Mellow Mushroom, Terrace Cafe head to Ballantyne Village

Ballantyne Village, which recently dodged foreclosure, announced a slew of new tenants this afternoon, including a favorite pizza joint, a SouthPark favorite, a cell phone store, a software company and an expanded massage chain.

The upscale retail location was beset by vacancies that rose to about 50 percent during the economic downturn. Initially valued at about $71 million in 2006, the property struggled to pay off its loan. A planned hotel, office and condo tower were shelved. Owner BV Retail owed more than $31 million when lenders started foreclosure proceedings last year.

But in April, Ballantyne Village reached a refinancing agreement that allowed the owners to retain a 100-percent stake and saved the 165,000-square-foot property from the auction block, where it was set to be sold in July.

Monday, Ballantyne Village announced the following new tenants:
  • Mellow Mushroom, an Atlanta-based chain offering pizza in "an eclectic, art-filled environment," is opening a 6,800-square-foot restaurant.
  • Terrace Cafe will open its second restaurant in Charlotte, adding a 3,900-square-foot store. The restaurant currently has one Charlotte location, on Piedmont Row at SouthPark.
  • Cellular Sales, an authorized Verizon Wireless retailer.
  • eBuilder, a software management firm.
  • Massage Envy, which already is a tenant, is expanding its store.
"These additions to Ballantyne Village’s tenant mix are anticipated to attract new and repeat patronage from the surrounding communities as well as metro Charlotte,"  Ballantyne Village said in a statement. "With its growing list of tenant’s Ballantyne Village serves as a destination location for shoppers, dinners and those looking for entertainment."