If you need a last-last-last-minute gift, some toothpaste, or just to get away from the family for a few minutes on Christmas, there are a few stores that will be open Christmas day itself.
Here's a list of some of the chains that aren't closing:
After 20 years, Vinnie's Grill & Raw Bar has closed up shop at its South Boulevard location.
Former general manager David Luckey said the restaurant's last day of business was Sunday. The closure is permanent, he confirmed.
He said the general economic conditions had caused Vinnie's to struggle. "This economy makes everybody broke," said Luckey, who was helping to clean out the restaurant Thursday afternoon.
There are no plans to close the second Vinnie's location in Mooresville, which remains open, Luckey said.
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Crisp, a restaurant with a plethora of salads, is opening an uptown location soon, in Latta Arcade off of Tryon Street.
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| Crisp at Latta Arcade |
A new Highway 55 Burgers, Shakes, & Fries is opening in north Charlotte, the adding another local store for the eastern North Carolina company.
As previously reported here, Highway 55 is hoping to franchise up to 75 locations in western North Carolina over the coming decade. Another local Highway 55 location opened recently in the University Pointe shopping center (details here).
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| University Pointe store |
In an effort to help cut down on drunk driving, the uptown Epicentre complex is offering vouchers for cab rides to patrons who consume alcohol.
The $10 vouchers are being offered in conjunction with the Mecklenburg County ABC Board and is funded from the sales of distilled spirits in the county. The vouchers are available at the valet stand to adults over the age of 21, and can be used with City Cab, Crown Cab, or Yellow Cab.
So if you're drinking at Blackfinn, Whiskey River, Howl at the Moon, or any of the many Epicentre watering holes, please be responsible and take a cab (or a pedicab, or the light rail). With $10 off, the choice is even easier.
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A Walmart Neighborhood Market is opening next year on Independence Boulevard, the first store of its kind in Charlotte.
As previously reported on this blog, the store will be in a former Best Buy location at 7421 E. Independence Boulevard, in the Independence Square shopping center. That shopping center also has a Super Global Mart international food store.
The store will be hiring about 85 people to work full and part-time. They'll start working in January as the store prepares for its opening.
There are some 200 Wal-Mart Neighborhood Markets nationwide. They're about the same size as traditional supermarkets, and carry similar lines of goods. This is the state's second Neighborhood Market. The first opened in Cary in October. Here's a local news story from Cary with pictures of the store, to give you a better idea what to expect (Their verdict: "Walmart Neighborhood Market looks like a lot like a slightly less fancy Harris Teeter.").
“We are excited to add this Walmart Neighborhood Market to Charlotte and bring good jobs with career opportunities to the area,” said store manager David Thomas, in a statement. He's been with the company for three years, and started his career in Shelby.
The new Neighborhood Market will be a challenge to other supermarkets, of course, and also to other smaller, discount food retailers, such as Family Dollar. It represents the fourth new grocery option in the region announced or opened this year, along with Whole Foods, 201central, and Publix.
Building permits show Walmart is spending more than $3.5 million to upgrade some 50,000 square feet of the building.
Here's Walmart's description of the Neighborhood Markets: "Walmart Neighborhood Markets were designed in
1998 as a smaller-footprint option for communities in need of a
pharmacy, affordable groceries and merchandise. There are now about 200
Neighborhood Markets in the U.S. Each one is approximately 38,000 square
feet and employs about 95 associates. Walmart Neighborhood
Markets offer fresh produce, meat and dairy products, bakery and deli
items, household supplies, health and beauty aids and a pharmacy."
Two relatively new food options on East Boulevard are closing this weekend, as Freshberry Frozen Yogurt and Smallcakes Cupcakery throw in the towel.
The neon-accented stores opened in the former Blockbuster location at Kenilworth Avenue and East Blvd. just this summer. I wrote about them when they were first announced in February, which you can read about here.
A new restaurant, Tony Sacco's Coal Oven Pizza, is set to open next year at mega-mall Concord Mills.
The store is in addition to three more locations set to open in Charlotte next year, although details on the other Tony Sacco's restaurants were not immediately available.
Howard Levine, CEO of Matthews-based Family Dollar, was set to appear on Tuesday's edition of "Nightline," talking about the growth of dollar stores and defending the practice of importing cheap goods from overseas.
