This department store chain will open another Charlotte area location, despite COVID
As department stores like Belk and JC Penney struggle in bankruptcy amid the coronavirus pandemic, another retailer is expanding in the Charlotte market.
Burlington, an off-price department store, will open its ninth store in the Charlotte area in the spring, according to the New Jersey-based company. The grand opening date is not set yet for the store coming to Carolina Pavilion on South Boulevard.
But hiring for 60 to 70 employees is already underway.
New store location
The 25,300-square-foot space at Carolina Pavilion will see Burlington join other shopping center tenants in the plaza include Ross Dress For Less, Old Navy and Nordstrom Rack.
The new store is less than 6 miles from another Burlington store on South Boulevard, and less than 2 miles from a store on Pineville-Matthews Road. The new store opening will not impact any of the other store locations, according to the company.
Coronavirus impact
The Burlington store will open with social distancing measures, including a more spacious store layout and signage. Anyone without a mask will be provided one, according to the company.
Like other stores across the country, Burlington is seeing fewer in-store shoppers this year, down 9% for the last seven-day average compared to the same time last year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Retail Dive industry publication reported Friday.
Industry experts expect store traffic to remain down as much as 55% in the near term if COVID-19 cases continue to rise.
About Burlington
Burlington, formerly Burlington Coat Factory, was rebranded in 2014 to reflect that the retailer also sells men’s, women’s and baby apparel, as well as home decor.
Burlington Stores, a Fortune 500 company, has 769 stores in 45 states and Puerto Rico in shopping centers and malls. Burlington will have 23 stores in North Carolina when the Charlotte store opens.
This story was originally published January 29, 2021 at 1:06 PM with the headline "This department store chain will open another Charlotte area location, despite COVID."