Store Openings: Belk, Scheels, Color Me Mine

Three retailers have detailed their future growth plans:

Belk (Charlotte, N.C.) to open two new outlet stores: The department-store chain has unveiled plans for a pair of new outlet stores this spring on the first floor of its existing department stores in North Carolina: the Eastridge Mall in Gastonia and Triangle Town Center Mall in Raleigh. The openings mark the retailer’s second and third outlet locations in North Carolina.; the first is in Charlotte.

Belk Outlets offer selection of designer brands and products at a discount. The merchandise comes directly from traditional Belk stores, in addition to value fashion and home merchandise purchased specifically for the outlet locations.

“Since opening our first outlet nearly two years ago, our customers have come to love the concept of combining our traditional stores and outlets in one place. We’re excited to incorporate this approach into additional locations this year,” said Don Hendricks, CEO of Belk. “This will give even more of our North Carolina customers the ability to shop a large range of designer and high-end national brands at a lower cost.”

Belk opened its first outlet store two years ago in Greeneville, Tenn., and has since opened 16 additional locations.

Scheels (Fargo, N.D.) plans third Wisconsin locale: The employee-owned retailer said it will open its third store in Wisconsin, at Brookfield Properties’ Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa (west of Milwaukee). Slated to debut in 2027, the 210-square-foot store – being erected at a spot formerly occupied by a member of the Boston Store chain that closed several years ago — will have about twice the floor space as the bran’s other two locales in the state, in Appleton and Eau Claire.

Founded in 1902 as a small hardware store in Minnesota, Scheels has since evolved into a seller of sporting goods, footwear and fashion, with 34 stores in 16 states. The Wauwatosa locale will be its 36th location, after the opening this fall of one in Cedar Park, Texas.

Color Me Mine (New Orleans), a paint-your-own pottery franchise, is expanding in Texas: The company plans to open debut new studios in Allen, Dallas, Sugar Land and College Station, in addition to recently opened studios in San Antonio and Woodlands. The business is also targeting Austin/Central Texas and such regional markets such as Lubbock, Tyler, Amarillo, Abilene and Waco.

Founded in 1991 in Los Angeles, Color Me Mine was acquired in 2020 by Twist Brands LLC. It currently has about 130 locales, and plans to grow to 300 within the next five years or so.