Hi readers. I'll be out of the office and traveling for this week and a bit of next. I'll be back Dec. 11. In the meantime, if you have any news about store openings or closings, or any questions, please email me at elyportillo@charlotteobserver.com. Thanks!
A new menswear store in the Metropolitan complex outside of uptown, Silverfly, is having a grand opening celebration Saturday, Dec. 1.
The store opened its doors in early November. "offers a polished, edited and reinterpreted classic look," according to its description of itself. Silverfly carries menswear brands including DL1961, Joe's, Hudson Jeans, Silver Jeans, Chadburry, Alternative Apparel and Ben Sherman.
The company's grand opening celebration will feature food and drinks with a DJ from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., as well as promotional give-aways with purchases throughout the day.
Here's a link to a CLT Buzz story about the opening with a picture of the store's interior.
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Restaurant supply company US Foods is opening its first Chef'Store in east Charlotte, a new supply store concept for restaurant operators and other food service professionals.
There's a video tour of the new store posted to the right. The store, at 3304 Eastway Drive, is holding a grand opening Thursday morning with a 10 a.m. ribbon cutting.
The store, open to chefs and other professionals, is 30,000 square feet, with 30 employees. The Chef'Store has foods such as seafood and meat, and restaurant supplies such as cookware and knives. Products will generally be available in individual or case sizes.
“There are many busy chefs and restaurant owners in Charlotte looking for an easier, more convenient way to get the products they need at competitive prices,” said Bob Stout, US Foods' southeast region president, in a statement. “Chef’Store is bright and clean with an intuitive layout and wide aisles for fast, easy maneuvering."
The store will be open seven days a week. Building permits filed earlier this year show US Foods spent more than $2.3 million renovating and refitting its space.
Privately-held US Foods has over $20 billion in annual revenue. The company also plans to open Chef'Store locations in Oklahoma City and Columbia, S.C.
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Firearms, hunting and outdoor supply store Gander Mountain is opening a new store in Gastonia, its sixth in North Carolina.
The store will be in the Franklin Square Shopping Center, on East Franklin Boulevard near I-85 and Cox Road. Gander Mountain said it's new store will be 43,000 square feet and will open in the late spring.
The store will carry new and used firearms, along with supplies for hunting, fishing, camping, boating, and archery, Gander Mountain said. It will also sell outdoor apparel from brands such as North Face, Under Armour, and Carhartt.
The St. Paul, Minn.-based company operates 119 stores in 24 states. In the Charlotte area, Gander Mountain has a store in Mooresville. Last year, Gander Mountain also opened new stores in Winston-Salem and Morrisville, N.C.
Note: Several months ago, a reader asked me if I knew what was going into this shopping center. Sorry the reply took so long, but here it is. Thanks, as always, for emailing me.
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Ilios Noche, part of Xenia Hospitality group, is planning to open a second location in the Quail Corners Shopping Center.
According to an email sent to nearby residents, the restaurant will be located "at the pavilion, about where Nationwide and part of Mecklenburg Bridal was formerly located." Quail Corners is undergoing a multi-million redevelopment.
The message to neighbors also said that the shopping center broke ground on a new McDonald's, which should be open in mid to late February.
Xenia Hospitality also operates popular eateries including Nolen Kitchen, Big View Diner, and Maverick Rock Taco.
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Amelie's, the ever-popular French bakery in NoDa, has started an online store, where people can purchase edible goods, home decor, and gifts.
Local website Restaurant Traffic is reporting that Uncle Maddio's Pizza Joint will soon open a location in uptown's Overstreet Mall.
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| Uncle Maddio's storefront, from Restaurant Traffic |
One of the three Wolf Camera stores shut down earlier this year as part of parent company Ritz Camera's liquidation has reopened under new management.
C&A Marketing Inc. bought some of the Ritz brands, including Wolf Camera, during the final phases of Ritz's bankruptcy proceedings. The Birkdale Village store is one of 18 bricks-and-mortar stores that C&A is bringing back.
The company is also operating the RitzPix online imaging service, with prints, photo books, and other services on order. C&A is also continuing existing customer loyalty programs as an added incentive to Ritz and Wolf customers.
"We chose these eighteen stores to re-open because they are in key markets across the country that need a personal, knowledgeable photo speciality shop, which also serve as an integral part of their communities. Even though the photo industry continues to transform, we are dedicated to bringing a new, sustainable business model to the Ritz Camera stores and their customers," said C&A president Harry Klein, in a statement.
