#belk

former mcrae's / belk. metrocenter mall. jackson, miss. july 2025

Belk, SouthPark Mall, Charlotte, NC [~1995]

Omega Radio for May 22, 2021; #265.

Big Heet: “Turn Away” + “Screaming Head”

Bitter Branches: “Party Mode”

Heads.: “Push You Out To Sea”

Slavescene: “Shit Gait” + “Fuck Off Away From Me”

Brandy: “I’m Shipping Up To Boston”

Watcher: “Thick Neck Breeder / Mask”

Exhalants: “The Thorn You Carry In Yr Side”

Civic: “Making Time”

Abandoncy: “Let The Dead Die In Vain”

USA Nails: “A Fair Nickel” + “Little Does He Know”

Tunic: “Exhaling”

Nopes: “Amber Is The Color Of Your Alert” + “Drink The Cat”

Belk: “Japanese Gangster”

Spodee: “…Rides Again” + “Dress The Part”

Show Me The Body: “Rubberband” + “People On TV”

Pnature Walk: “Label”

Negative Space: “ - ”

Gary, Indiana: “Nike Of Samothrace” + “Alien 3”

Flat Worms: “Pearl”

Earlier this year, iconic American department store chain JCPenney filed for bankruptcy protection. The retailer had not had a profitable year since 2010, and was drowning under $5 billion in debt at the time. Various bidders had until July 22 to submit an offer to the bankruptcy court to purchase JCPenney, and the current top bidder at $1.75 billion is Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm that owns a handful of other American retailers, including southern department store chain Belk. Sycamore wants to merge Belk, which currently operates about 300 stores, with JCPenney, which operated some 850 stores when they filed for bankruptcy. The plan is to convert 250 JCP stores into Belk in markets where Belk currently does not have a presence - namely the northeast and out west. The remainder of JCP will liquidate, effectively ending the once-ubiquitous company. The stated rationale behind Sycamore's bid is to help Belk to compete nationally against Macy's. However, this plan may indicate desperation on the part of Belk, and could end up ushering both brands into the grave.

Belk, as a private company, does not need to disclose its finances publicly and therefore we do not know how what struggles the retailer may be facing, including debt load. Additionally, big buyouts like this have a history of failure. Just ask the likes of The Bon-Ton or Ames department stores how well it worked out when they decided to double their store counts overnight by buying out competitors. I am skeptical that this play by Belk will turn out much better than it did for them.