Belk launches its first outlet store. 5 more are planned, but none in North Carolina.
Belk debuted its first outlet store this year and has plans to open at least five more this spring. But so far, North Carolina and the department store’s hometown in Charlotte aren’t on the list.
The department store chain converted its Greeneville, Tennessee, into an outlet store selling clearance items from larger Belk stores, according to the company. Greeneville is in east Tennessee, near the North Carolina border.
The outlet store may carry high-end brands previously not available at the department store, according to Belk. Brands added to the Greeneville outlet store are Michael Kors, Free People, Lucky Brand, Calvin Klein, Jones New York and Jessica Simpson, Greeneville news station WJHL reported.
Five more outlet stores are expected to open by mid-April. They are in: Laurens, South Carolina.; Richlands, Virginia; Clarksville, Tennessee; Douglasville, Georgia; and Russellville, Arkansas, Belk spokeswoman Jessica Rohlik told The Charlotte Observer.
“We are still in the planning stages for these additional Belk Outlet locations, but the plan is for them to be very similar to our current concept in Greeneville,” Rohlik said.
When asked if any outlets are expected to open in North Carolina or the Charlotte area, Rohlik said the outlet project is currently focused on the five sites.
More about Belk Outlet
Belk changed the store layout to make way for more designer brand clothing and shoes, plus offers housewares.
The outlet stores will not sell beauty products or jewelry, and all sales there are final.
Other Belk moves
Belk has piloted other concepts recently.
In August, the first “Conn’s x Belk” concept opened in five locations, including one in Charlotte at Northlake Mall. The store within a store concept partners Belk with Conn’s Inc., a Texas home goods company.
Belk also has added more diverse-owned and inclusive home, apparel, beauty and accessories to its Culture Shop in stores and online.
In September, Don Hendricks was named Belk CEO, replacing Nir Patel. Patel left Belk in May, after less than a year in the role. The same month, Patel was hired as GameStop’s chief operating officer.
Patel, who had worked in various roles at Belk for five years, in July 2021 had replaced Lisa Harper five months after the iconic department store chain emerged from bankruptcy. Harper had been CEO since 2016 and was the company’s first CEO outside of the Belk family.
Sycamore Partners, based in New York, in 2015 acquired the family-owned Belk for $3 billion.
The 135-year-old company has nearly 300 stores in 16 southern states. Belk has about 17,000 full- and part-time workers at its stores and distribution centers, and about 1,200 corporate employees in Charlotte.
This story was originally published March 7, 2023 at 6:20 AM with the headline "Belk launches its first outlet store. 5 more are planned, but none in North Carolina.."