Starting a retail business wasn’t something Sonja Nichols had planned. But when the philanthropist and civic leader learned that retailer Blacklion Gifts & Home Furnishings Marketplace was closing after 27 years — leaving its longtime merchants and loyal customers (Nichols among them) with no place to go — she stepped in.

Finding a 160,000-square-foot location in the former Sears building at Carolina Place Mall, she launched renovations to the ground level and opened a temporary pop-up shop on the top floor to house 80 merchants. The new name: Southern Lion, combining two of Nichols’ favorite places to shop, the Southern Christmas Show and Blacklion.

Nichols, leveraging her marketing expertise from IBM, finds fulfillment in the retail environment, echoing familial entrepreneurial roots. She credits God, her Southern Lion team and her family for the marketplace’s initial success.

This spring, Southern Lion held its grand opening. The new store features a curated shopping experience on the ground level, with more than 145 vendors in furniture, home décor and more. Upstairs, a Home Remodeling Showroom will showcase more than 50 homebuilding, remodeling and landscape contractors.

Leading others comes naturally to Nichols, whose foundation for community service began at Florida A&M University, where she earned undergraduate and MBA degrees. A past president of Good Friends Charlotte and the Women’s Impact Fund, she currently serves on the UNC System Board of Governors and founded the South Charlotte chapter of Jack and Jill of America.

“I firmly believe that when God presents us with opportunities it’s up to us to embrace them with faith and determination,” Nichols says. “I’m confident Southern Lion will thrive. The positivity and excitement we’ve received only reinforces my belief. Our goal is to firmly establish Southern Lion as a premier destination in the Carolinas.”

Southern Lion
11033 Carolina Place Parkway, Pineville
980.500.8775
@southernlioncharlotte