Jim Fair
The Belk store at Greer Plaza will get a full renovation beginning in January that will take 10 months to complete.
The Charlotte-based company's 5-year plan began in 2011 to invest $600 million in key strategic initiatives in store remodels, rebranding, merchandise and customer service.
David Penrod, Belk Inc.'s Southern Division Chair, visited the Belk at Haywood Mall last month to celebrate the Charlotte-Based company's 125th anniversary. He noted stores in Spartanburg and Easley were renovated last year and Greer was in line for a full renovation.
Renovated stores typically feature a new modern shopping environment, knocking down walls to open up dark and dated-looking sales floors with the latest display fixtures, new tile flooring, ceilings and energy-efficient lighting, completely remodeled restrooms and fitting rooms. The décor and merchandise presentation will feature contemporary design to lure shoppers.
Belk will roll out a new Oracle enterprise system providing solutions in areas of purchases, planning, allocation, replenishment, pricing and promotion, merchandising and other New point of sales kiosks
The company's e-commerce sales, which grew 10 percent to $72 million last year, was boosted with the opening of a $4.5 million, 515,000-square-foot e-commerce fulfillment center in Jonesville last June. Belk generated $3.78 billion in revenue in revenues last year.
David Harner is Vice President & Senior Real Estate Manager for Paramount Development Corporation, the management company that redeveloped Greer Plaza. "We're real pleased how it has turned out. Walmart was the catalyst for owners and it flowed to Belk. It brings a lot more energy."
Walmart Neighborhood Market opened its first store in South Carolina at Greer Plaza. The shopping center underwent a complete renovation with new facades, paved parking lot and landscaped islands with new lighting. Several boutique vacancies remain.
"In the retail world, to quote an old boss of mine nothing happens until you lease or sell," Harner said. "Walmart developed a strategy to in-fill (former 50,000 Winn-Dixie). We saw (Greer Plaza) as an opportunity. We're fired up and happy for Greer."
Belk's new branding campaign, its first since 1967, includes a new logo and tagline: "Modern. Southern. Style." – emphasizing the company's Southern roots.