It’s a shopping jungle out there, but with the perfect location, a simple concept and a great deal of entrepreneurial spirit
and persistence, Bob and Nita Emory’s multi-merchant gift, home furnishings, and design center BLACKLION, is a safari into
unique territory. In October of 1995, Bob Emory convinced K-Mart to lease them the 68,000 square foot store at the corner
of Park Road and Hwy 51 in Charlotte, NC. In this space, he envisioned the next generation of retailing: BLACKLION.
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The concept was simple. A central gift and design center. The vision was to assemble 200 or so merchants offering
upscale gifts, furniture and accessories, along with a cadre of local interior designers and an enormous selection
of products, all in a one-stop shopping setting.
In 1996, BLACKLION opened to the public. “We wanted to provide a place where customers could find everything
for their home, all in one unique sophisticated location” says Nita Emory. “The customers responded and loved
the concept.”
With no plans to grow beyond this one store, all efforts were made to make it the
best store of its kind in the area. After only a few months in operation, it was apparent
that BLACKLION had become a gift and accessory haven of the most interesting and unique home accents.
BLACKLION has evolved into far more than the Emorys ever envisioned. “We are so proud of the incredible mix of hand
picked products and designer talents and vignettes that we have assembled in the stores,“ says Nita Emory. Bob adds,
“BLACKLION is an entrepreneurial incubator, developing numerous individuals into successful retailers.” Several merchants
who first started their businesses at BLACKLION as a hobby, have now left their other careers to concentrate full time on their
businesses at BLACKLION.
With so many merchants under one roof, everyone benefits. Customers benefit from a tremendous selection, while merchants
benefit from BLACKLION’S original operating concept. Merchants create their displays and stock them, and BLACKLION
takes care of the rest...sales, advertising, staffing, and all of the other day to day operations that can make running a business
stressful. “This allows our merchants to do what they do best: concentrate on finding and selecting exquisite merchandise for their
booths. Then showcasing their products in fantastic decorative settings. Ultimately, the merchants help us give shoppers an
an incredible one-stop shopping venue.”
BLACKLION staffs each store with talented professionals ready to help customers with any need. More than a retail
store, we’ve become a home furnishings resource for the public as well as designers.
Since the success of the first store, 2 additional stores have followed: one at Lake Norman in Cornelius, NC
and at Opry Mills in Nashville, TN. BLACKLION has also entered the
cyber-space retail world with the April 2001 launch of their internet store
www.blacklion.com
“We are extremely grateful and credit the success of our stores to all of the talented entrepreneurs who have been a part
of BLACKLION, to our incredible staff and managers and ultimately to our customers, who continue to make BLACKLION their favorite place to shop.”
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Phone Code: LION
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