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Thanksgiving Day is less than a week away, and there's a new option this year if you want a break from turkey.

For the first time in a long time, all company-owned T.G.I. Friday's restaurants and most of the franchise locations will open for Thanksgiving Day. The eateries will open at 4 p.m., hosting football parties with half-price appetizers in the bar and five new wing flavors.

Sales have been slow for the restaurant industry all year, so it's no wonder that many eateries are trying to drum up business in different ways.

Let me know if you hear of any other local restaurants that plan to open their doors on Thanksgiving for the first time this year.

Here are the latest updates on two shop openings in Roanoke and Salem.

Cupcake bakery, Bubblecake, opened its second location in downtown Roanoke last week. The shop is at 16 W. Kirk Ave., and its new location specializes in coffee offerings.

Rob Lusk, husband of owner Lisa Lusk, told me about a coffee pass that the shop has introduced. For $25 a month, you can fill up your coffee cup throughout the month. This pass only applies to brewed coffee.

Click here to read my past blog post about Bubblecake.

In Salem, the Salem House restaurant now is open at 311 W. Main St. inside the former home of a tearoom. I could not reach the owner of the Salem House recently, but I learned that the restaurant is open Thursday through Sunday.

You may not see as many shoppers swiping credit cards this holiday season, compared with previous years.

The National Retail Federation reported today that 24.9 percent of people plan to pay for Christmas gifts this year with cash, which is a 9 percent jump from last year. Also, 42.5 percent of shoppers will pay with debit or check cards, a 2.5 percent increase.

But the number of shoppers who will charge purchases on credit cards this season is expected to fall by 10 percent from last year.

"With many holiday shoppers focused on spending within their limits, it's no surprise that fewer people will be relying on credit cards this year," said Tracy Mullin, who is president and CEO of the NRF, in a news release.

Also, some people cannot qualify for credit because of stricter standards imposed by credit card companies and banks, said Greg McBride, a senior financial analyst at Bankrate.com. This is another reason why fewer shoppers will be paying via credit card this holiday season.  McBride also told me this week that these patterns are driving layaway's resurgence, because this service, offered by some retailers, allows consumers to pay for purchases over a set period of time.

What's your take on this news? Are you buying Christmas gifts this year with cash, credit or debit cards?

Here's some good news if you've ever had to pay an unexpected gift card fee or if a gift card become inactive when you didn't use it by a certain date.

The Federal Reserve today proposed new rules for gift card users, and they're meant to protect consumers. Under the proposals, you can have at least five years to use a gift card before it expires.

Also, fees only would be charged if you didn't use your gift card within one year, had no more than one fee a month or if you were already given clear instructions and disclosures about card fees.

These provisions would take effect on Aug. 22, but they are subject to revision.

Also, you no longer have to worry about monthly gift card fees charged on American Express gift cards. American Express decided to do away with these $2 fees in September, which is one way that the company can appeal to holiday shoppers looking to purchase gift cards. Click here for the details.

The Atelier building in downtown Roanoke will go on the sales market next year, but it's unclear what will to happen to a well-known retailer housed on the structure's first floor.

Roanoke Times reporter Kevin Kittredge reported this week about Center in the Square's plans to sell the Atelier building, which used to house Mill Mountain Theatre's actors.

His story states that Twist & Turns, a furniture and home decor shop with an entrance fronting Campbell Avenue, would not be renewing its lease.  

Soon, we'll learn more about Twist & Turns' plans. Owner Cynthia Gardner told me today that she will announce her business' future path early next month.

Also, Gardner's space houses Claire V.'s handbag retail business and its offices. 

Claire V., a local handbag design company, is renovating a storefront on Market Street in downtown to open a beauty salon, called Polished by Claire V.  

Claire V.'s plans on Campbell Avenue are unclear.

The holiday season can be a hit or miss time for travel deals. Already there are reports that airfare is climbing, while some hotels in exotic vacation spots already are waving deals to lure travelers who are cutting their spending.

An interesting Roanoke hotel deal came across my desk this week. The Holiday Inn Express, off Orange Avenue, is offering free one-night room stays on Thanksgiving Day and on Christmas Day to people who visit friends or family members who are in the hospital or at a local nursing home.

This is the first time that the hotel has offered this "Home for the Holidays" program, and it's a direct response to the tough economy, said Carol Bing, sales manager at the hotel. Bing told me that she has heard sad stories from people whose families cannot afford to visit them for the holidays.

This free-room deal applies to people who live 50 or more miles outside of Roanoke. Those who qualify for the free rooms must show identification to prove their residence, Bing said.

