Crosland welcomes maternity boutique, Thai restaurant to Blakeney; barbershop joins Blakeney Crossing

Crosland LLC, one of the Southeast’s leading diversified real-estate firms, recently announced four new retailers – Casual Elegance, Belly Elan Maternity and Blue Basil – and a Thai restaurant are slated to join existing businesses at Blakeney shopping center, the developer’s 270-acre site located at the corner of Ardrey Kell and Rea roads.

Neighboring center Blakeney Crossing also soon will have a new retailer, Barbers at Blakeney.

Casual Elegance, a home-décor retailer that specializes in décor, artwork and home accessories, will open at Blakeney in late March. The store is the second retailer to expand from BLACKLION to Blakeney.

“Our love for the Blakeney area, along with the tremendous response we received at the 2009 Southern Christmas Show, facilitated our desire to expand our business,” said Casual Elegance co-owner Beth Taflinger.

Until early January 2010, Belly Elan Maternity Boutique, which specializes in new-mom clothes, baby products, accessories and gifts, called Promenade on Providence, 5361 Ballantyne Commons Parkway, home. Now the boutique is open and residing in one of Blakeney’s 800-square-foot storefronts. Owner Nidhie Dhiman said the move allowed the business a chance to “expand our store and our presence throughout the ­Charlotte community.”

Blue Basil, a casual Thai restaurant, is expected to open doors to its 2,820-square-foot Blakeney store in March. Although the restaurant is new, its owner, Rick Taing, is not. Taing owns and operates two Sushi 101 locations in Charlotte.

Barbers at Blakeney, slated to open this month in Blakeney Crossing, will be located between Smoothie King and ­Massage Envy. The business will provide full-service salon care and products.