Belk will debut its first N.C. outlet at Northlake Mall
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Belk at Northlake Mall. Photo: Katie Peralta Soloff/Axios
Belk is converting the upper level of its Northlake Mall store into an outlet offering a range of products and designers at a lower cost, the Charlotte department store chain announced Thursday.
Why it matters: Outlet stores are one of the most recent ways Belk is seeking to innovate in an increasingly challenging department store landscape.
- The Northlake store will be Belk's first outlet in North Carolina.
Flashback: Belk opened its first outlet in January 2023 in Greeneville, Tenn., followed by 16 additional locations.
The big picture: Belk put Charlotte on the map as a corporate headquarters city. The Belk family funded hospitals, helped create SouthPark, donated land to build UNC Charlotte, and pushed to make Charlotte Douglas International Airport the major hub it is today.
- Once a local retail success story, Belk has undergone significant changes since its sale in 2015 to private equity group Sycamore Partners.
- Belk has seen leadership changes, layoffs and a bankruptcy filing in recent years.
Zoom out: Northlake has faced financial problems in recent years, too, including a possible sale after it fell into receivership for failing to pay its debts, the Observer reported.
- The Belk conversion is expected to "increase foot traffic and improve the shopping experience for customers," Northlake manager Adam Kamlet told the paper.
What they're saying: "This concept allows customers to continue to shop for all their favorite products at the traditional store, while offering them a chance to hunt for other discounted high-end and designer national brand treasures at the outlet within the same building," Belk said in a statement.
What's next: Work on the second-floor outlet will begin in June. The outlet is slated to open in September.