Rich's Department Store

During the early 1900s to ca 1960s, Rich's was the byword.  This is where one did their shopping. Rich's Department Store was a historical landmark in Georgia for 60 or seventy years. This building was constructed in 1906. The building supplied its own steam heat and electric lights, dimensions were 65 x 150 feet. All of the furnishings were in mahogany, with cases made of that same rare wood. It had three modern elevators. At the time of construction, M. Rich & Bros. Co. retained the five-story furniture annex and the two-story building on Hunter Street. Source: Atlanta Journal, May 9, 1906.  As Atlanta expanded into the suburbs, eventually the company opened a number of bargain stores called "Richway".  These were located around metropolitan Atlanta and were a popular place to shop, until stores like Walmart out-priced them. It seems to me that they were out of business by the 1980's.  But not before Mr. Rich created a legend in Atlanta for us old-timers.  We shall always remember his elegant building sitting on the Whitehall Street corner, it's tremendous footage, high arched ceilings, strung with fabulous chandeliers, fine glass showcases and the best clothes and home furnishings the market could produce.