.

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

Facts are true!!! Thanks for watching! Gumball challenge coming soon! Happy new year!

[@boganpainter1638]

Dutch Square was a dead mall 20 years ago, I am surprised it looks as good as it does.

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

Hey Bogan! Yea, based upon the paint scheme, I have to assume this place never received a true update through the years. I can't believe how many random and run down strip mall shops are all over Columbia. Thanks again for sharing. See you in the next video!

[@SCICU2]

The anchor at the end of the hallway with the sloped floor was most recently Belk but was originally J.B. White.

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

Belk not being able to last in a mall here is a definite sign that things are DONE! Belk seems to hang on everywhere.

[@SCICU2]

True. There is a Belk in just about every mall in SC. I think they deemed it too close to their Columbiana Centre location although when it operated as J.B. White they had locations in both malls. The J.B. White/Belk at Dutch Square had 3 floors with a beauty salon on Level 3. Belk eventually blocked off the 3rd floor.

[@stanwbaker]

This is one of these things I've only picked up in bits and pieces. BTM is a successor to Connecticut's Bow Tie Cinemas, largely absorbed into AMC, with the objective of continuing the operation of multiplex cinemas abandoned by the really big chains. It may or may not be a division of AMC.

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

I tried searching BTM Cinemas online and their corporate site shows this location and one in Colorado. I definitely like that the mall has a cinema, but honestly I don't think it can sustain with this mall and a lot of the dying retail in this section of Columbia. It is crazy how many old little strip malls there are in Columbia. Pawn shops everywhere but then there is also pockets of big money. It reminds me of a cross between the bad parts of Memphis and good parts of Raleigh.

[@rovianrosalia6643]

Dumb question, but why would an anchor cut off access from within the mall? How is that remotely convenient for them or the mall? It almost seems like a recipe for failure yet I see many malls(anchors) doing this.

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

I think to deter easy walk out theft.... not too many other reasons.. other than to keep MOLD out like at the Signal Hill Mall.

[@WhittyPics]

The Walmart in Rock Hill Galleria used to mall entrance and they walled it off which really hurt that mall. When they have a mall entrance, they have to man it. I think they do it to reduce head count. Those phone machines are rip offs. I put my SE in there when it was fairly new and it offered me something like $2. I can't think of any reason why someone would sell a good phone to one of those.

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

Yea, I think they wall off anchor stores because of easy walk out theft and also mold in the case of someplace like Signal Hill. The cell phone machines are definitely a rip... I think they rely on people trying to sell stolen phones or people that dont know how to get more $ for the phone.

[@vistabadboi]

This place was dead when I lived there 20 years ago

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

Hey David! Yea, it seems other viewers also have the same "20 years ago it was still dead" timeline on this mall. Sorry to see that most of the folks walking or sitting around the mall didn't seem to actually have business to attend to or purchases to make in the mall, it seems they were just hanging out. With that possibly being the case, it probably is not too attractive for families to walk around so the few businesses left are probably impacted in a negative manner. Thanks for watching. Have a great day!

[@kennixox262]

Are there any successful malls in South Carolina in late 2022?

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

I definitely know Columbiana is really nice, Northwoods has ver very few vacancies and there is one really nice mall doing well in Greenville.

[@Sleeve_Did_It]

My guy! You do realize that the dude having problems outside the Chinese buffet was just trying to ger some roast beef, right? Everybody hurts, Charleston Pinball, sometimes.

[@charlestonpinballarcade]

That roast beef must be tasty AF!!! Yum yum... Seriously, the guy must have been drunk or something else at 10a... it wasn't a medical issue, it was a "stay away" issue.