How are Charlotte's holiday shoppers special?

We use smart phones more than the national average, have higher participation in loyalty programs and a greater focus on clothing: Those are some of the key findings in a Deloitte report on what to expect from Charlotte's holiday shoppers this year.

For the first time this year, Deloitte has broken out its shopper data specifically for the Charlotte region, instead of just the Southeast as a whole. And some of the findings were unexpected. For example, 70 percent of Charlotte-area residents have a smart phone. That's above the national average of 61 percent. And most of those people plan to use their smart phone to shop.

"I think a lot of times being southern based you don't get a lot of credit for use of technology as you would in Silicon Valley," said Rod Sides, Charlotte-based retail and distribution practice lead for Deloitte. He credits shifting demographics and a relatively young population for the high smart phone rate.

The consulting company surveyed 505 Charlotte-area consumers for its report. Deloitte is forecasting a 4.5 percent increase in sales this holiday season compared to last year.

Here are some more details from Deloitte's findings:

• Charlotte shoppers ranked clothing as their top gift item, and Charlotte customers were 9 percentage points more likely to say they plan to buy clothing as a gift than consumers elsewhere. Nationwide, clothing was down 9 percent as a gift item in the Deloitte survey. "Seeing that be such a regional difference is important" for retailers to know, Sides said.
• Twice as many Charlotteans - 34 percent - are enrolled in three or more retailer loyalty programs than the national average. "I think the Southern consumer is looking for that kind of connection," sides said.
• In Charlotte, 44 percent of consumers own a tablet device, higher than the 38 percent national average. Three quarters of tablet owners said they plan to use their tablet for holiday shopping.
• Charlotte consumers said they plan to buy an average of 16 gifts, above the national average of 13 gifts. "The Charlotte consumer is pretty generous," said Sides.

And here's Sides' take on the movement towards earlier Thanksgiving day openings for so-called "Black Friday" sales.

"I think they'll end up cannibalizing" sales from later in the season, he said. "You're just moving demand up in the day.

"I think at some point there will be a little backlash against the attack on Thanksgiving," he said.

Toys 'R' Us, Walmart, Target to open earlier on Thanksgiving

With rival stores setting up for 8 p.m. Thanksgiving openings, Toys 'R' Us, Walmart and Target have all upped the ante by pushing their own Thanksgiving openings even earlier.

Toys 'R' Us will open at 5 p.m., three hours earlier than last year. Target bumped its opening up by one hour, to 8 p.m. And Walmart is going to start its Black Friday sales at 6 p.m. Thanksgiving, two hours earlier than last year.

Remember, just three years ago, Black Friday started on Friday.

In press releases, retailers praised their earlier opening times.

“For both our guests and team members, Black Friday is an exciting event that officially marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season. By offering advance access to deals at Target.com and opening our stores earlier, we are making it easier for guests to build a Black Friday ritual that works for them,” said Kathee Tesija, executive vice president.

“At Toys“R”Us, we understand the incredible excitement that surrounds the official kickoff to the holiday shopping season, and the anticipation of value shoppers – marker in hand – as they scour our Black Friday circular, noting the deals they plan to seek out at Toys“R”Us,” said Peter Reiner, Toys 'R' Us senior vice president of marketing.

"We’re excited to give our customers an incredible Black Friday with shopping hours that will allow them to take advantage of great prices on Thanksgiving night and all weekend long," said Walmart president Bill Simon.
Here are Thanksgiving Day opening times for other major retailers announced so far:

• Best Buy: 6 p.m.
• Kohl's: 8 p.m.
• Belk: 8 p.m.
• Kmart: 6 a.m.
• Sears: 8 p.m.
• Macy's: 8 p.m.
• J.C. Penney: 8 p.m.
• Old Navy: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed for three hours, open again at 7 p.m.

David Yurman boutique opening in SouthPark

A David Yurman boutique is scheduled to open Nov. 25 at SouthPark mall.

The 2,000-square-foot store will carry a full line of David Yurman goods, including jewelry, rings and watches.

The store has "classically modern architecture," the company said. "Every element of the interior thoughtfully reflects the brand's luxurious yet relaxed aesthetic," the company said.

Building permits show the company spent about $160,000 on the location.

"We’re thrilled to be able to bring our signature luxury retail experience to Charlotte," said David Yurman president Carol Pennelli, in a statement. "We have an incredible partner in SouthPark."



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Belk to open on Thanksgiving Day

Charlotte-based Belk, Inc., has jumped on the early Black Friday bandwagon, announcing its stores will open at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day for the first time this year.

Belk joins Macy's, J.C. Penney, Kohl's and other retailers who have moved their opening times to Thanksgiving itself this year. The 8 p.m. Thursday opening is Belk's earliest ever for Black Friday (for comparison, in past years Belk opened at 3 a.m. on Black Friday).

Toys 'R' Us, Target, Walmart, Sears and Kmart already started opening on Thanksgiving in the last two years, hoping to lure customers to finish their Black Friday shopping before competitors opened.

