Assignment 5: Lydia

The Belk Department Store in Cornelia was once located in the Main Street area of the downtown. The store started as a small bargain store for a rural farming community by William Henry Belk, an entrepreneur not unlike Charles Kittle and Robert Wood of Sears, Roebuck & Co. The Cornelia branch of Belk se

rved the community in the downtown area until the store relocated to the area near a strip of highway where main roads to Atlanta and Athens met in order to reach a more automobile oriented customer. While the strip that this decorated box building is attached to has evolved over the years, the main elements have stayed the same. The building has a large parking areas in front and to the side that can accommodate larger crowds than its downtown location. It also lacks the large plate glass windows that had previously been used to advertise its wears and attract customers to co

me inside and shop.

The interior of the building has florescent lighting that is softer than a supermarket’s bright glare to make for a more relaxed shopping experience. However, there are shopping carts provided and the aisles are for the most part wide enough to accommodate the cart to pile in bargain items. The lighting is very specific in the department store, strategically highlighting displays. The building’s merchandise is divided according to sex, with products appealing to female customers situated closest to the front of the store. Housewears is at the rear of the building while bright, shiny items such as jewelry perfume, and the ever tempting shoe department are housed near the front of the store to draw in custom

ers. These items are also placed strategically to serve as potential for after thought purchases.

Items are displayed according to price, especially in the shoe section. I noticed that the shoes that are not on sale only have a sample pair on display with an attractive set up of varying levels and angles. If you are interested in a shoe, you have to find the clerk to find the appropriate size. Perhaps the motivation for this is the thought that the management is willing to spend more time serving a customer who has the potential to purchase more items. Most of the shoes that are on sale, especially clearance items are lined up on a table or underneath it, and are self service items.