Walking through the mostly abandoned Richmond Mall on the way to the driver's license office feels like stepping into a time capsule that never quite got sealed. The air is faintly cool and carries that unmistakable, slightly dusty mall scent--a blend of tile cleaner, food court grease, and decades of hair spray and nail polish remover (worth noting, two of the remaining stores are a nail salon and what I believe was a former Regis Salon... the staple mall salon of the 90's where Gen X and Millennials were traumatized with the experience of horrible high school dance hair do's that remained plastered to your head for days due to all the hair spray). The wide tiled corridors stretch out, eerily quiet and nostalgically peach colored, but your mind almost fills them with echoes: teenagers in acid-wash jeans, jangly bracelets, and oversized sweaters clustering at Aladdin's Castle; you almost crave the thrum of a fountain and the squeak of white sneakers on polished tile remains. (Today I coincidentally wore white Bobs sneakers, an unintended homage to 25 years ago when I would have been in Keds!) The faded pastel walls and neon trim still reflect the 1980s--mint greens, peachy pinks, and geometric accents that wouldn't feel out of place in the opening credits of Saved by the Bell. You half expect Zack Morris to lean against a payphone or Kelly Kapowski to walk past clutching a brightly colored oversized shopping bag. Every shuttered storefront seems to hold a memory of when the mall was the center of social life--Friday night hangouts, first dates, prom dress shopping, families crowding in line for Orange Julius. Ironically, the current stores and businesses are primarily bridal or formal wear or what appears to be a fairly popular community church. I do have to comment on the crazy collision and juxtaposition of two quintessentially American social constructs - the hip non-denominational church and the former temple of commercial consumerism. A quick search describes the church as a friendly and service-based community and I will admit that I find a strange sense of positive harmony in their use of this space. Despite the eerily abandoned and run down exterior, the interior of the mall was immaculately clean and while the Drivers Bureau could have had better signage and directions (you have to squander some faith when entering the mall at the direction of your GPS), I applaud our government for their use of this space. A short walk into the heart of the former mall finds a well-staffed office and a digital check in system that was highly efficient and ran promptly on time. The whole experience was more than a little surreal: a bureaucratic errand tucked inside the skeleton of America's mall culture, where the décor and the emptiness are both creepy and nostalgic. My main complaint for this visit was the depressing gray cubicles and unfortunately excessive fluorescent lighting inside the offices. While good drivers license photos are seldom a reality, this venue yielded my least flattering photo of all time - my picture (which the clerk was kind enough to call 'flattering'), was a depressing, washed out mug shot that created bags under my eyes and hinted at a scandalous profession and past that I shudder to imagine. (I am now considering investing in a quick trip to a spa for laser treatments and Botox to remove any hint that I actually appear to others as I do in this photo!) My photo withstanding, I have to commend the staff as they were all friendly, helpful, and kind. The gentleman that helped me truly was a nice man and I could tell he was respected by his colleagues. For anyone needing a quick appointment in the great Commonwealth of Kentucky - Richmond is your venue. It was the only location in Kentucky with an appointment in reasonable time frame and the drive in from Lexington saved a four month wait. The whole trip turned into an incredible adventure and it took me longer to write this review than it did to renew my license. read more

Went there on a Saturday I was in and out! They kept the line moving quickly. And the ladies were very friendly!

After realizing my license had expired recently and a long road trip coming up quickly, I had to get my license renewed right away. Also, a great time to just upgrade to the real ID anyway. I checked every location and no one had an open appointment for the same day and they were all days away! My friend recommended just doing a walk in to the Richmond location. I was in and out in 11 mins!!! Unbelievable! read more

Couldn't ask for better service. Just make sure and try to make an appointment first so there is no waiting. I was in and out under 20 minutes or so. The lady that helped me was very friendly and took care of what I needed done efficiently. No problems at all! Overall, best experience at a DMV I have had. read more