Oct 4, 2010

Store chain retools for a new eraBy Sue StockCharlotteObserver.com

Charlotte, NC – For folks who grew up in the South, Belk has long been a staple of weekend shopping trips, special occasions and life.

But as department stores continue to struggle and more people from far-away places move into Belk’s home turf, the Charlotte chain is making big changes to broaden its appeal and focus its message to shoppers.

A week from now, the company will roll out a new $70 million initiative, including a new corporate logo, new mission statement and new tagline: “Modern. Southern. Style.”

“A lot of people don’t know who we are, and we haven’t really been that loud,” said Jon Pollack, Belk’s executive vice president of sales, promotion, marketing and e-commerce. “We’re a privately owned company and have always behaved that way.

“We feel very confident competing in our region. That’s who we are. We’re a Southern-owned department store. We know this region better than anybody else, we know our customers better than anybody else, and we’re going to act that way.”

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