Also, the Holiday Inn Express will prequalify people for the free rooms by verifying that their friend or family member is at a particular hospital or other health care facility.

The Holiday Inn Express only has a certain number of free rooms for this program. Bing said she does not know how many rooms will be available for free. That number may fluctuate, depending on demand, she told me.

Also, people who stay for free will receive a discount for the nights surrounding Thanksgiving or Christmas Day.

The final date to reserve rooms for Thanksgiving is Nov. 24. The cut-off day for Christmas reservations is Dec. 23.

The mystery of a local restaurant’s sudden closing and relocation has been partly solved. The answer may involve a new Kroger fuel center.

Madison’s, a Southwest Roanoke County restaurant, closed last month, and the owners are making plans to reopen the eatery on Bent Mountain Road, in the former spot of Back Creek Grill.

Husband and wife team, Martha and Dennis Minnick, opened Madison’s on Old Cave Spring Road in July. Martha Minnick quit her job as a third-grade teacher to open the restaurant, her first retail venture. It’s named for Dennis Minnick’s uncle.

But in September, the Minnicks' found out that their lease would be terminated, which was unexpected news to them.

They packed up Madison’s and closed on Oct. 25. Now, they’re making plans to reopen at 6063 Bent Mountain Road in Roanoke County. Back Creek Grill closed last month, though the owner Jimmy Muscaro still owns the building.

Martha Minnick called the relocation “a blessing in disguise.” The new Madison’s space is larger, and it can seat more diners inside and in an outside area.

The Minnicks plan to serve the same breakfast and lunch menu of salads, sandwiches and wraps, but they are expanding the dinner menu with hamburgers, steaks and prime rib. Brunch is served on Sundays.
They also are applying for an ABC license to serve alcohol.
Madison’s likely will reopen within the next two weeks, Martha Minnick told me.

But there are new plans for Madison’s former site on Old Cave Spring Road. Kroger has filed a site plan to build a fuel center on 1.3 acres in that area. The site is across Brambleton Avenue from a Kroger store.

Kroger's plan still is under review in Roanoke County’s planning department, said Denise Sowder, development review coordinator. Sowder also told me that Kroger plans to lease this site.

Retailers need to know how to control large crowds of shoppers, and that's especially true on Black Friday, the intense day after Thanksgiving when shoppers hungry for bargains show up in the wee morning hours to get deals.

After a stampede on the day after Thanksgiving last year killed a Walmart employee in New York, Walmart plans to keep most of its stores open on Thanksgiving and through the night into Friday morning this year. This will prevent lines at the front doors, though the retailer still will offer 5 a.m deals on Black Friday, according to this story.

Other national retail chains typically make plans for the Black Friday rush, with dress rehearsals and plans to give out tickets to shoppers who wait in line, reports the National Retail Federation. 

But financial pressures are forcing more retailers to boost aggressive promotions, attracting even more deal-hunting shoppers than in the past, NRF officials said Monday during a telephone media briefing.

For the first time, the NRF issued guidelines this week to retailers on how to handle large crowds. Click here for those guidelines.

Renovations are moving forward inside a vacant store space at Towers Shopping Center in Roanoke to make way for Petco. This national pet supply retailer will open at Towers this winter, likely in February, according to Brooke Simon, a Petco spokeswoman.

The new store will land beside Kroger on Towers lower level, in a space that formerly housed CVS.

San Diego-based Petco sells pet supplies and offers some services, including dog grooming and vaccinations. Simon told me that the store's grooming station will be designed to resemble a salon for people, and it will offer spa treatments. There will be an adoption and training space at the front of the store with information about local animal welfare programs and details about training sessions and adoption events.

Petco stores sell small animals, such as hamsters and fish.

Simon said the Roanoke store's grand opening festivities will take place in mid-February, with special events and pet photography. But this Petco likely will open before mid-February for a soft opening. Simon did not know that date.

Here's my former blog post about Petco's coming.

Some of you commented recently on the closing of a Sonic drive-in on Apperson Drive in Salem.

I contacted Sonic's corporate office in Oklahoma, and below is the e-mail statement that I received today from Christi Woodworth, Sonic's director of external communications, about this closing:

"Over the past few months, SONIC and the franchisee have evaluated the drive-in. After careful review, we regret to announce that the drive-in closed for financial reasons."

"The decision to close a drive-in is never easy. We feel privileged to have had the opportunity to bring our Carhop service and extensive menu variety to residents. We invite area residents to visit other SONIC Drive-Ins in Salem and Roanoke, Virginia to enjoy their SONIC favorites."