Richway
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (discount department stores) |
| Predecessor | ARCO (initial planned name) |
| Founded | March 4, 1970 |
| Founder | Rich's Company |
| Fate | Acquired by Federated Department Stores; later sold to Kimco and Dayton–Hudson Corporation; locations converted to Target stores |
| Headquarters | Atlanta, Georgia , United States |
Area served | Southeastern United States (Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee) |
Key people | Robert Graham Sanderson (art director, logo designer) |
| Products | Discount department store merchandise |
| Parent | Rich's Company; later Federated Department Stores |
Richway operated as the discount department store branch of Atlanta's Rich's, which was eventually absorbed by Federated Department Stores. Originally marketed under the name Richway, a Rich's Company, it showcased a blue-toned logo accompanied by the slogan "Everything Under The Sun," represented visually by a sunrise emblem. Following acquisition by Federated, the brand transitioned to Richway Department Stores, adopting an orange and black color scheme and the tagline "We don't look like a discount store, but our price tags give us away."
Origins
Announced in May 1969 as part of Rich's ambitious $40 million expansion over five years, the discount division was initially named ARCO (an acronym for “A Rich's Company”), with plans to open three stores within metro Atlanta. However, due to trademark issues with Atlantic Richfield Company, the name was changed to Richway in July 1969.
Richway debuted its first outlets on March 4, 1970, throughout metro Atlanta, including Smyrna, Sandy Springs, Tucker, College Park, and Forest Park. These stores were notable for their raised-wedge skylights—a rare architectural feature at that time—and were larger than typical discount retailers. They offered an extensive product range with an upscale retail strategy somewhat akin to Target’s model.
Expansion in the 1970s and 1980s
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Richway broadened its footprint across the Southeast U.S., establishing locations in Georgia, North Carolina (serving areas such as Charlotte and Gastonia), South Carolina (with three stores in Columbia), Florida—where it functioned as a discount arm of Burdines—and two stores situated in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Columbia outlets served as anchor tenants for three malls that opened simultaneously in 1977: Decker Mall, Woodhill Mall, and Bush River Mall. Presently, Decker Mall houses an ExtraSpace storage facility; Woodhill Mall has been redeveloped into "The Shops at Woodhill," while the Bush River Mall location was replaced in 2007 by a Walmart Supercenter and adjacent retail strip—though Walmart ceased operations there in early 2021 due to profitability issues. Additionally, Richway anchored the former Roswell Mall near Atlanta, which is currently occupied by Floor&Decor.
The chain’s iconic sunrise logo was designed by Robert Graham Sanderson, its Atlanta-based art director. Sanderson also commissioned the well-known "Black Santa" catalogue cover artwork that generated considerable local debate due to its portrayal.
Integration with Gold Circle and Transition to Target
In 1986, Federated Department Stores consolidated Richway with its other discount division, Gold Circle, maintaining the Richway brand in certain markets. Encountering financial difficulties, Federated divested all Richway and Gold Circle outlets to Kimco, which subsequently sold 31 stores to Dayton–Hudson Corporation (now known as Target Corporation) in 1988. These locations were shuttered temporarily for renovations before reopening as Target stores by May 1989 and remained operational until Target replaced older locations during the mid-1990s.
An interesting cultural footnote: the 1991 movie Career Opportunities was filmed inside a former Richway-turned-Target store located at 4000 Covington Hwy., Decatur, GA (T378), which closed in 1999 and now serves as a church. Additionally, the 2000 film Road Trip showcased the exterior of the Atlanta store at 2400 North Druid Hills Rd (T377) prior to its renovation in 2002.
Today
Numerous former Richway locations have either been left vacant or adapted for alternative uses. In Georgia, stores situated in Jonesboro, Riverdale, and Roswell transitioned into Value City outlets following Target’s departure, though most had ceased operations by 2008. The Forest Park site now functions as Scott Antique Market, preserving many of its original architectural features. After Target shifted nearby around 1995, the former Richway in North Marietta was converted into a Wellstar office. The College Park store was converted to a Target in 1989 but shuttered in 1998; by 2022, the structure was demolished to make way for redevelopment. The Austell location closed in 1999 and subsequently became a Metro Storage facility. In Sandy Springs, the old store was acquired in 2009 and redeveloped into City Springs, serving as the municipal center for the city. The Decatur branch was repurposed into a church that also runs outreach programs.
Target outlets on North Druid Hills (Briarcliff Heights) and Smyrna (Cobb Parkway) continue to operate; notably, the Smyrna store retains original Richway skylight features and has undergone two renovations since the 1990s. The Sandy Springs Target closed in 2008 and its building was demolished to construct a new store on Roswell Road.
In Chattanooga, two Richway buildings were converted into mixed office and retail spaces; one of these has been demolished to accommodate airport expansion. In the Charlotte region, former Richway stores at North Park Mall and Freedom Mall have been either abandoned or torn down, with their sites replaced by government offices or retail establishments such as BJ’s Wholesale Club and Costco. Gastonia’s store remained open until 2011 before Target relocated to a new facility.
Within Palm Beach County, Florida, two previous Richway locations were transformed into Target stores—one was replaced by a Super Target after demolition, while the other underwent renovations including the addition of a parking garage in 2005. The Conyers, Georgia store operated as a Target until 2006 before moving; part of this property is now occupied by an LA Fitness center. The former Richway in Tamarac, Florida became a Target in 1989 but relocated in 2000; afterward, the building housed Furniture Power and was later converted into a charter school by 2012.