Shop & Tell – New at Birkdale Village

The Reinvention of a Favorite Locale

Top, Birkdale Village’s Grove is home to new “jewel box” retail space, and now features a plaza (below) for outdoor entertainment.

Birkdale Village Features New Shops, Eateries, Venues

by Allie Spencer photography provided by Birkdale Village

Over the past two years, many of us have watched as Birkdale Village underwent a $20 million redevelopment. Changes include a modern paint scheme throughout, removal of the roundabout to create the Parkway which includes a 6,000 square-foot plaza with soft seating, a covered stage and LED screen. Elevating the experience further are custom designed storefronts (Sephora, eeZ Sushi and Kendra Scott), a concierge offering services like valet parking, complimentary phone charging, wheelchair and stroller rental; and much needed public restrooms.

As with any change, not all of it has been welcomed, with many opinions expressed in town meetings and on social media. But after 20 years, a pandemic and a huge shift in the way people shop, change at Birkdale was inevitable.

“Everything has to reinvent itself,” says Tim Perry, Managing Partner of North American Properties, the development company that bought Birkdale Village in 2020 in partnership with Nuveen Real Estate.

Left, confetti is the order of the day for holiday revelers, while Santa greets a young Birkdale Village shopper.

Birkdale Village is at the intersection of Birkdale Commons Parkway and Sam Furr Road in Huntersville. Learn more at www.birkdalevillage.com.

In addition to the visual makeover, the changes have included many new retail offerings.

Airlie BABy

Located in one of the jewel boxes on the Grove, Airlie Baby carries cozy baby clothing made from bamboo and organic cotton, non-toxic toys, books and unique gifts for the littlest ones in your life.

Beck on BroAd

Known for their signature leather bags at their Mooresville location, the lifestyle boutique carries a selection of apparel, shoes, accessories and home décor items at their jewel box in Birkdale Village.

cosmo Gypsy

Also located in one of the jewel boxes, Cosmo Gypsy offers Bohemian inspired clothing, hats, bags and accessories. Their flagship store is located in downtown Mooresville.

iceBox cryotherApy

A modern take on the traditional ice bath where you expose your body to ultra-low temperatures (-200 F to -256 F) for three minutes. Cryotherapy can be beneficial for athletic recovery, pain management, beauty and wellness. Icebox offers whole body cryotherapy, localized therapy and cryo-facials among other services.

lovesAc

The modular furniture retailer sells adaptable sectionals, high-quality bean bag chairs and accessories in a variety of fabrics.

WArBy pArker

While the new brands are ushered in, some have lamented the loss of local brand Nina’s Boutique (moving to Antiquity).

“It’s really hard for local, boutique retailers to do the sales volume that the national retailers do,” says Perry. He says the 200 squarefoot jewel boxes located on the Grove give local retailers an opportunity to access the people in Birkdale Village without the risk, because they require less stock, smaller overhead and offer shorter leases.

When it comes to other changes, Perry’s vision is for Birkdale Village to provide a cool, hip food factor. “People love unique, local, authentic to market restaurants. People also love national restaurants. We’re going to end up with a mix of both,” says Perry.

Recently opened Morelia, Brown Bag Seafood Co., Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop and Green Brothers Juice Co. will be joined by The Good Wurst Co. (opening spring 2023) and Foxcroft Wine Co. (opening summer 2023); both concepts are local to Charlotte. A brewery, also local to the Charlotte area, will be opening in the newly constructed stand-alone building with a rooftop on the Grove. Existing restaurants Midwood Smokehouse and Red Rocks Cafe will undergo renovations, while Brixx Woodfired Pizza will relocate to the old Qdoba location and expand its footprint by 45 percent. Foxcroft Wine Co. will take over the space previously occupied by Brixx.

Over the holidays, the new plaza will be a hub of holiday activity with Birkdale on Ice (daily through Jan. 16, and the ice is real), Santa at Birkdale Village (Fri-Sun, through Dec. 24) and a Menorah Lighting (Dec. 20). Birkdale Village will also host an event on New Year’s Eve in partnership with the Town of Huntersville to kick off the year-long celebration of the town’s 150th anniversary. “Noon Year’s Eve” will be a family-friendly event from 10 a.m. to noon, with activities such as face painting and balloon art.

Merry & Bright

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All of these items can be purchased at:

1. Water Lanterns - $89 and up 2. Christmas Pillows - $39 and up 3. Gift Boxed Candle - $59 4. Table Top Trees - $89 and up 5. Deer & Sleigh - $129 6. Ornaments - $7 and up 7. Pine & Berry Centerpiece - $79 8. Holiballs - $59 and up

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