New tenants and expansions underway at Phillips Place amid major makeover

If you walk around Phillips Place these days, you’ll notice ongoing construction, as well as several empty storefronts and “For Lease” signs. This week, developer Lincoln Harris announced a number of new tenants, lease renewals, and expansions.

The updates are the latest in the developer’s $50 million makeover of Phillips Place, a mixed-use SouthPark retail destination that opened in 1997. Over the summer, the three-story furniture store RH Charlotte (formerly known as Restoration Hardware) opened with a rooftop restaurant in the spot where Dean & Deluca used to be.

Lincoln Harris SVP David Connor says the RH opening has piqued interest from prospective tenants. “That really created an entirely new front door for Phillips Place, which in turn has generated a lot of excitement for the property,” Connor says.

In recent months, a number of other longtime tenants have closed at Phillips Place, including Upstream and Wolfgang Puck. Now, new tenants are starting to open in their place.

Additionally, other recent updates to Phillips Place include enhanced streetscapes, new gathering spaces, and improved parking and traffic patterns. All told, the “cosmetic refresh” of the center is expected to wrap up by the end of 2020, according to the developer.

Here’s a rundown of the latest at Phillips Place:

• Southern Pecan Gulf Coast Kitchen, a new restaurant from Café Monte owner Monte Smith, recently opened in the former Wolfgang Puck space. The restaurant features Southern favorites like chicken and dumplings and seafood gumbo in a casual, soulful atmosphere. [Full story: New SouthPark restaurant Southern Pecan is now open in former Wolfgang Puck space]
• John Michael Kitchens has opened its first storefront, a new 1,100-square-foot showroom selling high-end kitchen equipment and custom cabinetry. The company has a South Carolina production facility that designs and creates indoor and outdoor kitchens.
• Windsor Jewelers, a Phillips Place tenant since 2012, is expanding its space from 3,700 to 4,500 square feet. It’ll fill the current Granville space. The project will include interior upgrades, a new storefront presence, and an expanded product offering.

• Granville, an antique and home furnishings store that’s been at Phillips Place since 2011, is expanding by relocating to part of the old Restoration Hardware space. There, it’ll have a new storefront and improved visibility. It will open around Thanksgiving.
• Taylor Richards & Conger, a luxury boutique selling men’s and women’s apparel, renewed the lease for its 6,000-square-foot store. The local shop has been a Phillips Place tenant since 2004.

Phillips Place is located on Fairview Road, near SouthPark mall. It’s home to a number of existing national tenants such as The Palm, Brooks Brothers, and Orvis. It also has local businesses, including Coplon’s, Old Dog Clothing, and Modern Salon & Spa.