Harris Teeter’s recent deal to buy Lowe’s Foods stores in the Charlotte area will bring a new grocery concept to stores in Cornelius and Huntersville. The Matthews-based grocery chain confirmed this week it will convert those two Lowe’s stores into “a new, innovative format” that will help differentiate them from exisiting Harris Teeter stores nearby.

Harris Teeter and Lowe’s Food Stores announced two weeks ago they plan to swap a collection of stores in the Carolinas, including most of the Lowe’s stores in the greater Charlotte market.

The deal gives Harris Teeter the Lowe’s Foods at N.C. 73 and Poplar Tent Road in east Davidson (11124 Renaissance Drive), at 17001 Kenton Drive in Kenton Place Cornelius, and at 13108 Eastfield Road in Huntersville.

The Kenton Place and Eastfield Lowe’s stores are close by existing Harris Teeters, so Harris Teeter will introduce a new format to keep them open, Harris Teeter spokeswoman Danna Jones said. One other store in the Charlotte area also will be converted. Most of the remaining acquired Lowe’s stores will become standard Harris Teeters, and one will be subleased. All the Lowe’s stores will close for renovations for between 5 and 16 weeks, the companies have said.

The company isn’t saying much right now about the new format, except that it will feature “a worldwide variety of wine, beer, specialty foods and other selected merchandise.”

“We anticipate opening these locations in October but that is subject to change,” Ms. Jones said.

Harris Teeter is getting 10 central Carolinas Lowe’s stores in exchange for six Harris Teeter stores in western North Carolina. and $26.5 million in cash. The deal is expected to close July 1. Lowes Foods will acquire Harris Teeters: one in Asheville, N.C.; two in Gastonia, N.C.; one in Hickory, N.C.; one in Morganton, N.C.; and one in Shelby, N.C.

Besides the Cornelius, Huntersville and Davidson Lowe’s stores, Harris Teeter also is acquiring one store in Mint Hill, N.C.; one store in Fort Mill, S.C.; one store in Weddington, N.C.; three stores in Charlotte, N.C.; and one store in Wesley Chapel, N.C.

RELATED COVERAGE

June 2, 2012, CorneliusNews.net, “Harris Teeter, Lowe’s swap stores, including 3 in area.”

CORRECTION: This article has been updated to clarify that the stores scheduled to get the new format are at Kenton Place and Eastfield Road.