Renovation Report: 201 Central

Editor’s note:  “Renovation Report” is a Mecklenburg Times profile of a property being renovated in the Charlotte area.

Not even three weeks after Whole Foods opened its first store in Charlotte, Harris Teeter had its own news for Charlotte.

The Matthews-based grocery store chain announced that it would be renovating two Charlotte-area Lowes Foods locations to convert them into concept stores carrying cigars, specialty cheeses and a large variety of wine and beer, among other things.

The stores, called 201 Central, will occupy two former Lowes locations: one in Huntersville, the other in Wesley Chapel in Union County. Building permits have already been awarded for those renovation projects, and construction has begun.

In June, Harris Teeter announced that it would be taking over Lowes Foods buildings as part of a swap with Lowes, which is leaving Charlotte.

Harris Teeter won’t reveal any specifics on how the 201centrals will be designed.

But Danna Jones, spokeswoman for Harris Teeter, said that the stores will cater to people throwing parties.

“201central will become a place to plan celebrations, rent party items, attend wine tastings and educational classes on food and wine pairings,” Jones said.

For 201central to be successful, Jones said, customers will need to frequent the concept store without dropping traditional Harris Teeter stores from their shopping routine.

Jones just asks has one request.

“For clarification purposes, 201 Central is not a grocery store,” she said. “There will be no produce section, deli, case meat (or) meat counters.”

Project description: Take two former Lowes Foods stores, which  are now owned by Harris Teeter, and convert them into a new type of specialty grocery store called 201central.

Addresses: 13108 Eastfield Road, Huntersville; 5939 Weddington-Monroe Road, Wesley Chapel

Cost: Harris Teeter wouldn’t reveal project costs. But according to building permits, the company is spending at least $720,000 to convert the Huntersville store and at least $72,000 at the Wesley Chapel store.

Square feet under renovation: 30,000 per store

Total square feet: 50,000 per store

Architect/designer: Charlotte-based Arcons Design Studio

General contractor: Concord-based GT Contracting of the Carolinas (Huntersville store); Winston-Salem-based Sexton
Construction (Wesley Chapel store)

Expected completion: Harris Teeter has not yet released an estimate.

GUION can be reached at [email protected], (704) 817-1344 or on Twitter at @paytonguion.