A report released by Forbes late last week ranked Charlotte as 11th-best for retail shopping among the country's 25 biggest cities.
That puts the Queen City ahead of shopping meccas New York and Los Angeles. Although it nearly made the top 10, Charlotte was edged by Houston, Dallas, Baltimore, Columbus, Ohio, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, Jacksonville and San Diego.
The ranking focused on three main factors: ease, options and affordability. This focus on all retail outlets and less on trendy spots like upscale boutiques gave Charlotte - with 6,225 retail outlets, 21 shopping centers and 8.25 percent sales tax rate - a boost over cities with more upscale, flashy options but fewer Wal-Marts (Incidentally, Charlotte tied San Antonio for most Wal-Marts within city limits, at seven).
Read the whole Forbes report here
What do you think of Charlotte's ranking and the area's retail scene?