If you've shopped the bottom floor of Belk's flagship SouthPark store lately, you've probably noticed the signs of imminent construction.
On Tuesday, the company announced that it is starting a $2.3 million renovation that will redo the entire floor and shuffle merchandise areas around on other floors.
The main cosmetic impact of the remodeling will be on the first floor, where Belk is installing new floor tiles, carpets, wall treatments, new display fixtures and energy-efficient lights. The Arthur's restaurant and wine shop on the first floor are also being overhauled, with new decor and layouts.
All home goods will be consolidated on the first floor.
"The remodeling gives our entire first floor a modern new look, and will make shopping for home merchandise much easier and more convenient by placing it together in the same proximity," said store manager Randy Dell, in a statement.
The ladies sportswear department, including coats and swimwear, will be moved up from the third to the fourth floor. On the fourth floor, the space and location allotted to intimate apparel and special sizes will be adjusted to accommodate the move, Belk said.
On the third floor, the juniors department is being expanded to carry more assortments and sizes, Belk said. A grand reopening of the remodeled areas is scheduled for Oct. 12.
Did you really just refer to plus sizes as "special sizes"? You realize more than half of women are in that category, right?
ReplyDeleteI guess this means less selection than they already have.
ReplyDeleteI hate the changes to Arthur's. I liked how you used to be able to people watch and spread out a bit. Now it is WAY too confining and not nearly as family friendly. What used to be a great spot to meet family for a stress-free kid meal is no more.
ReplyDeleteOn the bright side, MAJOR shout out to Belk for having the best family bathroom out there with a mini potty.
Yawn. Wake me up when their men's department regains some semblance of relevance. It was getting there in 2007-8; now, it's not even a footnote.
ReplyDeleteWell, 'special sizes' will prevent them from getting bent out of shape (accidental pun) about reality I guess.
ReplyDeleteCorrection: The SouthPark Belk USED to be a flagship store. Now with the CLEARANCE racks in the corner, they are attracting Family Dollar customers and that department always looks like crap! Get rid of the clearance items, put in more designers and the nicer customers who wear shoes and have all their teeth will come back.
ReplyDeleteI haven't shopped anywhere near SouthPark for over 15years.....of the 20 I've live here. I quit shopping at Belk too. You'd think that in all of the entire city of Charlotte.... that they would have the same shopping stores in the Northern part of the city which was IGNORED all 20 years! Too much emphasis is ALWAYS on the South side of town therefore, they do NOT get my business!
ReplyDeleteGood Lord, you people are angry.
ReplyDeleteAnon- 4:20: That's because north Charlotte SUCKS. We don't want you in south Charlotte anyway.
ReplyDeleteI wuz up in der yesterday an gots me sum deels. I luv dem belks.
ReplyDelete"Special Sizes???" Are you kidding me? So now we refer to plus sizes as "Special Sizes?" HAHAHAHA!!!! That's like someone who is "of size" saying that they are "big boned." It's really a shame that pretty much all department stores now have to carry so-called "special sizes" since people can't seem to control their eating habits!
ReplyDeleteAnon 7:06,
ReplyDeleteYou seem like an angry little man... emphasis on little.
I have a much better idea.
ReplyDeleteTake the $2.3 million, put it into the cost of goods, drastically cut the cost of your merchandise and just say you upgraded the store.
BELK is about as relevant as Kmart. It is a low class chain that puts on the dog @ SouthPark; the rest of their stores are sad... the new stores are being built next to Home Depot & Target.
ReplyDeleteLong term residents will remember the "1st floor" as "the basement" with all the close outs, cheaper lines & etc. The "mall level" was the 1st floor, the next floor was the 2nd floor. It wasn't until the late 80's that the top floor was finished and connected by escalators.
Arthur's was originally an Ivey's partnership with a wonderful space on Ivey's (Dillard's) upper floor. Belk on the other hand supplied dining via a cafeteria patronized by the Geritol set.
Perhaps Belk should go back to selling TV's, records, office supplies, fabrics and dress patterns.
Guess they are trying to put lipstick on the pig...won't work belkie boys.
ReplyDeleteWhile you are at it, remove the intercom and lose the announcents.
I was in the sawthpawk store the other day and the announcement came on and ended, 'as always thank you for shopping at...'K-mart' I added...a bunch of people heard me and agreed.
The quality of merchandise really sux and 'the-red-dot' sale is like so over used...come on, I remember that 'red-dot-sale' from the 1970 you know when you had the nice cafeteria that people used to enjoy...
IF you want to be a class act aka Nordstrom,
you have to act like class and just cause you have a spare $2.3M doesn't mean this store will have any more 'class' (not) than it has now.
Too bad the people who work at Southpark are stuck up. I have never seen anything like it. Get a grip!
ReplyDeleteBelk may not carry the same designer lines as Neiman Marcus but the Southpark location carries some great merchandise. The women's department carries lots of trendy and up-and-coming designers just like Nordstrom.
ReplyDeleteOnce the dust settles, the new Belk will be better than ever. The remodeled Arthur's Restaurant and Wineshop look great. More wine bottles in the wine shop and the same great customer service as always. The restaurant is still a treasure and my family has been eating there for 3 generations.
ReplyDeleteMaybe all you yankees should stay up and shop in NORTH Charlotte.
ReplyDeleteThat's a pretty big amount for a renovation. It only shows the dedication of the management to improve their facilities. We hope the renovation goes smoothly so that more visitors would be attracted to the place. :)
ReplyDelete~Preston Lenton