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Business BeatJcpenney to open oct. 5

Come Oct. 5, Matthews will be home to a JCPenney department store.

The national retail chain announced plans this week to host a 9 a.m. grand opening celebration which will include a ribbon cutting ceremony and free give-aways from Sephora inside the store.

JCPenney also will present a $10,000 grant to the American Red Cross, Greater Carolina Chapter. The store at 10101 E Independence Blvd. will open to shoppers at 10 a.m., according to a news release.

A path was cleared for the company to come to Matthews in September 2010 when town commissioners approved a new two-lane right in/right out only driveway off Independence Boulevard into the cen-ter.

The driveway, Windsor Square officials said then, was essential to lure the com-pany to town.

In August 2011, town officials approved a landscaping plan to overhaul the cen-ter’s parking lot. Since then, the amount of landscaped parking lot islands were increased and about 50 trees and 90 shrubs were added. Plans also included replacing about 30,000 square feet of mulch with grass and adding 38 shrubs, 2,500 square feet of ground cover, 17 understory trees and eight canopy trees at the driveway entrance and roundabout.

The store, with 83,000 square feet of sales space, will occupy two anchor storefronts and boast energy-saving LED lighting, and a full-service, 1,700-square-foot Sephora store inside. Sephora sells makeup, skin-care, fragrance, bath and accessory prod-ucts and will be staffed by trained beauty consultants, according to the release.

The Matthews store will be the first nationwide to debut a JCPenney multi-year initiative to transform its sales floor into a collection of 100 shops for major apparel and home brands.

“The Shops” will include: Levi’s, Liz Claiborne, The Original Arizona Jean Co., IZOD, MNG by Mango, i jeans by Buffalo and the introduction of jcp – a new private label store brand providing fashion basics for men and women. The Shops rollout is planned nationwide through 2014.

About 100 people will work at the new store, in full and part-time positions, com-pany spokeswoman Sarah Holland said previously.

“We’re thrilled to share our brand new store with the community,” Store Leader Lee Ashby said in the release. “Our dedi-cated team members are ready to provide an unforgettable shopping experience, and with our Fair and Square pricing, cus-tomers will find great low prices every day without the need for a coupon.”

The store will be open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sun-day from noon to 6 p.m.

McDonald’s plans remodelMcDonald’s restaurants in Matthews and

Mint Hill will soon have a new look.The eateries, owned by John Hairston,

are slated to receive exterior and interior renovations, which include the addition of a double drive-thru. Matthews town com-missioners are expected to hold a public hearing on the project Nov. 12.

Construction at the Mint Hill location, 9150 Lawyers Road, is scheduled to begin by November and to be complete by December, spokeswoman Caroline Schmid

said. Construction for the Matthews loca-tion at 9607 E. Independence Blvd. is slated to begin by February 2013 and be complete by April, she said.

The Playplace will remain at the Mat-thews location.

Both restaurants opened in 1989 and will receive extensive renovations, includ-ing a new lobby, Schmid said. The eater-ies will remain open during construction either through the lobby or drive-thru.

“These restaurant renovations allow us to efficiently serve more customers,” Hair-ston, the owner, said. “The updating of the exterior and interior design also re-ener-gizes the dining experience.”

tilted Kilt coming to Matthews

The former Bob Evans restaurant on Independence Boulevard is being trans-formed into a Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery.

The restaurant, which also has a loca-tion in Charlotte at 13230 Carowinds Blvd., expects to open in late October, project manager Robin Galer said. Her brother, Fulton, and business partner Lenny Wedge, own the restaurant.

The company will hire four managers and 110 to 130 employees as hosts, wait staff, cooks and cleaning crews. Applications will begin to be accepted in early October.

Tilted Kilt, which features employees in mock kilts, is known for its beer and wings, Galer said. Calling the restau-rant an “upscale Hooters,” Galer says the business is family-friendly.

Area residents haven’t been shy about stopping by to ask about the construction,

Renovations are planned for McDonald’s lo-cations in Matthews and Mint Hill similar to the remodel at south Charlotte’s Arboretum (above) location this summer.

(see Business Beat on page 4)

Kara Lopp/MMHW photo