River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Vintage General Cinema exterior sign, photographed 4/25/09.

River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Vintage General Cinema marquee, photographed 6/5/09.

River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Vintage General Cinema marquee, photographed 6/5/09.

The River Ridge 4 Cinema was opened in 1980 by General Cinema Corporation, and was a standard design for its era. General Cinema sold its southwest and central Virgina theaters to Carmike Cinemas in the 1990s, and this theater has been one of their properties ever since.

What makes it unique is that while other theaters of its vintage were closed or remodeled, this theater was essentially left the same, and is a perfectly preserved example of what General Cinema's theaters looked like in their 1970s-1980s heyday.

Regal Entertainment is scheduled to open a new theater at River Ridge this year, and although the fate of this property has not been officially discussed, it's a safe bat that it will close soon, taking with it all of its history and these signs, which is a perfect example of General Cinema's classic signage.

former Miller & Rhoads (later Montgomery Ward and Value City), River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Building demolition. Photographed 9/7/08.

former Miller & Rhoads (later Montgomery Ward and Value City), River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Building demolition. Photographed 9/7/08.

The Miller & Rhoads store at River Ridge Mall originally opened in 1980 and was the second anchor to open at the Lynchburg mall. At 90,000 square feet on one level with, it replaced a downtown location and eventually a small branch at nearby Pittman Plaza.

The exterior design of the building was Brutalist architecture, utilizing grooved concrete blocks, anodized aluminum trim, and heavily tinted glass windows.

In 1990, Miller & Rhoads was replaced by Montgomery Ward, after the former chain filed bankruptcy. Wards stayed until 1999 and was replaced by Value City, an off-price retailer, the following year.

Value City closed their Lynchburg location in 2008 and the space in now undergoing demolition. It will be replaced with a 14 screen stadium-seating theater and additional store space, a project scheduled to be completed in fall 2009.

Macy's (former Thalhimers and Hecht's), River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Exterior entrance. Photographed 9/7/08.

Previously on LiveMalls
Macy's (former Thalhimers and Hecht's), River Ridge Mall

Macy's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Temporary signage with new lighted Macy's sign placed undreneath. Photographed with camera phone 7/28/06.

Macy's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Mall entrance with temporary Hecht's signage. New Macy's signage placed undreneath. Photographed with camera phone 7/28/06.

Macy's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Interactive electronic directory showing information for Hecht's. Photographed with camera phone 7/28/06.

The conversion of Hecht's stores to Macy's has begun.

In 2005, The May Department Stores Company merged with Federated Department Stores. The Hecht's division was eliminated and the former Hecht's stores will soon be operated by Federated's Macy's division.

Permanent Macy's signs have gone up at Hecht's, and advertisements now bear the names of both stores.

The Macy's signs are still covered with translucent Hecht's signs, though. The signs will stay covered until the official conversion date, scheduled for Sept. 9, 2006.

Previously on LiveMalls
Macy's (Hecht's), River Ridge Mall

Belk, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia, Mall entrance under renovation in 2005-2006. Photographed with camera phone 9/28/05.

Belk, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Mall entrance detail. Photographed with camera phone 9/28/05.

Belk, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Cosmetics and Fragrances department under renovation. Photographed with camera phone 9/28/05.

Belk, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Men's Chaps Ralph Lauren sportswear department. Photographed with camera phone 9/28/05.

Belk, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Escalator well. Photographed with camera phone 9/28/05.

Previously on LiveMalls
Belk, River Ridge Mall

Hecht's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Misses Sportswear department. Photographed with camera phone 9/20/2005.

Hecht's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Portal to up eascalator and men's department. Photographed with camera phone 9/20/2005.

Hecht's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Young Men's department. Photographed with camera phone 9/20/2005.

Hecht's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Men's Sportswear department. Photographed with camera phone 9/20/2005.

Hecht's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Men's Shoes department. Photographed with camera phone 9/20/2005.

Hecht's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Men's Polo Ralph Lauren department. Photographed with camera phone 9/20/2005.

Hecht's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. China department. Photographed with camera phone 9/20/2005.

Hecht's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Small Appliances department. Photographed with camera phone 9/20/2005.

Sears, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia, mall entrance. Photographed with camera phone 5/20/2005.

JCPenney, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia, mall entrance. Photographed with camera phone 8/22/2005.

Hecht's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Photographed with camera phone 5/20/2005.

Macy's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Temporary signage with new lighted Macy's sign placed undreneath. Photographed with camera phone 7/28/06.

Macy's (former Thalhimers and Hecht's), River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Exterior entrance. Photographed 9/7/08.


Hecht's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia, mall entrance. Photographed with camera phone 5/20/2005.

Macy's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Mall entrance with temporary Hecht's signage. New Macy's signage placed undreneath. Photographed with camera phone 7/28/06.

Macy's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Interactive electronic directory showing information for Hecht's. Photographed with camera phone 7/28/06.

Hecht's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Misses Sportswear department. Photographed with camera phone 9/20/2005.

Hecht's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Portal to up eascalator and men's department. Photographed with camera phone 9/20/2005.

Hecht's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Young Men's department. Photographed with camera phone 9/20/2005.

Hecht's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Men's Sportswear department. Photographed with camera phone 9/20/2005.

Hecht's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Men's Shoes department. Photographed with camera phone 9/20/2005.

Hecht's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Men's Polo Ralph Lauren department. Photographed with camera phone 9/20/2005.

Hecht's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. China department. Photographed with camera phone 9/20/2005.

Hecht's, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia. Small Appliances department. Photographed with camera phone 9/20/2005.

The Hecht's store at River Ridge Mall was orginally opened as Thalhimers in 1980 and was the first anchor to open at the Lynchburg mall. At 130,000 square feet on two levels with a third floor storage area that also functions as a sign tower, it was the first large Thalhimers store in Western Virginia.

The exterior design of the building was Brutalist architecture, utilizing grooved concrete blocks, anodized aluminum trim, heavily tinted glass windows, and lots of angled surfaces on the exterior. The interior was of a classic late '70s design, with parabolic light fixtures, selling areas seperated into several large rooms, fully enclosed escalator wells, and splashes of color among largely neutral walls and floors. Originally, the store featured a number of amenities, including a hair salon, a fur salon and the Sword & Kilt, a Scottish-themed full-sevice restaurant.

In 1990, Thalhimers was purchsed by the May Department Stores Company which operated the chain as a seperate division until 1992, when it was folded into May's Hecht's division. As Hecht's, the hair salon, fur salon and restaurant were converted to stockroom space and the merchandise quality was severely downgraded, including the elimination of the furniture, rug, and electronics departments.

As of 2005, Hecht's at River Ridge Mall is still largely as it was in 1980, design-wise, with only minor modifications made over the years. This store is in need of a major remodeling, but will likely not recieve it in the near future.

In 2005, The May Department Stores Company merged with Federated Department Stores. The Hecht's division was eliminated and the former Hecht's stores will soon be operated by Federated's Macy's division. Hecht's River Ridge is scheduled to officially convert to Macy's in September 2006.

Belk, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia, Fragrances department, slated for renovation in 2005-2006. Photographed with camera phone 5/20/2005.


Belk, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia, escalator well, slated for renovation in 2005-2006. Photographed with camera phone 5/20/2005.


Belk, River Ridge Mall, Lynchburg, Virginia, former Men's Suits and Shoes department, slated for renovation in 2005-2006. Photographed with camera phone 5/20/2005.

Previously on LiveMalls
Belk, River Ridge Mall