VIEW. one of a kind. making our store experience MAGAZINE. Belk.com Launches New Microsite

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1 VIEW MAGAZINE vol. 61 no. 1 January 2012 making our store experience one of a kind Belk.com Launches New Microsite The Belk Foundation Launches New Center for Professional Development

2 my viewpoint our mission To satisfy the modern Southern lifestyle like no one else, so that our customers get the fashion they desire and the value they deserve. our vision For the modern Southern woman to count on Belk first. For her, for her family, for life. our values Be encouraging of growth and change. Be proud of our rich heritage. Be involved in our communities. Be relentless with customer care. Be committed to the success of our associates. Be the best at what we do. table of contents Store Profile: Macon, Ga...3 Corporate Goals Focus...4 The Belk Foundation...5 Fashion Buzz...6 Belk.com Launches New Microsite...7 Store Expansions and Remodels...8 News of Note...10 LP Awareness...11 Relentless with Customer Care...12 belk fast facts Founded in Stores 16 States 24,000 associates $3.5 billion FY11 revenues 3 Divisions: Northern (Raleigh, N.C.) Southern (Atlanta, Ga.) Western (Birmingham, Ala.) special thanks to the following contributors Johanna Anderson, Tim Bogert, Dena Cohen, Arlene Goldstein, Jessica Graham, Diana Dix Venegas, Bob Vranek, Darrell Williams and the Belk merchandise buyers and executives who provide information to View Magazine. Happy New Year! Wow, it s hard to believe another year has begun. So what s a new year without a new pair of shoes? Arlene Goldstein, vice president of merchandise trends, enlightens us in this issue on the how spring shoe offerings come on strong and are reminiscent of the 1970 s (remember that decade?) Look for bright bursts of color, big buttons, animal prints and the wedge! A new adventure can be found in every new spring shoe. I ll be sure to get a pair (or two!). There are also cool new features to search out on Belk.com starting with micro-shop sites for Biltmore (pg. 7) and other key vendors like Jessica Simpson, Levis, Ugg and more. It s also worth reminding you that 70% of Belk.com customers scope out the site before going into a store to make their purchases. Shopping has also gone mobile (ask Siri for those of you with the iphone 4S, she ll tell you how it is) and Belk is on it. I hope you enjoyed your holiday season and are pumped up for a new season of fashion. Read on about how so many of our stores begin the new year with freshly remodeled stores and departments, offering customers more than ever before. Peace editor s product pick Biltmore For Your Home Pillows I have been looking for the perfect bed pillow for a long time. It s difficult to choose a pillow by simply holding it up to your head in Belk s Home department. But this pillow has what I need and it s our number one selling pillow in the Biltmore line. It s the Biltmore Gusseted Bed Pillow with a 330 thread-count cotton cover and 100% polyester memory gel fill which gives the pillow a great down-like feeling, while contouring to your neck for added comfort. King and jumbo sizes available; $22. Visit Belk.com/Biltmore to find more Biltmore bedding products. 2

3 Macon Customers Are Telling Their Friends Shop at Belk Shoppes at River Crossing macon, ga. store profile What s the big news in Macon? Darwin Saunders, Belk store manager, hopes it s the exceptional experience customers have at his store. We believe that every experience a customer has with us must be so overwhelmingly positive that when they get in their car they must call and tell someone about it, said Saunders. And that exceptional vibe comes from three factors, he says. It s a combination of a clean store, a great visual impact and great associates and we have it all. All customers are treated equal When a man walked into Brenda Hallaway s home department the week before Charity Day this fall, she had no idea that he was prepared to spend $17,000 on new luggage for his executive team that was traveling to Hawaii for a work retreat. You never know what people are going to need or how much money they have so I treat everyone with the same respect and dignity, said Hallaway, who also serves as the store s bridal consultant. Brenda Jones, Britton specialist, agrees wholehearted. One customer called her wanting a particular handbag that Jones knew had been discontinued the past summer. I felt there must be one out there somewhere so I checked all of our stores and then called Britton directly. Britton has three bags left and I was able to give the customer the location and phone number so she could order it over the phone. She called me to thank me and I have no doubt that she will come back to me next time she needs another product. Roots in the Community Our grassroots efforts go beyond singular events. We work with many different groups and individuals to build relationships that create loyalty and bring in new business, he said. Their relationship with the local Susan G. Komen affiliate resulted in over $2,000 raised in addition to the Race for the Cure team and Fit for the Cure events. People could register for the Race and pick up their packages at our store, said Saunders. We met 3,000 people through the process. Macon, Ga. #398 Division: Southern Store Manager: Darwin Saunders Number of Associates: 130 Selling Space: 128,000 sq. ft., 2 levels Successes: Charity Day sales 28% over plan achieving 2nd place in the division; Achieved $7,000 in sales for first Fit for the Cure event, ranking top in the division for highest percentage over goal Macon s management team includes, seated, Jennie Ray, ASM; and Precious Williams, executive trainee; standing from left to right, Johnny Hawkins, ASM; Darwin Saunders, store manager; LaTronya Justice, ASM; Angela Bearchell, receiving manager; Richard Dodge, ASM; Mary Ann Snyder, ASM; and Katie Dickinson, merchandise coordinator. 2 Brenda Hallaway and Brenda Jones. 3 The store s first Fit for the Cure event was a huge success. 3

