A nice entrance for a department store in a mall in a market the size of Martinsville. I hope the ailing textile industry doesn't make this store a casualty of Martinsville's economic woes in this decade. I wish the Belk here at Walnut Square in Dalton had such an imposing facade-the Belk for Men and Women is more ornate than the Belk for Home and Children, a former Loveman's turned Proffit's.
I recall the Belk here taking a major upscale move as compared to the downtown Belk-Gallant it replaced. I suspect the Leggett's took a more upmarket move when they moved to the mall in Martinsville. If Belk had stayed in the market it operated before the mall stores, it could have taken the Walmart route, I think Belkway was considered but never built.
This store did go a bit more upscale when it moved from downtown, but it was already a little nicer than the typical Leggett when it was at the former location. I'm going to have to shoot some pictures of that old store, which was built in 1965 and is still largely intact design-wise.
Its cross street rival downtown was a local carriage trade emporium called Globman's that did not follow Leggett to the mall. According to a recent article, that was one of several factors that led to Globman's demise a short time after the current Leggett/Belk opened.
Belk (former Leggett), Liberty Fair Mall, Martinsville, Virginia. Photographed 07/21/08.
A nice entrance for a department store in a mall in a market the size of Martinsville. I hope the ailing textile industry doesn't make this store a casualty of Martinsville's economic woes in this decade. I wish the Belk here at Walnut Square in Dalton had such an imposing facade-the Belk for Men and Women is more ornate than the Belk for Home and Children, a former Loveman's turned Proffit's.
ReplyDeleteI recall the Belk here taking a major upscale move as compared to the downtown Belk-Gallant it replaced. I suspect the Leggett's took a more upmarket move when they moved to the mall in Martinsville. If Belk had stayed in the market it operated before the mall stores, it could have taken the Walmart route, I think Belkway was considered but never built.
This store did go a bit more upscale when it moved from downtown, but it was already a little nicer than the typical Leggett when it was at the former location. I'm going to have to shoot some pictures of that old store, which was built in 1965 and is still largely intact design-wise.
ReplyDeleteIts cross street rival downtown was a local carriage trade emporium called Globman's that did not follow Leggett to the mall. According to a recent article, that was one of several factors that led to Globman's demise a short time after the current Leggett/Belk opened.