"Our strategic investment focuses on integrating our online sites with our retail locations, and to offer a one-stop photography resource where customers can purchase premium products and popular imaging gifts," said Klein.
The revived stores are staffed with their original employees, C&A said. Here's more on their plans for the Ritz, and Wolf, camera store brands: "The stores and websites will have fresh, current, and comprehensive inventory, and will continue to offer the full range of quality imaging products and services that consumers have come to expect of the Ritz Camera brand. In addition to the stores, C&A will grow the online imaging speciality business, RitzPix.com, which provides high standard photography offerings including film processing, image restorations, premium gifts including custom book printing, and more at the retail locations and a full-service imaging lab."
C&A has some experience with faded imaging brands. The company is the official licensee for many Polaroid products. As the company notes: "C&A already plays a significant role in the resurgence of one iconic American imaging brand."
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Burger 21, a new fast-casual burger company, will open its first Charlotte store in Ballantyne Village.
The company is owned by Front Burner Brands, the same company that runs the Melting Pot restaurants. In Charlotte, Burger 21 will be developed by Todd Dennis and Brian Neel, who operate two Melting Pot franchises in the area.
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| Burger 21 interior |
Andy Stinson has an unconventional view of style, a mix of a throwback to Hollywood's most glamorous days and an ironclad expectation that the U.S. can once again be at the forefront of clothing design and production.
Friday and Saturday, he's showcasing his clothing lines for men and women at Taylor Richards & Conger, the upscale clothing store at Philips Place. He'll be showing off the clothes between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. both days, along with wines from his personal collection.
"I started it about pants," said Stinson, whose bespoke brand is only about 1 1/2 years old. "I have this point of view about pants that I really like. It's this 1940s view." Stinson's pants feature a Hollywood waistband, in which there is no separate piece of material sewn on to create the waistband. Think suits that you saw the
That leads to pants that ride high, with a full cut, that elongate a man's legs. The thin belt and high waist minimizes the man's waist, Stinson said - which is often not a man's most flattering feature.
"The cut of it was designed to make a man look somewhat like a Greek god," said Stinson. His clothes are also firmly in the "dandy" mode, with bright colors and bold designs.
"It's a throwback to those great looking things in the '40s when men almost had these flamboyant fashions," said Stinson. "It had fabulous colors. There was a daring sense of color, the pattern motifs were large."
The look eventually faded after it became exaggerated and turned into a zoot suit, Stinson said.
TRC Style, Taylor Richards & Conger's blog, says Stinson's clothes have a uniquely old-school atmosphere: "A range of unique details such as exterior brace buttons, Hollywood waistbands and D-ring side tabs give his collection a nostalgic feel not to be found elsewhere."
The price tag on his made-in-America pants, Stinson's signature item, ranges from $650 to $2,000. He also has alligator belts handmade by an artisan in Florida, and hand-enameled cuff links made by a mother-daughter team in Atlantic City. The collection also includes shirts, ties, and pocket squares.
Made-in-America products are central to Stinson's vision. "Americans make great things," said Stinson. "Every bit as good as what comes out of Italy and Europe."
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Shoe retailer Journeys Kidz is opening a store at Carolina Place mall in Pineville on Saturday, Nov. 17.
The store is an offshoot of the Journeys footwear stores, targeting kids ages 5 to 12 with "trendy and aspirational" shoes. Journeys Kidz carries brands including Toms, UGG, DC, Hello Kitty, Sperry, Converse and Vans.
Journeys Kidz also carries accessories such as socks and backpacks, and plays kid-oriented music and cartoons on the in-store televisions. The new Journeys Kidz is located in Carolina Place's upper level, next to Build-A-Bear and The Limited.
There are some 150 Journeys Kidz locations in the U.S., including a new store at Concord Mills that opened in August.
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Looking for crunchier lettuce or fewer brown bananas? Tired of cutting into avocados and finding them brown? Salisbury-based Food Lion is undertaking a major effort to ensure its produce is fresh, as well as expanding its selection, the company said Tuesday.
You might not have seen it at the end of my colleague Helen Schwab's excellent article about Charlotte's thriving craft beer scene, so I thought I'd highlight some of the news: A new craft beer store, the Carolina Beer Temple, is opening soon in Matthews.
