Publix hiring for Cornelius store

Publix Super Markets is holding a hiring event for its new Cornelius store next week, accepting applications for all departments.

A temporary hiring center will be located in a storefront next to the Publix at 14311 Reese Boulevard in Huntersville. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 1 through Dec. 7.

The company says walk-ins are welcome. You can also schedule an appointment online at http://publixsupermarkets.fullslate.com/.

Publix says its Cornelius supermarket will open in early 2015 at the Magnolia Plaza shopping center, 8315 Magnolia Estates Drive. This will be Publix's 10th store in the Charlotte region. The Florid-based company plans to have 15 Charlotte locations by 2016, as Publix ratchets up the competition.

New stores open at SouthPark

Several new stores are debuting at SouthPark mall, including a toy store, a winery and an American-focused artisan store.

The new store lineup includes Toy Mania, A Taste of Southern Season, This Land and Silver Coast Winery Tasting Room. In addition to the new stores, the mall has opened Dave and Fran's Taste of the South and a Panera Bread as new food options.

Here's how SouthPark describes the new stores:

• "Located in The Village next to Paul Simon for Women, Toy Mania is a 2,620 square foot specialty toy store providing the latest collection of games, RC helicopters, cars and retro toys. Toy Mania’s collection of brands include Melissa & Doug, Orb Factory, Gund, Usborne books, RC toys, Lego, Playmobil and many more.
• Southern Season, the South's largest gourmet retailer, has opened A Taste Of Southern Season in the center of The Village. In a 1,524 square foot space, the retail concept features a vast assortment of local, regional and international samples from Southern Season’s gourmet food selection. Throughout the holiday season, shoppers can explore Southern Season’s gift collection featuring Chef Vivian Howard handcrafted gift crates and other holiday favorites such as edible holiday treats and signatures gift baskets. Shoppers also have the option to place catalog orders for all Southern Season gifts and products, which can be delivered or picked up in the store.
• This Land, an online shopping and lifestyle site dedicated to promoting American artisans and supporting our nation’s heroes opened its first pop-up shop in the Nordstrom wing. The store features limited edition, signed, handcrafted giftware, clothing and accessories from some of the nation’s finest craftspeople. A percentage of each sale at This Land will be donated towards helping U.S. veterans.
• Shoppers can now enjoy a wine tasting from North Carolina’s finest award winning wines and explore the gift shop and art gallery at Silver Coast Winery Tasting Room, which is now open in the Nordstrom wing. The art gallery is available for private events including bridesmaid parties, ladies’ night out, men's night out and any other private events." 

 

AT&T opening 'Store of the Future' in Charlotte

AT&T is opening a new store Monday in Charlotte, featuring its new "mobile lifestyle"-focused design. Called the "Store of the Future," the northeast Charlotte location is AT&T's second such store in North Carolina, following one in Raleigh.

The store features elements such as a flexible layout, community tables "that let customers shop and play in an open and interactive space" where they can test out apps and devices, and "lifestyle vignettes" that showcase how devices can be used in people's lives for things such as music and home security.

The store won't have any cash registers. Instead, shoppers will be able to pay workers with mobile, tablet-based point-of-sale systems. The store also won't have any printed brochures, relying on digital displays and touch screen devices instead.

“Customers visiting our WT Harris store will discover an interactive shopping experience built around their mobile lifestyle,” said Cristy Swink, AT&T’s vice president and general manager for the Mid-Atlantic market, in a statement.

AT&T's "Store of the Future" location in Atlanta. Courtesy AT&T

Here's how AT&T describes some of the features of its new store: "The store layout will highlight AT&T’s products and services, devices and accessories across three unique “zones” – the Connected Experience Zone, the Community Zone, and the Explore Zone.

• The new Connected Experience Zone features “lifestyle vignettes” that offer customers a glimpse of how products can be used in customers’ everyday lives. These lifestyle pavilions will highlight categories such as music, home security, entertainment and more.
• Next is the Community Zone, featuring “community tables” that let customers shop and play in an open and interactive space.  This space has apps, accessories and devices on display to show customers how they can work together.
• Finally, customers can check out the Explore Zone with “explore walls” that showcase AT&T’s diverse device line-up and accessories complemented by digital monitors with product information."

Move Loot opening in Charlotte

Move Loot, an online consignment store selling secondhand furniture and home goods, is expanding its service to Charlotte and surrounding areas, the company said Monday.

This is the company's third market, along with San Francisco and Raleigh/Durham. CEO and co-founder Bill Bobbitt is a Raleigh native. Move Loot promises shoppers a "curated" online selection of used furniture and goods, documented with high-quality photographs and delivered to your door.

Here's how the company describes its process: 

• Sellers photograph furniture, and upload the photos and descriptions to Move Loot (via the mobile app or a laptop/desktop).
• Move Loot collects the furniture, photographs it professionally, posts it online for sale, and stores it until it sells.
• Buyers choose what they want via the mobile app or computer, pay online and schedule quick delivery to their doorstep via Move Loot movers.
• Following the traditional consignment model, sellers get a portion of the selling price, but Move Loot handles all of the hassle.
• In keeping with Move Loot’s environmental values, items that don’t sell are eventually donated to local charities.
• It combines the best features of traditional consignment shops with what has worked best for digital peer-to-peer marketplace offerings.

Move Loot plans to have a 20-person team in Charlotte by mid-2015, including warehouse and delivery workers. The company has raised $2.8 million worth of funding, and plans further expansion.

