Borders Books Opens Second Charlotte store in StoneCrest at Piper Glen

Borders Books and Music(R) will open its second Charlotte, N.C., store this November. The 21,000-square-foot store will be located at the intersection of Rea Road and I-485 in the Stonecrest at Piper Glen Shopping Center.

"Borders has enjoyed great success in the Charlotte market since we opened our first store there in October of 1993, and we'll continue to build on the community ties that we've established in the city," said Joost Verkerk, district manager for the new Charlotte location. "Our stores host free events such as lectures, author signings, musical performances, children's activities and `Benefit Days' that support local charities."

Borders will offer Charlotte residents a comfortable place to explore over 200,000 book, music, DVD and periodical titles, as well as the opportunity to experience cutting-edge service technology backed by a knowledgeable staff with a commitment to the community. Free events such as lectures, author signings, musical performances, children's activities and `Benefit Days' that support local charities are held throughout the year.

Borders selected the new Charlotte location based on a variety of factors including demographics, traffic patterns, the availability of parking and the attractiveness of the site.

As a retailer, Borders is unique in tailoring its title base to respond to the interests of the customers who shop each store location. Just 50 percent of Borders' title base is common to all stores, while the other half is customized to the location by experienced buyers using the company's sophisticated computerized inventory system.

In addition to offering books, music and movies, Borders invites shoppers to unwind at Cafe Borders. In the Charlotte store, customers of the cafe can choose from a variety of gourmet coffees, teas and beverages and enjoy desserts and light snack items.

"Our customers love the community spirit that is fostered at Borders," said Verkerk. "In the store on Colony Road shoppers read, study, hold group discussions or simply have a cup of coffee while reading the newspaper. The new store will have that same welcoming atmosphere."

Borders stores and Borders.com are part of Borders Group, Inc., an independent, publicly held Fortune 500 company that also operates Waldenbooks and Books etc. At the heart of the Borders Group are more than 30,000 employees worldwide. Borders Group trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BGP. They operate 350+ stores worldwide and have been in business since 1971.