J. B. White
Encyclopedia
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
founded in Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
in 1874 by James Brice White, an Irish immigrant. Owned by now-defunct Mercantile Stores
Mercantile Stores
Mercantile Stores Company Inc. until 1998, was a traditional department store retailer operating 102 fashion apparel stores and 16 home fashion stores in 17 states. The stores were operated under 13 different nameplates and varied in size, with the average store approximating . Store names...
for most of its existence, most locations of the chain were in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, though locations existed in Augusta and Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
. Most locations became Dillard's
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
when the Mercantile Stores chain was sold in 1998; some J.B. White locations in overlapping areas became Belk
Belk
Belk is a department store chain founded in 1888 in Monroe, North Carolina, today part of the Charlotte metropolitan area. After the founding of the first Belk store, the company grew in size and influence throughout the South via the chain in the USA, with its stores primarily located in the...
. In Augusta, original downtown store added three suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
an branches over time. The last of these opened at Augusta Mall
Augusta Mall
Augusta Mall is a two level super-regional shopping mall located in Augusta, Georgia. It opened on August 3, 1978, one week after the now-defunct Regency Mall. It is one of the largest malls in the state of Georgia, and it is the largest mall in the Augusta metro area.-History:Augusta Mall has five...
in 1998 after relocating from failing Regency Mall and was quickly changed over. The Savannah location opened at Savannah Mall
Savannah Mall
Savannah Mall is an enclosed regional shopping mall on the southside of Savannah, Georgia. The mall opened on August 29, 1990 and has four anchor stores: Bass Pro Shops, Burlington Coat Factory, Dillard's and Target...
in 1990.
The defunct Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
store on Broad Street was purchased in June 2007 to be converted into condominiums.