New Stores Coming to Blakeney This Fall

Charlotte, N.C., Nov. 1, 2007 – Blakeney, south Charlotte’s upscale retail destination, welcomes a variety of new shops to its collection of retailers. Joining the center this fall are New York & Company, Couture Portraits, HandPicked, Potion, Player’s Loft and Play N Trade, with all shops planning to open in late 2007.

Rapidly becoming synonymous with modern feminine style, New York & Company (6,000 square feet) is a leading specialty retailer of high quality, moderately priced women’s fashion apparel and accessories. Essential touchstones for the brand include trendy, affordable, sexy and comfortable. The store will offer an extraordinary assortment of casual, active and career apparel that reflects current trends and fulfills an impressive range of lifestyle needs.

With a passion for children and photography, Couture Portraits, now open, (1,676 square feet) specializes in family images that preserve memories and document emotional history. Photography services are available at family homes or outdoor locations in order to create natural portraits where the subjects are relaxed and comfortable.

“I have lived in Charlotte for two years and have watched many changes in such a short period. I am so excited to be a part of Blakeney,” said Heather Matthews, proprietor of Couture Portraits. “South Charlotte is growing quickly and I look forward to getting to know the community and its residents.”

Founded in Columbia, S.C., in 1986, HandPicked (1,700 square feet) will offer a selection of sterling silver, high-quality fashion jewelry, monogrammed items, and unique gifts such as scarves, handbags, watches, belts, and pewter serving dishes. Originating as a home-show business, HandPicked grew its network through sales in catalogues and its website, www.handpicked.net. The company entered the retail market 10 years ago, launching its first stores in Columbia and Charlotte, and recently opened stores in Charleston, Savannah, Greenville and Raleigh.

Potion, now open, (800 square feet) offers a carefully edited collection of the best makeup, skincare, fragrance, bath and body lines available. The store carries smaller, hard-to-find lines that truly deliver what they promise. The staff at Potion receives continuous training directly from the lines they represent, offering customers straightforward beauty recommendations for color and skincare.

For the sports enthusiast, Player’s Loft (2,011 square feet) will provide fashion-forward unique lines from around the globe for men, women and children. Apparel will include name brand tennis and golf attire, resort wear and accessories such as leather, shoes and sports bags. The store will also provide customized service for choosing sports-related gifts.

Play N Trade (1,059 square feet) will offer a unique customer experience that goes beyond the traditional “cash and carry” retail store. Featuring multiple widescreen, flat-panel, high-definition LCD monitors mounted on the walls and WiFi connectivity, Play N Trade will feature an extensive selection of new and used games, consoles and accessories, ranging from retro to most current, a “try any game before you buy” policy, and disc and console repair services. This mix of in-store contests and services with retail creates a unique community environment and customer experience that can only be found at Play N Trade.

Blakeney continues to build on the success of its retailers by extending the Village Shops at Blakeney with three additional buildings, totaling 35,000 square feet, bringing the total project to 418,401 square feet. These buildings, to be constructed early 2008, will be home to more national and local specialty shops with announcements expected soon.