4 corporate g als f cus Belk Supports Industry Scholarhip Programs 1 1 Belk associates, from left, Marsha Castro-Smith, Christian Robles, Idania Hutchens, Monai Brown and Shannetta Spears join Charlotte s Mayor Anthony Foxx. 2 From left, Louis Blount, Belk Buyer; Audrey Abron, Belk corporate recruiter; Shaquese A. Bradley and her mother; and Nicole Dean, vice president, Belk corporate human resources and chief diversity officer Belk attended the Annual National Black MBA Conference in Atlanta, Ga. Belk Awards Student Scholarship at BRAG Gala Belk participated as a scholarship sponsor at the The Black Retail Action Group s (BRAG) 41st Annual Scholarship and Awards Dinner Gala in New York City last month. BRAG is a not-for-profit, professional organization dedicated to empowering African- Americans in the pursuit of careers in retail and related industries. Belk awarded a $1,500 scholarship to Shaquese A. Bradley, a high school senior from New York. Shaquese attends Thurgood Marshall Academy in New York City and is a member of the National Honor Society, the Brotherhood Sister Sol and Junior Options College Program. Belk Sponsors Latin American Excelente Awards This fall, Belk became a first-time sponsor of the Latin American Excelente Awards. The Excelente Awards recognizes the outstanding achievements of the Latino business community, as well as others that support the community. The real winners of the night were the students who receive scholarships funded by the proceeds of the awards program. This is one of most significant events of the year for the Latino community in Charlotte, said Hilda H. Gurdian, La Noticia s publisher and CEO. We were so happy to have Belk as a sponsor this year. In addition to scholarships, BRAG supports college chapters, internship programs and executive development workshops. 4

5 1 2 Photo Wade Bruton, UNC Charlotte The Belk Foundation Launches New Center for Professional Development; Awards New Grants belk foundation The Belk Foundation recently announced new grants totaling $585,000 to nonprofits across the southeast, including a $250,000 grant to create the Center for Professional Development in the Belk College of Business at University of North Carolina Charlotte. The new Center for Professional Development will enhance classroom learning with experiences that allow students to develop professionalism. The Center s ultimate goal is to increase internships and job placement for Belk College students, through coaching, career planning and professional development workshops. The College was named to honor William Henry Belk and the Belk stores with a $2 million grant in 1990 and has benefited from additional investments from The Belk Foundation, company and family over the years. We are pleased to continue building on our legacy of support for the Belk College with an investment in the students futures, said Johanna Anderson, foundation director. In today s job market, college graduates need more than a degree. This Center will provide them with critical training and support to set them on their career path. Focused Investment in Summer Learning The Belk Foundation approved over $200,000 for summer learning programs in Belk communities. More than two thirds of the achievement gap between low and middle income students can be explained by unequal access to quality summer learning opportunities. On average, lower income students lose two to three months of reading ability during the summer months. For English language learners, the loss of ability is even greater. This compelling data is the reason why The Belk Foundation, which seeks to increase academic achievement in K-12 public schools, is paying attention to summer. No matter how successful a student is during the school year, these gains can be erased during the summer months. In order to boost achievement, we must combat the summer slide, says Anderson. If you are interested in learning more about the importance of summer learning, visit 1 Programs like the Youth English Tutoring Program (YTEP) allow students to continue growing their English skills so that they are better prepared to learn during the school year. 2 The Belk College of Business at UNC Charlotte will now have a dedicated Center for Professional Development, thanks to an investment of $250,000 from The Belk Foundation. 5

6 fashion buzz By Arlene Goldstein, Vice President, Trend Merchandising, Fashion Direction happy feet Spring 2012 will have you jumping for joy as shoes continue to take center stage. Feet go glam with a luxe edge as styling showcases the 70 s. Decorative to minimal; bold bright to neutrals. Experiment with new shapes, textures and colors for your feet. It s never been more fun to be in fashion! Check out a few of the season s most important details. Pops of bold color Dots and stripes Snake and other exotics Heavy bottoms Animal prints Fashion wedge 6

