Belk Celebrates 125 Years in Greenville, Upstate

Celebrating a 125 years in business, Belk is already planning for the future.

The company, the largest family-owned retailer, marked the day with celebrations at each of its 300 stores in the south and gift cards for their first 100 customers at each location.

At Haywood Mall in Greenville, it was a party atmosphere. Blue and white balloons were tied to doorways and large numeric statues. There was music and dancing and employees with pom-poms.

Store manager Carey Ann Campbell was met with cheers as she announced that the Haywood store was the No. 1 buying store in the southern division and the fifth largest store in the company with 250 associates serving Greenville.

The company has a long history of charitible giving and that starts on the local level. Campbell and store associate's presented a check for $1,000 to Welcome Elementary School in Greenville. Belk associates from the Haywood store have committed 155 volunteer hours over the next few months to painting, building picnic tables and bookshelves, and assisting in other areas where the school may need help.

The store associates wanted to do more to help the school. Campbell said associates held a bake sale and raised a $1,000 to donate to Welcome Elementary.

The store also presented a $10,000 check to the Junior League of Greenville and a $10,000 check to the Meyer Center.

"The road ahead we want to be the retailer of choice in the south," said Chris Farinella, regional vice president for Belk. "We want to be a market leader in customer loyalty. We want to be the place that people want to work and want to come."

Farinella said the company is investing more than $600 million back into local communities where stores are located. Next year, Belk plans to spend $2 million to upgrade and renovate the Greer Belk location. Renovations will be done to both the inside and outside of the building. Work is expected to begin next fall.

The company has just remodeled the shoe department in the Easley store, and completed renovations in Spartanburg, Anderson, Seneca and Greenville.

The store served 125^th anniversary cupcakes and gave gift cards ranging in value between $5-1,000 to the first 100 customers to arrive.

The first Belk location was opened on May 29, 1888 in Monroe, N.C. by William Henry Belk. Chairman and CEO Tim Belk and President and COO John R. Belk, the grandchildren of Wiliam Henry Belk, are the third generation of family ownership.