Long-running Columbia-area movie theater closes for good
The curtain has closed at a longtime Columbia-area movie theater.
The Regal Columbia 7 at the Richland Mall at 3400 Forest Drive in Forest Acres is permanently closed, per a message to customers posted on its door.
“We deeply regret to inform you this location is now permanently closed,” the note says. It asks patrons to visit one of the other three Regal Cinemas in the area, including the Regal Sandhills in the northeast, the Columbiana Grande near Harbison Boulevard, or the Regal Northlake Village in Lexington.
Showtimes are no longer listed for the Regal Columbia 7 on the company’s website or app, and movie posters have been removed from the light boxes outside the cinema.
The theater’s closure was first reported by The Post and Courier.
The State left a message with Regal’s corporate office.
The Columbia 7, which has seven screens, was unique in its location, in that it was located on the rooftop of Richland Mall. It initially opened in March 1990 and was then owned by Litchfield Theatres. A newspaper ad from March 1990 touted it at the time as “South Carolina’s most unique theatre” and told customers, “You’ve seen the rest, now see the best!”
Movies that played that first weekend included “The Hunt for Red October,” “Driving Miss Daisy” and “Ski Patrol,” among others. (This reporter’s first visit to the rooftop theater was in the summer of 1991. A Saturday night sneak preview of “The Rocketeer.”)
The closure of the movie theater comes on the heels of the news that Richland Mall, which has long struggled to maintain tenants, is being explored for redevelopment. The mall is under contract to be sold, but officials have cautioned that the deal is in its infancy. If sold, the property could be redeveloped into a mixed-use project with residences, retail, office space and more.
A Belk department store and Barnes & Noble bookstore remain open at the mall.
Sarah Ellis contributed to this story.
This story was originally published February 9, 2022 at 11:47 AM.