7 Belk.com Launches New Microsite Belk launched a new boutique microsite on Belk.com for our line of Biltmore home furnishings and accessories. Experience Biltmore Every Day allows consumers to easily shop for Belk s Biltmore products and learn more about the inspiration behind those offerings. To access the microsite, go to Belk.com, search Biltmore, and click on the Biltmore main link. Visitors to the site are invited to learn more about the home and its founding family, the Vanderbilts, through interactive discovery. Customers can also read family stories and view family photos, all while learning about the legacy of style and hospitality that inspires each Biltmore product. Biltmore For Your Home continues to be one of our customers favorite brands, both in store and on Belk.com, said Chris Eliason, vice president of product development for Belk. We are excited to offer our new Biltmore microsite as a way for her to connect with the brand in a richer, more interactive way. Visitors to the Biltmore site on Belk.com can explore and shop three Biltmore brands: Biltmore For Your Home, Biltmore Bath and Body and Hotel by Biltmore. Biltmore For Your Home features elements of casual sophistication for the entire home. Biltmore Bath and Body offers luxury spa treatments to create a personal oasis. Hotel by Biltmore presents the shopper with premium bedding and bath ware. This spring the site will be updated with additional interactive content including photos and demonstration videos including cooking segments with Biltmore chefs and decorating segments with Biltmore stylists. 7

8 making our store experience one of a kind Belk Invests $82 Million in Store and Departmental Expansions and Remodels Seventy Belk stores have dealt with a little dust, disruption and disarray this year as the sounds of major store remodeling and expansion projects have resounded throughout the south. The results? Modern, updated and expanded store environments that give customers the true modern, southern, style experience. With brand new Belk logos on each store, we are making a statement to communities that we are here to serve. The projects included the relocation of Belk s Corinth, Miss. store to a renovated former Wal-Mart location at Southgate Plaza, expansions and remodels of stores in Cedar Bluff, Va.; Statesboro, Ga.; and Monroe, N.C.; and remodels of stores in Tupelo, Miss.; Cary, N.C.; Myrtle Beach, S.C. (Myrtle Beach Mall); New Bern, N.C.; Charlotte, N.C. (SouthPark Mall); Dublin, Ga.; and Vicksburg, Miss. Grand reopening celebrations took place at each location between mid-october and early November. We invested $82 million this year in store improvements to modernize the look and feel of our stores, said Tim Belk, chairman and CEO. Our remodeling projects have given the stores a completely updated look with a focus on modernizing ladies shoes, accessories and fashion jewelry key areas of our business. In addition to the 11 full store expansion and remodeling projects, Belk completed shoe department expansion and remodels and fashion jewelry department remodels in 32 stores this year, plus fashion jewelry remodels in 27 additional stores. The new fashion jewelry areas have a boutique look with display cases replaced by open display fixtures to make items easily accessible and shopping more convenient. 8

9 Projects At a Glance Monroe, N.C. #1 Investment: $5.8 million Project: expansion and total renovation Highlights: expanded store by 30,000 sq. ft. to a total of 95,000 sq. ft. Gastonia, N.C. #6 Investment: $1 million Project: expansion and remodeling Highlights: updated ladies shoe department, fashion jewelry, handbags and accessories area New Bern, N.C. #85 Investment: $3.8 million Project: remodeling Highlights: expansion of ladies shoes and a new fashion jewelry area Dublin, Ga. #238 Investment: $850,000 Project: expansion and remodeling Highlights: expansion of ladies shoes to 7,000 sq. ft. and a new fashion jewelry area Statesboro, Ga. #284 Investment: $3.6 million Project: major store renovation Highlights: expanded previous store by 25,000 sq. ft. to 97,000 sq. ft. Myrtle Beach, S.C. #516 Investment: $3.4 million Project: remodeling two buildings Highlights: expanded ladies shoe department 8,000 sq. ft. Corinth, Miss. #411 Investment: $3.7 million Project: expansion and remodeling Highlights: expanded into new store space in a former Wal-Mart building. Ladies shoes expanded to 3,300 sq. ft. Charlotte, N.C. #452 Investment: $2.3 million Project: renovation Highlights: consolidated home merchandise departments on first floor (lower level). Total renovation of the Arthur s restaurant and wine shop Cary, N.C. #489 Investment: $4.6 million Project: remodeling Highlights: expanded ladies shoe department to over 9,000 sq. ft. Cedar Bluff, Va. #506 Investment: $700,000 Project: expansion and renovation Highlights: expanded into 20,000 sq. ft. of space in the former Goody s building. Expanded ladies shoes to 3,200 sq. ft. Vicksburg, Miss. #669 Investment: $870,000 Project: expansion and remodeling Highlights: expanded and remodeled shoe department, created a new fashion jewelry area and remodeled handbags and accessories department Tupelo, Miss. #671 Investment: $5 million Project: remodeling and renovation Highlights: Total renovation of the women s store and added space in the men s and home store to relocate the children s department 9