"We are thrilled to bring Move Loot’s service to Charlotte where we know people are looking for a better option for buying and selling quality, secondhand goods," said Bobbitt, in a statement.

Charlotte Athletic Club gym open uptown

Charlotte Athletic Club opened its second location over the weekend, a high-end gym in the ground floor of the Duke Energy Center on Stonewall Street.

“By opening our second uptown location in the Duke Energy Center, our aim is to make sure everyone that exercises in uptown Charlotte can conveniently and affordably experience cutting-edge equipment and programs, beautiful design, and inspirational workout environments," said managing partner Jim Donnelly, in a statement.

The new gym is 10,000 square feet. Here's how Charlotte Athletic Club describes the location: "The Duke Energy Center location includes multiple fitness studios, where the industry’s top instructors will lead a full range of yoga, boot camps, Pilates and innovative group fitness classes. The Charlotte Athletic Club’s cardio and strength training areas unite free weights and state-of-the-art cardio machines to create an inspirational setting for members to workout on their own, or with one of the Charlotte Athletic Club’s highly skilled personal trainers.

The locker rooms are equipped with complimentary grooming products, expansive styling stations and personal lockers that come with 12 hour guaranteed laundry service. Beyond the fitness floor, members can try our cutting edge whole body Cryotherapy studio, the first of it’s kind in Charlotte, and take advantage of services previously reserved for professional athletes and Hollywood superstars."

The gym's other location is at 101 S. Tryon St., in the Bank of America Plaza.
 

Auto House opening in Mooresville

A new auto dealer is opening in Mooresville next month: Auto House is opening its second location off I-77 at Exit 36.

The company has a dealership open in Salisbury. The new dealership will employ between 75 and 100 people, Auto House said in a news release. The company is seeking to open the store in the first week of December.

Here's how the company describes the new dealership: "The dealership will offer a selection
of over 500 certified used vehicles for sale...They will have a 12 bay service department that is open to the public, and unlike most franchise service departments, Auto House will specialize in servicing all makes and models."

 

A rendering of Auto House

Conn's open now on South Boulevard

Conn's, a Texas-based retailer offering financing for furniture, appliances and other home goods, has opened its first Charlotte location.

The store, in the Carolina Pavilion shopping center, opened this weekend. Conn's said it employs about 30 people at the new location.

The business model they use is based on consumers financing goods and paying for them monthly. The store sells furniture, mattresses, appliances, consumer electronics and more. Here's how Conn's describes itself:

“We’re excited to bring the Conn’s HomePlus® experience to Charlotte,” said David Trahan, Conn’s President of the Retail Division. “We’re a fresh alternative for people who are looking for high-quality, affordable products. Our unique financing program is flexible and convenient, and people can expect a great customer service experience when they visit our stores.”

Also known as YES MONEY®, Conn’s credit program will be available in North Carolina and offer qualified consumers the chance to purchase higher quality goods at a low monthly payment they can afford, even if they’ve been turned down other places."

Many of Conn's customers are "credit constrained," or unable to get a loan elsewhere. Here's how the company puts it in investor materials. "Our credit offering provides financing solutions to a large, underserved population of credit constrained consumers who typically are unbanked and have credit scores between 550 and 650." More than three quarters of Conn's purchases are financed through their in-house credit program.

With 80 stores open in a half-dozen states, Conn's is expanding, and the company says it's planning a second Charlotte store.

New luggage store open in SouthPark

Hartmann Luggage has opened a new store in SouthPark mall with high-end touches, the retailer said Wednesday.

The luggage maker manufactures suitcases, totes and other products, sold primarily at department stores, online and other retailers. In 2012, luggage maker Samsonite purchased Hartmann. This is Hartmann's second dedicated "retail boutique" in North America.

Here's what the company has to say about its new location:

This new 1,200 square-foot store located in Charlotte’s South Park Mall will carry a robust assortment of Hartmann products, including fine luggage, business cases, totes and backpacks, and small leather goods.
“We are all elated to announce the opening of our new store in Charlotte, North Carolina,” said Tom Korbas, President, North America, Hartmann. “When scouting locations in Charlotte, we saw the SouthPark Mall and felt it was the perfect fit to show off a range of Hartmann product to a marketplace that brings in an audience that aligns with the Hartmann brand.”

Some Hartmann luggage in action

The store’s chic design shows consistency among the other Hartmann stores, which all play homage to the brand’s heritage of providing iconic luggage to avid travelers. The store is intended to take customers on a voyage, telling the Hartmann story in a modern environment. Signature design elements have merged with new architectural details to infuse the brand’s heritage in a contemporary way. These elements include: acacia wood tables, cabinets and ceiling panels, built-in and suspended white varnish bookcases and shelves, stone merchandise platforms, and white and ivory decorative flooring.

H&M opening Thursday in SouthPark

Tuesday is Election Day, of course, but we all know the real news this week is H&M's new store in SouthPark mall opening Thursday.

The store, H&M's third location, is set to open at noon. Here's what H&M says about the new store: "Join us on November 6th at noon for the launch of our brand new store at Southpark Mall in Charlotte, NC. If you're one of the first 200 shoppers in line, you will receive an all-access fashion pass valued up to $300 off your entire purchase! Bring in old garments to be recycled before the store opens at noon for the chance to win an H&M gift card valued between $50 and $100. Get ready to do some serious shopping to our in-store DJ spinning all the latest hits!"

Previous H&M openings at Northlake Mall and Carolina Place have drawn big crowds, with hundreds of people waiting in line for a chance to shop. The H&M store at SouthPark is located in the Macy's wing.