Since its humble inception in 1888, in the rural farming community of Monroe, NC, Belk has grown into the nation’s largest, privately-owned mainline department store company, with more than 300 fashion stores across 16 Southern states, and a thriving eCommerce website at Belk.com. The company offers the best in Modern. Southern. Style., housing many of the nation’s top fashion designer and national brands of cosmetics, apparel, accessories, shoes and home furnishings, as well as outstanding lines of private brand merchandise, both online and in stores. 