ShopStar mixes social media with a “new twist” rewards platform to connect with shoppers

Huntersville, NC – Being “in” on the inside joke, bypassing the line at a trendy club, getting seated at the “best table in the house” at a hot restaurant – the unexpected perks that make people feel special are the inspiration for ShopStar, Birkdale Village’s new online social media program launching May 24^th, 2010.

Birkdale Village, owned and managed by Developers Diversified Realty, is a 248,686 square foot lifestyle center featuring a variety of stores, restaurants and entertainment venues in the Huntersville area. Leveraging two of today’s most popular social media platforms – Facebook and Twitter – ShopStar creates an online hub for a fun, tight-knit and customer-focused retail and entertainment community that offers surprises and perks throughout the year, including spending sprees, prize packages, freebies and experiences exclusive to Birkdale Village and its merchants.

ShopStar debuts on May 24 with two great offers:
1. Anyone who joins ShopStar between May 24^th and June 30^th will be entered to win a Birkdale Village spending spree. Sign up to win one of five $100 spending sprees! Every Wednesday starting June 2^nd we will choose a winner.

2. Between May 24^th and December 31^st, new members are encouraged to refer a friend to become a ShopStar member to be eligible for an exclusive gift. Refer a friend and enter to win one Pandora bracelet valued at $55 each, exclusive from The Jewel Box at Birkdale Village. Every Monday starting May 31^st we will choose a winner.

ShopStar benefits will be offered daily, weekly and monthly, so members are encouraged to regularly visit to discover new perks. Additionally, there will be interactive elements, including polls and a shopping focused forum for users to discuss everything from events to book recommendations to upcoming movies. ShopStar also incorporates the center’s Facebook page and Twitter account for followers to keep up on the day-to-day activities at the center.

“Social media allows us to add a new level of customer service,” said Raquel Crespo, Assistant General Manager at Birkdale Village. “The opportunity to communicate directly with our customers, provide them with immediate information and have fun positions Birkdale Village as a center that understands the new ways customers get information and interact. ShopStar and the related social media channels will allow us to keep things fresh and engaging. Our goal is to keep our customers wondering, ‘What could possibly be next?’”

The social media landscape continues to evolve, creating new and interesting ways to connect with customers via online channels. Birkdale Village embraces the opportunity to digitally engage with customers, but also wants to reinforce a sense of community within the center and online. ShopStar integrates interactive social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter with experiential marketing to benefit customers and reenergize the in-center experience.

“Birkdale Village has a lot to offer, and we are taking advantage of the online space to provide our loyal customers an opportunity to enjoy the center in a new and entertaining way,” Crespo said. “ShopStar is an innovative concept for the industry, and we look forward to interacting with our customers and growing the program into an active social community for the Huntersville area.”

ShopStar URL: www.GoShopStar.com (ShopStar site will launch May 24^th, 2010)

Facebook URL: http://www.facebook.com/BirkdaleVillage

Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/shopbirkdale

About Birkdale Village

Birkdale Village is a lifestyle center located in Huntersville, North Carolina. The shopping center is located 15 miles north of downtown Charlotte on the Sam Furr Road exit off of I-77 and is centrally positioned in the most affluent corridor of North Charlotte in proximity to Lake Norman. In addition to retail mix, Birkdale Village also consists of 320 luxury apartments, as well as 55,000 square feet of office space. Located within a five-mile radius of the center, there are more than 78,000 people with an average household income of $111,350. With such strong demographics and an outstanding location in the market, Birkdale Village has attracted national retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Dick´s Sporting Goods and Gap, as well as high-end retailers such as Williams-Sonoma, Talbots, Loft and Chico´s.

About Developers Diversified Realty

Birkdale Village is owned by Developers Diversified, which owns and manages approximately 640 retail operating and development properties in 44 states, Brazil, Canada and Puerto Rico. Totaling more than 140 million square feet, the Company´s shopping center portfolio features open-air, value-oriented neighborhood and community centers, mixed-use centers and lifestyle centers located in prime markets with stable populations and high-growth potential. Developers Diversified is the largest landlord in Puerto Rico and owns a premier portfolio of regional malls in and around Sao Paulo, Brazil. Developers Diversified is a self-administered and self-managed REIT operating as a fully integrated real estate company. Additional information about the Company is available on the Internet at www.ddr.com.

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