What will a second term for President Barack Obama mean for retailers in the US? The National Retail Federation's take on things is a little glum, foreseeing likely higher costs from health care reform and a greater emphasis on labor issues that could make it easier for workers to unionize.
"The top issue facing our nation the day after the election is the same
as it was the day before the election – the economy," NRF chief executive Matthew Shay said Tuesday morning, in a statement. "The U.S. needs public policy that encourages economic growth and removes barriers to job creation."
In the NRF's view, Obama's reelection is likely to lead to faster implementation of the Affordable Care Act, and eliminate the possibility of its repeal. That could raise the cost of doing business for retailers who employ lots of part-time workers.
On labor relations, the Obama administration is seen as more sympathetic to employees: "Reelection will likely mean a more active labor agenda ahead...Some of the more controversial approaches taken by the National Labor Relations Board on ambush
elections, micro-unions and union access to the workplace are already
under legal challenge."
One area many bricks-and-mortar retailers are concerned with is making online companies pay state sales tax. The retailers badly want to see online businesses charge the same taxes, which they think will help level the playing field. That legislation could move forward, the NRF said: "A new bipartisan sales tax fairness bill, granting states’ authority to
require online sellers to collect sales tax on all sales if certain
simplifications are adopted, is expected to be released by cosponsors
reconciling differences between the current House and Senate versions.
As lead cosponsor of the Senate bill, Majority Whip Richard Durbin,
D-Ill., will continue his push to pass the legislation while fiscal
cliff negotiations continue."
An Obama administration could mean higher taxes on small businesses and high earners, the NRF says, although those are not completely certain as fiscal cliff negotiations begin. "Most of the $500 billion in tax increases are as a result of the
expiration of the Bush tax cuts for individuals, and could have a
substantial impact on consumer spending," the NRF warns.
Two other issues might not be as prominent in consumers' minds, but could still have a big impact on retailers. Cyber-security and consumer privacy are both likely to be areas the administration focuses on, the NRF says: "This includes the administration’s efforts on the Consumer Privacy
Bill of Rights, examination of mobile app privacy policies by the
Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information
Administration, and the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in
Cyberspace. Privacy and data breach notification legislation will likely
be reintroduced without many changes in both the House and Senate."
There was an interesting story in Forbes on Tuesday about Matthews-based Family Dollar's increasing reliance on so-called "sin items," such as cigarettes, to sustain growth in the face of fiercer competition.
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| Family Dollar cigarette display |
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| Smith catching a delicious sub |
A new survey from Mint.com shows some interesting trends in holiday shopping: Men plan to spend more, on average, but women plan to start earlier.
Men surveyed plan to spend &775.78, while women in the survey plan to spend $724.23 on gifts. Out of that total spending, men said they plan to spend slightly less on gifts for family members ($416) than women do ($427), but more on gifts for friends ($89 v. $62) and co-workers ($30 v. $17).
Part of the reason for the discrepancy could be that women are simply thriftier. Of those surveyed, 60.7 percent of men said they planned to shop in discount stores, compared with 69.7 percent of women. Men are also more likely to shop at electronics stores (38.7 percent v. 25.4 percent), which could lead to more big ticket purchases by men.
Another could be that women start their shopping earlier, on average, than men. By November, 46.4 percent of women have already started their shopping, compared with 35.9 percent of men. And almost twice as many men, 4.6 percent, plan to wait until the last two weeks of December. Just 2.5 percent of women say they're going to wait that long.
How about you? Have you started shopping yet? If you're a guy, do you think you'll spend more than the women in your life on the holidays (or vice versa)?
Energy-efficient appliances will be sales-tax free this weekend, from Friday, Nov. 2 through Sunday, Nov. 4.
A new, high-end outdoor cooking store, Charlotte Grill Company, is opening Nov. 1 near the Dilworth and South End areas.
Store owner Randy Utsey has been selling and distributing Big Green Egg cookers for 16 years. He started his company, DJ Distributing Company, in 1985, selling ventilation hoods and other cooking materials to retailers.
In 1996, Utsey was in Atlanta on business when he was introduced to the founder of Big Green Egg, a ceramic, dome-shaped (well, egg-shaped) grill. Utsey was convinced to try one out, then started selling them in Charlotte.
"Every time I went back to Atlanta, I'd load up with Big Green Eggs and bring them back to Charlotte," said Utsey.
