Best Buy does the Independence shuffle

You can soon add Best Buy to the list of retailers that have moved farther out on Independence Boulevard - away from downtown and into Matthews, leaving behind a potentially empty box at an older shopping center. 

The electronics store currently at Independence Square, 7421 E. Independence Blvd. in Charlotte (pictured at right), is slated to relocate to the former Circuit City at Sycamore Commons, 2185 Matthews Township Parkway at Independence Boulevard in Matthews, where a grand opening is scheduled for April 23. It will be the second time this year Best Buy will be pulling up stakes for a space last occupied by its erstwhile rival: The Best Buy at University Place moved to the former Circuit City at Concord Mills a couple of months ago. 

The Sycamore Commons space is roughly four miles away and newer than the Independence store, which according to property records was built in 1987. And it's also situated in a shopping center full of familiar big-box brethren, including Michaels, Dick's Sporting Goods, Bed Bath & Beyond and Old Navy. In fact, Circuit City itself had relocated there from a stretch of Independence near the existing Best Buy.

The loss will likely be a blow for Independence Square, one of many shopping centers along closer-in stretches of Independence Boulevard stung by the departure of big-name tenants. The shopping center is owned by Kimco Realty, which has not yet responded to a request for more information; the Best Buy building appears to be owned separately, by a lawyer in West Virginia. Over the years the center has also lost Michaels and CVS, and the Bi-Lo there closed a little more than a year ago. As those tenants left, more discount-oriented stores have moved in, leaving Best Buy in less familiar company. In that context and given the history of big boxes on Independence, every time I drove by the Best Buy, I got the feeling its days were numbered. Sure enough, they now are. International grocery store Super Global Market, or Super G, is filling the Bi-Lo vacancy. 

The Best Buy space opened as a branch of the now-defunct Lechmere electronics chain and later housed a SportsTown store. Best Buy opened there in 1994 and, like the University store, was one of the chain's first locations in the Carolinas, according to Observer archives. 

Sparser times at shopping center central

My esteemed colleague Kerry Singe and I ventured forth yesterday to the International Council of Shopping Centers' annual Carolinas IdeaExchange, a daylong get-together for retailers, developers and others in the shopping center business to network and learn. I visited the event for the first time two years ago, and upon arrival was handed a hefty spiral-bound book listing attendees and sessions such as "It Will Be Fine in '09, But What Is My Fate For '08?" This year's conference directory, by contrast, was a much smaller, stapled packet, with fewer sponsors listed - so, in other words, it was yet more evidence of the recession's toll on the retail industry.

Two years ago, a sea of exhibition booths took up an entire, expansive room at the Charlotte Convention Center. Not in 2010: Attendees we spoke to said they saw about half as many exhibitors as in the boom days, and fewer people in attendance, too. A number of the new shopping centers that display boards and brochures promoted two years ago still didn't appear to have progressed very far, if at all, and more signs than before touted opportunities to fill empty big boxes. Still, the room was thick with professionally dressed men and women shaking hands, chatting and exchanging business cards. As we circulated up and down the aisles, we overheard snippets of conversation about weathering the downturn, both rueful and optimistic. DJ Wight, president of Retail Lease Trac, a database company that helps landlords find retailers looking to expand, noted that while attendance might be lower this year, he had actually been doing more deals than in 2009 and 2008; he had the impression that those left in the business are more serious and less likely to be simply dabbling or speculating than those who dove in during the boom.

Another trend: Discount retailers and fast food chains have proven relatively resilient in the recession, and they abounded in the exposition booths, looking for new opportunities. Big Lots, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, Burger King, McDonald's, Subway, Sonic and Cato were represented, among others. 

Speaking of shopping centers: If you have one you're wondering about, in terms of vacancies, redevelopment or other issues, let us know and we'll do our best to check in on it. 

Jewelry store popping up just a little bit longer

The Jewelry Artists of Charlotte store at Ballantyne Village, a temporary "pop-up" store we wrote about last month, is extending its stay through the Valentine's Day season. The shop, which sells jewelry and accessories from local designers, was set to close Dec. 31 but will now be open until Feb. 27, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The store in the former Lions Jewelers location has also added about 10 more artists to its roster, bringing the number of people represented to 30.

“Jewelry Artists of Charlotte received an amazing response from shoppers and the community during the holidays,” I.C. London owner Shelly Domenech, who's managing the store, said in a news release. The Ballantyne location of her lingerie boutique is just a few doors down. “We are excited to continue to showcase jewelry by talented local designers through February.”

Temporary stores, now popping up near you

In recent years, some retailers seeking to drum up short-term buzz and excitement have turned to so-called pop-up stores - temporary retail outlets meant to bring products to areas where they might not be sold otherwise. Target has tried them in Manhattan, where it currently has no permanent locations, and they're also common for Halloween stores. Now some local retailers are giving the concept a whirl, too. It's arguably become easier to do this year, with more vacant space available because of the recession.

Charlotte Center City Partners, for instance, turned the former Grand Central deli and nightclub space at 101 N. Tryon St. (next to Starbucks) into a holiday market called Twelve. Named for the total number of days it will run, the market launched earlier this month and will wrap up Saturday, operating from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. It's offering mostly locally produced crafts, foods and other seasonally appropriate items, including a wreath bar, chocolates, jewelry, arts, cookies, honey, shirts, dinnerware, stationery, soaps and candles, with an average of eight vendors there each day.

Another seasonal pop-up is the Jewelry Artists of Charlotte boutique in the former Lions Jewelers space at Ballantyne Village, which opened in November and will operate until Dec. 31. The owner of the neighboring I.C. London shop set it up to spotlight local jewelry designers, with an eye toward selling distinctive holiday gifts.

Ted Boyd, Center City Partners' program director, learned about pop-up retail when he attended a conference about public markets in New York earlier this fall. He returned to Charlotte inspired to bring the idea here. The holiday market idea came together in about two weeks, he said, with the property managers of the Grand Central space agreeing to make it available at a minimal rate, just to cover upkeep. Boyd then spoke to vendors - several of whom also participate in the market held during the summer at Trade and Tryon - and convinced them to give it a try. Vendors pay $10 a day, and received a 10 percent discount if they paid in advance, Boyd said.

After tidying up the former restaurant and bar - and figuring out how to display merchandise in such a setting - the market opened, and vendors are now selling their products at a time when they might not have any other place to sell them otherwise. Twelve is also bringing street-level retail to a stretch that doesn't have much of it otherwise. Traffic has been encouraging, Boyd said, with curious browsers coming even on Saturdays. "By limiting ourselves to just operating for 12 days, it allows these local vendors to be able to not have a significant amount of overhead, to be able to test the market," Boyd said. His hope? That Twelve will help spur demand for more shopping downtown - or at the very least, provide a little pop.