Blakeney Adds Shops and National Restaurant

Charlotte, N.C., Sept. 29, 2008 – Blakeney, south Charlotte’s upscale retail destination, will soon welcome RedSky Gallery, Seventy-Two Shoe Boutique and Zoe’s Kitchen.

Opening its second Charlotte location at Blakeney in early November, RedSky Gallery (885 square feet) is a fine arts and crafts gallery. The gallery, which won Charlotte Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award for Best Gallery in 2007 and 2008, will feature paintings and other two-dimensional art in oils, pastels, acrylics, mixed media and watercolors. In addition, fine crafts in glass, metal, ceramics, wood and basketry will be offered. Products will include furniture, sculpture, home accessories, tableware, lighting, garden art, jewelry and art to wear. In all, RedSky Gallery will showcase approximately 500 artists from across the country with many unique to the region.

“Our customers have asked me to open a location in southeast Charlotte for the past two years because it’s one of the fastest growing housing markets in the area,” said Kellie Scott, gallery owner. “I was waiting for the right location and believe that Blakeney fits the bill.”

 Seventy-Two Shoe Boutique (843 square feet) is an upscale shoe store that will offer an exclusive selection of fashionable footwear in a unique array of classy, trendy and glamorous styles. The boutique was created to fill a void in the market for mid- to high-end designer women’s shoes.

The store will carry an unmatched, extensive selection of designer shoes, some with designer rights to exclusive styles and seasonal lines. Seventy-Two will complement its shoe selection with quality, personalized customer service to attract and maintain a loyal customer base. The store is owned by Jennifer and Troy Keen and will open mid-December.

Zoe’s Kitchen (2,700 square feet) is a fast-casual restaurant which will serve sandwiches, hot plates and salads with a Mediterranean flair. Known for their chicken salad, Zoe’s Kitchen takes great pride in making food from scratch daily. Zoe’s Kitchen offers convenient options for customers including Take Home Tubs of salads featuring chicken salad, egg salad and pimento cheese. Dinners for four will be available for families on the go. Zoe’s Kitchen was founded in 1995 by Zoe Cassimus in Birmingham, Ala. There are currently 21 locations in eight states.

 “We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to come to Charlotte to share my mother Zoe’s original homemade recipes, made fresh daily,” said John Cassimus, president and CEO. “We hope to provide great food, service and convenience for our customers.”