10 news of note keeping in touch with belk associates New facts about Heart Health Heart disease and stroke cost the nation $445 billion in healthcare costs and lost economic productivity. 2,200 Americans die each day from heart disease and 800,000 people die each year. 1 in 3 people in the United States have some form of heart disease, which can include severe chest pain, heart attack, heart failure and stroke. Heart disease kills roughly the same number of Americans each year as cancer, lower respiratory diseases (including pneumonia), and accidents combined Our Heart to Yours Campaign Kicks Off in January Last year, Belk associates and customers raised $391,547 for Heart Health Education and Research in partnership with The Heart Truth through the Our Heart to Yours campaign. We achieved this through many successful corporate and in-store events and promotions during the month of February, such as the Wall of Hearts, coupon promotions, Healthcare and Healthy Living Appreciation events, and a variety of grassroots events in Belk communities. There was such an overwhelmingly positive response from associates and customers that we want to continue doing our part in building awareness around healthy living for the entire family. This spring, Belk is excited to be the exclusive retail partner for the American Heart Association s (AHA) My Heart. My Life. campaign. The mission of the AHA is to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. My Heart. My Life. promotes healthy eating, physical activity and overall health for women and their families. Through specialized collateral materials and online resources, Belk associates and customers will be able to learn more about healthy living, find out their personal Heart Score by taking an interactive quiz, then receive a personalized action plan provided by the AHA and learn the seven steps to healthier living through the AHA s Life s Simple 7 program. Visual displays for the campaign will be set in stores in mid-january and store supplies will be provided by February 1. 10

11 lp awareness special events Bridal Completion Event Friday Sunday, Jan All stores Healthcare Appreciation Night Tuesday, Jan. 31 All stores Loss Prevention Event Brings Shortage Issues to Light Last October, associates throughout our stores celebrated Loss Prevention Awareness Month to focus on the importance of safety and shortage issues. In Tupelo, Miss. #671, Cassy Morris, loss prevention manager, and her staff, conducted an Open House event for all the associates of the store. We had just completed our store remodel and were reminded of the many issues related to shortage, said Morris. Morris felt it was a great time to re-emphasize LP issues, especially going into the busy holiday season. Since it was around Halloween, we choose the theme Send Shortage to the Grave for our event. Associates enjoyed refreshments and played games related to loss prevention. The Golden Hanger game helped raise awareness of the importance of checking fitting rooms, said Morris, who painted a hanger and had it hung in various fitting rooms throughout the day to see how many times it was found. Whoever was checking properly would find it and win a bag of candy, said Morris. If it was not found within the 30 minutes timeframe, we used it as a coaching opportunity. Belk.com In addition to the Biltmore microsite found on Belk.com, Belk also hosts sites for key vendors, including Bobbi Brown, Carter s, Estée Lauder, Jessica Simpson, Karen Kane, Kuerig, Lenox, Laura Mercier, Levis, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Ugg and Wacoal. Visit Belk.com today and become familiar with all we have to offer our customers. To empower the entire staff, Cassy designed a commitment wall on which each associate wrote what they would personally do to help drive down shortage. For example, associates said they would check fitting rooms every 30 minutes, ask for proper ID for credit applications or credit card payments and be aware of misplaced merchandise in receiving areas. They also decorated a wall with information on how to identify counterfeit money and other fraudulent forms of payments. The involvement from the associates was great and we ll definitely do it again next year, she added. 11

12 VIEW MAGAZINE Belk, Inc W. Tyvola Road Charlotte, N.C Address Service Requested PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #3328 CHARLOTTE, NC Practicing Service Behaviors Engages Customers and Boosts Sales rcc relentless with customer care Engaging with customers from the moment they arrive will help you build a strong rapport and help ensure a positive experience for you and your customers. Consistently practicing the following behaviors is critical to achieving caring service and generating sales. prompt greeting Greeting guests quickly lets them know that you are aware and glad they have come into your store. A warm welcome makes a positive impression and sets a good tone for the entire visit. ask questions to determine needs The best way to find out how to help customers is to ask. The more you can find out about what brought them into the store, the easier it will be to provide what they need. By being specific with your questions, the time spent with each guest will be more productive. suggest merchandise Once you understand what the customer needs, it becomes easier to make suggestions and help them find something they like. It also helps you suggest additional merchandise that adds to the sale and increases the customer s satisfaction in her choice of store. Editor Lynda Stadler Art Director Pamela Fernandez View Magazine Viewonline Send your comments or submissions to view@belk.com or contact Lynda Stadler at (704) View Magazine is an internal publication produced by Belk s Corporate Communications Department. It is intended solely for Belk associates and not for external distribution. View Online is a companion newsletter published on The Hanger and the Associate Portal ( View Magazine Belk, Inc W. Tyvola Rd. Charlotte, N.C