"Thanksgiving is a holiday centered around good food, family and friends," said Jon Pollack, Belk executive vice president, in a statement. "Over the years that tradition has evolved into one that includes shopping and other activities that families enjoy together outside of the home. It's in response to that trend that we open our doors to customers at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving night for their shopping convenience."

Retailers are scrambling to attract shoppers this year, with the late date Thanksgiving falls on slicing six days off the traditional holiday shopping time. And the still-groggy economy, the government shutdown and anxiety over new healthcare laws certainly aren't helping improve consumers' moods.

The slew of early store openings announced this year likely mean that Black Friday will start on Thursday night for the foreseeable future. What do you think? Will you join the early crowds? Below is a list of Belk's doorbuster early deals.

"The first 250 customers at each store at the 8 p.m. opening on Thanksgiving will receive a free Belk gift card with a value ranging from$5 to $1,000, and with a guaranteed $1,000 gift card winner in each of the company's 301 stores.

• $19.99 ND New Directions sweaters
• $39.99 ND New Directions 5-piece luggage set
• $19.99 Rampage boots
• $99.99 Keurig Elite single serve brewer (plus $20 Belk gift card by mail-in rebate)
• $19.99 iLive portable Bluetooth music player
• $24.99 Sharper Image camera binoculars
• 40 – 60% off men's and women's casual and athletic shoes
• 50 – 70% off men's and women's watches
• 50% off handbags
• 55 – 75% off Belk and Co. Fine Jewelers jewelry
• 60% off kids' dresswear and sportswear
• 55 – 65% off women's favorite brand better sportswear
• 50 – 65% off women's designer brands
• 45 – 60% off kids' toys, games and more
• 35 – 70% off luggage, throws, towels and more
• 50 – 70% off kitchen electrics, cookware and bakeware"

Cottage Chic celebrates 10 years on East Blvd.

Cottage Chic, the boutique, gift and accessory store on East Boulevard, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this weekend.

Giveaways and promotions are planned to celebrate the event Friday and Saturday. A complete list is available online, but here's a quick summary:

In a retail world where some independent stores don't last 10 months, 10 years is indeed a milestone. Still, time flies when you're having fun (and selling stuff). As Scoop Charlotte puts it: "Oh my goodness, is it possible we’ve been enjoying Chic Goodness for TEN YEARS now?"


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Providence and Queens Harris Teeter to open Nov. 20

Harris Teeter plans to open its new, expanded grocery store at Queens and Providence Roads on Nov. 20, two years after the company first announced plans to demolish and replace the old Harris Teeter Express at that location.

The two-story, 42,000-square-foot Harris Teeter will be one of the larger grocery stores in the area. Its design mirrors many of the houses and buildings in the neighborhood nearby. As one of the company's architects put it in a statement, "The building reflects the sophistication of the neighborhood fused with the excitement of shopping in a dynamic environment featuring food.”

The building features a Starbucks, an outdoor patio and expanded prepared food and produce sections. Building permits show Harris Teeter spent more than $9.1 million on the new store.

Here's the full text of what Harris Teeter had to say about its new store:

The Company’s goal through this process was to create a new store that would offer its loyal customers the level of shopping experience offered in other locations, while at the same time improving the quality and appearance of the existing shopping center. According to Richard Bartlett, partner at Bartlett Hartley & Mulkey Architects PA, the inspiration for the store came from surrounding homes first build in the 1920’s.

"Historic details and materials were re-designed with a playful modern touch also utilizing glazed terra cotta roofs form the same company who supplied the area originally,” said Bartlett. “Interiors are reminiscent of grand foyers in neighborhood homes with paneled walls and oil bronze accents throughout. The building reflects the sophistication of the neighborhood fused with the excitement of shopping in a dynamic environment featuring food.”

The store will be open daily from 6 am to 11 pm (no 24-hour Teeter, for those who were hoping).


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Savory Spice opening SouthPark pop-up store

A spice store is opening a temporary shop at SouthPark mall for the holiday season, offering pungent stocking-stuffers starting at $22.

Savory Spice Shop in South End, owned by Amy and Scott McCabe, is opening the SouthPark store starting Nov. 12. It will be near the Cheesecake Factory and Maggiano's.

The owners say the shop will carry 40 gift packs, and more than 100 different herbs, spices, seasoning blends and vanilla beans and extracts.

The McCabes' permanent Savory Spice is located in South End's Atherton Mill, on South Boulevard. There are also Savory Spice locations (with different owners) at Huntersville's Birkdale Village and Concord Mills.

Here's their description: The shops are over-flowing with rich, wonderful aromas from around the world as the spices and seasonings are ground and blended weekly to ensure superior quality and freshness. With the help of friendly, knowledgeable spice merchants, customers are encouraged to sample the vast selection of common and exotic spices and have the ability to customize the amount of spice needed for their recipes, starting at as little as a half ounce.