New Saks Fifth Avenue in former Montaldo's?

[peaceloveunderstanding]

that Belk did not look a building worth saving IMO.

[dubone]

i can't figure out why they didn't at least try to save the belk facade (the original trade street one) It isn't like founders hall has any architecture.

[SmellyCat]

I wish that Shazada game room was still there.

[monsoon]

I wish that Shazada game room was still there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That was Shazada Records. "How High Can a Record Store Fly" was their motto. I bought a copy of Gap Band III there once.

[Miesian Corners]

I'm digging those acid washed jeans in picture #3. God the 80s were a horrible time for clothes.

Metro you can't forget the hideous 5-story section of Belk at the corner of 5th and College. That's were I went to pay on my Belk charge. I'll see if I can dig up a pic of it somewhere.

[StevenRocks]

that Belk did not look a building worth saving IMO.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It was a typical downtown deprtment store building, for what it's worth. There's a lot of rose-colored nostalgia about the good old days when stuff was still downtown, but really a lot of times what was around before wasn't that spectacular.

This is what Ivey's looked like in the '70s.

[Norm2]

Looks kinda ugly in that picture.....and they covered up the windows!

[monsoon]

It was a typical downtown deprtment store building, for what it's worth.  There's a lot of rose-colored nostalgia about the good old days when stuff was still downtown, but really a lot of times what was around before wasn't that spectacular.

This is what Ivey's looked like in the '70s.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is a real old photo as the skybridge is missing.

[Miesian Corners]

The red arrow indicates one of the more attractive additons Belk gave us in the 1960.

[NCMike1981]

Wow Belks looks huge! Not to mention look at how small downtown looks...

[f0xym0p]

Wow Belks looks huge! Not to mention look at how small downtown looks...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, was that whole building the store, or were there offices on top?

[monsoon]

It was store and offices. I remember taking elevators to the various floors in that building to shop. There had to be at least 5 floors of above ground shopping plus the bargain basement. (I seem to remember, its been a long time)

[UptownGrrl]

Check out the Museum of the New South sometime. They have a really neat exhibit on former Charlotte streetscapes with re-created storefronts. The Belk's display, with its glass cases of gloves, bolts of fabric, etc. is pretty interesting.

[StevenRocks]

It was store and offices.  I remember taking elevators to the various floors in that building to shop.  There had to be at least 5 floors of above ground shopping plus the bargain basement. (I seem to remember, its been a long time)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I remember the Belk history book mentiong that the Uptown store was 500,000 square feet at its largest. For reference, Belk SouthPark is 330,000 square feet.

[monsoon]

I remember the Belk history book mentiong that the Uptown store was 500,000 square feet at its largest.  For reference, Belk SouthPark is 330,000 square feet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, it was a destination department store that offered many things that were not common in other stores in the Carolinas. People would visit Charlotte from out of town just to go to that store and its rival Ivey's across the street.

Unfortunately with the death of many downtowns, these type of things have mostly dissappeared in the USA. If you want the experience you have to go to a place like Harrolds in London or Sogo in Yokohama. Maybe one day, in the far off future, we might see these type of stores in Charlotte again.

[AmericanUrbanDesigner]

Unfortunately with the death of many downtowns, these type of things have mostly dissappeared in the USA.  If you want the experience you have to go to a place like Harrolds in London or Sogo in Yokohama.  Maybe one day, in the far off future, we might see these type of stores in Charlotte again.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Metro, I'm not as pessimistic (and I'm a realist!). There are several downtowns I can think of that have "hit bottom" (in the retail realm, i.e. Washington, Philly, Providence, RI) and are managing to bounce back. The key for Charlotte is critical mass: in residents and workers.

Belk may never return but others are likely to start filling the "blanks" soon....they can't ignore the demographics for long.

[DigitalSky]

Not a bad idea. Maybe the Myers Park/Gleneagles wives would see it as an adventure and an excuse for popping in on their husbands.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As much as I was rooting for a Saks at SouthPark, a location Uptown in an an old school-luxury department store like Montaldo's would be just as nice, maybe even nicer.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would love to see Saks in center city as well and I think it would be ideal if they used an old dpt store like Montaldo's too... it would be rad

Yeah, it was a destination department store that offered many things that were not common in other stores in the Carolinas.  People would visit Charlotte from out of town just to go to that store and its rival Ivey's across the street. 

