Mecklenburg Times: News for Mecklenburg, Union and Iredell counties Real Estate, Development, Construction, and Community News in the Charlotte area and throughout Mecklenburg, Union and Iredell counties
UNIVERSITY CITY – Almost a year after revealing plans to move across this northeast Charlotte neighborhood, Hobby Lobby Stores on Monday will open its new 55,000-square-foot store in the Belgate Shopping Center, according to a release from the company.
Prior to the move to Belgate, a shopping center off Interstate 85 and Ikea Boulevard, the University City Hobby Lobby was in The Commons at Chancellor Park, at University City and W.T. Harris boulevards.
Construction on the more than $4 million Hobby Lobby at Belgate was permitted in December, according to Mecklenburg County records. Hobby Lobby served as its own general contractor on the project, the records show.
The Oklahoma City-based arts and crafts retailer wasn’t the only store to relocate in University City with the development of Belgate. Marshalls, Old Navy, PetSmart and Ulta all vacated stores in University City in favor of Belgate, indicating a retail shift in that neighborhood toward I-85. Belgate is owned by suburban Cleveland-based DDR.
