Crosland Brings Fresh Shopping Experiences to North Charlotte; New Tenants Join Food Lion’s ‘Bloom’ at Cheshire Commons

Charlotte, N.C., June 16, 2004 – Shortly following the opening of the first Food Lion "Bloom" for the city of Charlotte – which opened May 26 in the Cheshire Commons shopping center – Crosland has signed two new tenants for the neighborhood center located at W.T. Harris Boulevard and Sugar Creek Road. Anntony’s Caribbean Café and Paventi’s Pizzeria will open in Cheshire Commons this fall, joining Carriage Cleaners, Cost Cutters and My Nail Spa, bringing the center to 100% leased. (For a hi-res photo of Cheshire Commons, go to www.cpwadv.com/pr/cheshirecommons.jpg.)

"Bloom’s concept works well with our vision for this center," said Ryan Preston, director of leasing for Crosland’s retail division. "Both Bloom and the restaurants are new to North Charlotte, providing shoppers a distinct experience."

Anntony’s Caribbean Café will showcase a wide array of fresh, nutritional Caribbean dishes for lunch and dinner at its second location in the Charlotte area. Owner Tony Martin says diners will find popular dishes like jerked or Caribbean chicken, which have drawn Charlotte residents to their 7th and Pecan location for 17 years, but will also experience a number of new menu selections with the addition of Master Chef Robert Casper. Casper, who studied at world-renowned culinary institute Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, will create an array of seafood dishes including crab cakes, conk fritters and fresh fish. The 2,366-square-foot restaurant will include an outdoor patio to provide seating for 40 people, while the interior dining room will accommodate 96.

Cheshire shoppers will also have the option of authentic New York style brick-oven pizza and real Buffalo chicken wings from Paventi’s Pizzeria, a new Charlotte restaurant founded by New York natives David, Lynn and Dan Paventi. Customers will be able to purchase pizza by the slice, featuring fresh ingredients and made-from- scratch sauces. Other menu selections will include hot and cold subs, salads, and Italian-style calzones and stromboli. Conveniently located next door to Bloom, the 2,400-square-foot pizzeria will provide seating for 45 to 50 people in a family-friendly atmosphere.

"We are excited to introduce Bloom and work side by side with the other stores in Cheshire Commons to serve this rapidly expanding area," said Rob Koch, Food Lion real estate representative.

With the goal of providing a simplified and enjoyable shopping experience, the Cheshire Commons Bloom is the first of five pilot stores in the Charlotte area to test Food Lion’s new concept, which introduces changes in store layout, design and merchandizing. Upon entering Bloom, customers immediately see Table Top Circle®, stocked with essential everyday items such as milk, bread and soft drinks, allowing them to quickly pick up and purchase key items. Shoppers can also keep track of how much they are spending via hand-held scanners, and can locate specific items using informational kiosks throughout the store. Other services include an in-house pharmacy, a screening center that measures blood pressure and body mass, and a kiosk that allows shoppers to rent DVDs.

For more information, contact:
Susan McGuire, Crosland, 704.561.5256, smcguire@crosland.com;
Elizabeth Bennett, Corder Philips Wilson, 704.378.2118