An Oaks Mall department store is getting a major makeover — $3.7 million worth.
Renovations aimed at expanding merchandise and offering a more upscale shopping environment are now underway at Belk.
“Our new store will reflect the latest in retail layout, decor and merchandise presentation,” store manager Dan Mixson said in a press release from Belk.
The new store will feature refurbished restrooms and fitting rooms, more designer brands and a 6,000-square-foot women’s shoe department, Mixson said. A Coach section will also join merchandise on the floor.
The renovations will put all women’s merchandise on the first floor and men’s merchandise on the second floor, said Michael Gravley, vice president regional manager for North Florida. Construction is slated for completion Oct. 1.
The store also has a special event in the works which will coincide with the end of the renovations, Mixson said. It will host a gala on the evening of Oct. 13, and the proceeds from the $5 tickets will benefit the United Way of Alachua County.
However, the official grand reopening is set for Oct. 16.
Kim Hunter, a 39-year-old Gainesville resident, said she expects the changes will create a better experience for shoppers.
“I think the renovations make it a friendlier, neater environment,” she said.
Meanwhile, 20-year-old biology junior Sabrina Urs said the renovations aren’t too much of a hassle while shopping.
“The construction is a bit of an eye-sore, but I think they’re keeping the store really organized under the circumstances,” she said.
Belk first opened the Gainesville location in 1941. It moved to The Oaks Mall in 1978 and hasn’t been remodeled since 1996, according to the release.
