the origin of "Big B"

Display World magazine; June 1968.

Display World magazine; June 1968

LiveMalls is honored to present an article from the 1968 edition of Display World magazine that described the process and ideas behind the design of the iconic but recently retired.Belk and Leggett logos.

A friend of LiveMalls, Dave Aldrich, from the incomparable retail blog, Pleasant Family Shopping, found this and sent it to me. It is truly a great addition to the blog and our Belk Archive. Many thanks to Dave, and I hope that everyone will enjoy the read.

Even more Belk blasts from the past...

Belk, Charlotte, North Carolina. Print advertisement, 1937. (Pat Richardson)

Belk, Charlotte, North Carolina. Print advertisement, 1937. (Pat Richardson)

Belk, Charlotte, North Carolina. Print advertisement, 1939. (Pat Richardson)

Belk, Charlotte, North Carolina. Print advertisement, 1940. (Pat Richardson)

Belk, Charlotte, North Carolina. Print advertisement, 1942. (Pat Richardson)

Belk, Charlotte, North Carolina. Print advertisement, 1945. (Pat Richardson)

Belk, Charlotte, North Carolina. Pattern Room, Print advertisement, 1946. (Pat Richardson)

Belk, Charlotte, North Carolina. Print advertisement, 1947. (Pat Richardson)

Belk, Charlotte, North Carolina. Print advertisement, 1948. (Pat Richardson)

Belk, Charlotte, North Carolina. Print advertisement, 1949. (Pat Richardson)

Belk, Charlotte, North Carolina.Print advertisement, 1953. (Pat Richardson)

Belk-Beery, Wilmington, North Carolina. Billboard, 1985. (cantnot via New Hanover Public Library)

Belk-Beery, Independence Mall, Wilmington, North Carolina. Exterior entrance, 1979. (cantnot via New Hanover Public Library)

Belk-Beery, Independence Mall, Wilmington, North Carolina. Mall entrance, 1979. (cantnot via New Hanover Public Library)

Previously on LiveMalls
Belk, Independence Mall, Wilmington, North Carolina

Belk; Hanes Mall, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Exterior view. Photographed January 30, 2011.

Belk; Hanes Mall, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Exterior view. Photographed January 30, 2011.

Belk; Hanes Mall, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Exterior view. Photographed January 30, 2011.

Belk; Hanes Mall, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Escalator well. Photographed November 26, 2010.

Belk; Hanes Mall, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Parking lot sign. Photographed January 30, 2011.

Belk; Hanes Mall, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Mall entrance. Photographed January 30, 2011.

Belk; Hanes Mall, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Upper level mall entrance. Photographed November 26, 2010.

Belk; Hanes Mall, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Upper level mall entrance. Photographed January 30, 2011.

Belk; Hanes Mall, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Lower level mall entrance. Photographed January 30, 2011.

Previously on LiveMalls
Belk, Hanes Mall

Belk; Carolina Mall, Concord, North Carolina. View of secondary exterior entrance. Photographed November 20, 2010.

Previously on LiveMalls
Belk; Carolina Mall

The evolving Belk logo

Belk logos from 1967 (left), 2007 (center) and 2010 (right)

The current Belk logo first appeared in October 2010.

This version of the Belk logo first appeared in 2007 and was replaced in October 2010.

This classic Belk logo first appeared in 1967 and was replaced in 2007.

Previously on LiveMalls
The Belk Archive

Belk; Eden Mall, Eden, North Carolina. Mall entrance. Photographed August 24, 2010. (cantnot)

Dillard's (former Leggett and Belk); Patrick Henry Mall, Newport News, Virginia. Exterior view. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Dillard's (former Leggett and Belk); Patrick Henry Mall, Newport News, Virginia. Exterior view. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Dillard's (former Leggett and Belk); Patrick Henry Mall, Newport News, Virginia. Exterior view. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Dillard's (former Leggett and Belk); Patrick Henry Mall, Newport News, Virginia. Mall entrance. (photo by Pat Richardson)

former Leggett, Belk and Dillard's; Chesterfield Towne Center, Richmond, Virginia. Exterior view. (photo by Pat Richardson)

former Leggett, Belk and Dillard's; Chesterfield Towne Center, Richmond, Virginia. Exterior view. (photo by Pat Richardson)

former Leggett, Belk and Dillard's; Chesterfield Towne Center, Richmond, Virginia. Exterior view. (photo by Pat Richardson)

former Leggett, Belk and Dillard's; Chesterfield Towne Center, Richmond, Virginia. Exterior view. (photo by Pat Richardson)

Belk (former Parks-Belk); Bristol Mall, Bristol, Virginia. Lower level exterior entrance. Photographed December 1, 2009.

Belk (former Parks-Belk); Bristol Mall, Bristol, Virginia. Mall entrance. Photographed December 1, 2009.

Belk Men, Kids & Home (former Miller's, Hess's and Proffitt's); Bristol Mall, Bristol, Virginia. Lower level mall entrance. Photographed December 1, 2009.

Belk Men, Kids & Home (former Miller's, Hess's and Proffitt's); Bristol Mall, Bristol, Virginia. Exterior entrance. Photographed December 1, 2009.

The main Belk store at Bristol Mall opened in 1978 as Parks-Belk, once the Belk operating group responsible for stores in East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. It was a relocation from a store in downtown Bristol.

When Parks-Belk sold out to Proffitt's in 1995, Belk retained this location, along with another in Wise. Those two stores were the only remaining Virginia locations of Parks-Belk, which once boasted stores in Galax, Marion and Pulaski, among other cities, that were closed when Belk shifted away from downtown locations.

in 2005, Belk bought Proffitt's, returning the East Tennessee Parks-Belk stores to their original owner, linking again this store to its former sister stores in Johnson City and Kingsport. The Kingsport store sports a nearly identical exterior.

Though it has had routine remodels and updates, the basic store remains a classic Seventies Belk design.

Belk Men, Kids & Home opened in 1978 as a branch of Miller's of Tennessee, which was a division of retail conglomerate Garfinckel, Brooks Brothers, Miller & Rhoads, Inc.

In 1981, with the acquisition of its parent conglomerate, Miller's became a part of Allied Stores. In 1986, Miller's was acquired in a hostile takeover by Hess's. Hess's sold this location, among others, to Proffitt's in 1992.

On March 8, 2006, Proffitt's stores were converted into Belk stores. Belk acquired the chains in July 2005 from Saks Incorporated (formerly Proffitt's Incorporated).

Belk; Signal Hill Mall, Statesville, North Carolina. Main entrance, October 10, 2009. (photo by cantnot)

Belk; Signal Hill Mall, Statesville, North Carolina. Rear entrance, October 10, 2009. (photo by cantnot)

Belk; Signal Hill Mall, Statesville, North Carolina. Exterior sign, October 10, 2009. (photo by cantnot)