Unfortunately with the death of many downtowns, these type of things have mostly dissappeared in the USA.  If you want the experience you have to go to a place like Harrolds in London or Sogo in Yokohama.  Maybe one day, in the far off future, we might see these type of stores in Charlotte again.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It was very interesting to see those old Belk & Ivey's photos - I hadn't seen them before... also interesting to know the size of those stores and how people would travel from afar to visit. But yeah, I see Charlotte having those types of stores again:)

[StevenRocks]

I think it would be nice to compliment the Saks with a Belk with SouthPark-type amenities. Not quite a flagship Belk because that would be too big, but something that represents the best the chain can do in a size and merchandise mix appropriate for Uptown. Something with food service, a coffee bar, personal shopping services, a salon/day spa and a "Best of Charlotte" shop that gives some focus to local arts and crafts and souveniers.

[dubone]

you can see the old belk in this multimedia video on charlotte.com from before the Civic Center was built.

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/liv...me/12155074.htm

[csedwards72]

Went to Charleston recently; there is a 29,000 sq Saks on King Street, with a Brooks Brothers next door and a lot of high-end stores in the surrounding blocks. I think a small Saks such as the Charleston one would work great in Charlotte, perhaps with a small Belk next door. I would be thrilled if Saks and Parisian (the only other chain Saks Incorporated plans to keep after selling its mid-market stores) co-located uptown, but I'd doubt that Parisian would come to Charlotte with only a small CBD store.

[StevenRocks]

Potentially Parisian could do well in Charlotte but they've been kinda squirrelly about expanding in the Carolinas. Greenville had one for a minute. Columbia has two still (I think) and Charleston has one. North Carolina has none.

To my knowledge, they had proposed opening a Parisian at one point in the past at Triangle Town Center in Raleigh where Saks Ffth Avenue is now. Then again, everyone from J.B. White to JCPenney to Nordstrom to IKEA was supposedly going in that anchor slot, depending on what your news source was.

[DigitalSky]

J.B. White to JCPenney to Nordstrom to IKEA was supposedly going in that anchor slot, depending on what your news source was.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

J.B. White, really?

[csedwards72]

Potentially Parisian could do well in Charlotte but they've been kinda squirrelly about expanding in the Carolinas.  Greenville had one for a minute.  Columbia has two still (I think) and Charleston has one.  North Carolina has none. 

To my knowledge, they had proposed opening a Parisian at one point in the past at Triangle Town Center in Raleigh where Saks Ffth Avenue is now.  Then again, everyone from J.B. White to JCPenney to Nordstrom to IKEA was supposedly going in that anchor slot, depending on what your news source was.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You're exactly right. Greenville had a great Parisian from 1995 until about 1998; the mall it was in didn't do very well and the store was changed over to a Proffitt's, which closed. Columbia has 2. I visited the Richland Mall Parisian last weekend and I'd put it on a deathwatch list; the mall isn't doing particularly well and the Parisian will need to be remodeled within a few years to keep it a class-A store.

[StevenRocks]

J.B. White, really?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's what I heard at the time. That mall (Triangle Town Center) was on the drawing boards for at least a decade before it actually got built, so a lot of anchors got tossed around in the process.

I visited the Richland Mall Parisian last weekend and I'd put it on a deathwatch list; the mall isn't doing particularly well and the Parisian will need to be remodeled within a few years to keep it a class-A store.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That store's toast. I can feel it. The local retail money is going towards Columbiana Centre these days. But isn't the Parisian at Columbiana smaller than the Richland Mall store?

[csedwards72]

That's what I heard at the time.  That mall (Triangle Town Center) was on the drawing boards for at least a decade before it actually got built, so a lot of anchors got tossed around in the process.

That store's toast.  I can feel it.  The local retail money is going towards Columbiana Centre these days.  But isn't the Parisian at Columbiana smaller than the Richland Mall store?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes. The Columbiana Parisian is smaller.

The Parisians I have been in are generally nice stores and are very well kept-up. The Richland Parisian was fine when it opened, but now it's aging and isn't as attractive as the Greenville Mall Parisian was or the Citadel Mall one is. Richland is dying, too. I'd bet that the store will be gone within 5 years.