The store on Tremont, tucked into the back of an industrial park, is the company's first major foray into the customer-facing retail world. Utsey said he plans to expand the store, learning what to stock and how to sell it to customers.
The Utseys have grills on display and for sale at the store, including Big Green Eggs, Napoleon, and Luxor. They also have spices, charcoal, tongs, and other accessories you might need. Utsey's hope is to expand the store, which is currently somewhere around 1,500 square feet, and move into a more accessible location. The back of the Tremont Ave. store houses the company's warehouse and distribution.
Eventually, Utsey said he hopes to have a business that's dedicated to all aspects of outdoor cooking, and can help customers design and build outdoor kitchen areas.
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| Randy Utsey and son in the store |
The National Retail Federation has been trying to get voters interested in the upcoming election and business issues from a retail-oriented point of view, with their "Retail Means Votes" campaign.
The non-partisan campaign offers voters information on Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, and where they stand on retail-related issues such as tax reform and health care reform. The website also has information on all of the Senate races, and where each candidate stands on the issues.
Charlotte-based Winestore is opening its third shop this week, in Cornelius. The store plans to open its doors Thursday, Nov. 1.
The company opened its first retail location in 2006, with its SouthPark store. In 2009, Winestore expanded, opening a second location in the Blakeney shopping center, on Rea Road.
The new store is at the corner of Jetton Road and West Catawba Avenue. "We are very excited to be entering this new market and believe we have the most unique wine retail concept in the Southeast," said Matt Snyder, the company's vice president, via email.
Here's a bit about the thought process behind the store, which positions itself as an easy, non-intimidating place to buy wine: "Usually,
it takes quite a bit of knowledge and experience to wade through
the choices – and one is always fearful of making the
wrong one. We wanted to eliminate that fear and extend the
favorable experience on the retail side. We have built our brand
value on providing a positive experience for our customers above
all else. Winestore is the result of that concept – a
contemporary solution to the wine purchasing experience."
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Microsoft will use the temporary store as a launching pad for hot items this holiday season. The company is also planning release events for Halo 4 and the Windows 8 phone, both of which could be big holiday sellers.Toys, video games, electronics: All staples of the holidays, right?
Well, while holiday sales are forecast to rise more than 4 percent this year, they're expected to rise more slowly in the above-mentioned areas, according to a story in Time.
Here's a quick rundown of the categories experts say are likely to see slowing growth this year, and why.
See's Candies is opening two temporary stores, one in SouthPark and one at Northlake Mall, in time to lure people with something sweet for the holidays.
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| Mary See |
"A tradition in the West, See’s has consistently
maintained the timeless virtues of quality, caring and friendly service. Made in America, using no added preservatives and only the
freshest, highest quality ingredients available, each piece of delicious See’s
candy is sure to delight this holiday season," See's said, in a statement.Sloan's, an ice cream store/toy shop/candy wonderland hybrid based in South Florida, is looking for franchisees to open a Charlotte location.
The company, which currently has four south Florida locations, hopes to open 200 stores in the coming years. They're focusing on the Carolinas, Florida, California, Georgia, New York and New England to start.
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| Sloan's in Florida |
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| Sloan's Interior |
A new tennis store, Queen City Tennis Shop, is opening soon in the StoneCrest at Piper Glen shopping center.
The store is planning a soft opening Oct. 29, and a grand opening Nov. 10. Queen City Tennis will sell a wide range of racquets, apparel, and footwear. The store will offer restringing services with 40 different types of string, and tennis accessories such as grips, hats, bags and balls.
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| The new storefront |
Another local brewery has joined the Charlotte beer scene, and Heist Brewery is holding its official grand opening Friday night in NoDa.
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| Heist brewer at work |
Halloween is serious business for retailers: Americans are expected to spend some $8 billion on candy, costumes, decorations and other holiday goods.
That estimate is based on a survey of shoppers by the National Retail Federation. The total spending is up from an estimated$6.86 billion last year.
Burger 21, a new fast-casual burger company, plans to open a franchised location in Charlotte next year, as the restaurant expands into North Carolina.
The burger company is owned by Tampa Bay-based Front Burner Brands, the same company that franchises The Melting Pot Restaurants. Dan Stone, vice president of franchise development of Front Burner Brands, said the restaurant differs from competitors like Five Guys Burgers & Fries by offering less customization and more "chef-inspired" burgers.
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