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Happy rainy Monday to you. You may have read a story that I wrote last week about the possibility of a retail development coming to an area along I-581 and Hershberger Road, near Valley View Mall. A Wisconsin developer, Continental Properties, apparently has been contacting residents in a small community off Ordway Drive, related to its desire to land new retail in this area. Continental is known for building retail centers that carry Kohl’s and Costco.

I called Costco related to this story, and a spokesperson returned my call on Friday, after the story was published. A spokesperson for this discount warehouse retailer said the company would not discuss future plans for new stores. Kohl’s said the same thing, and I reported that in the story.

As the world of retail reporting continues to unfold for me, I’ve learned not to expect national retailers to say much, if anything, about their future plans for new sites. They’re really not obligated to divulge details if a lease isn’t signed, and many are afraid to give away secrets to the media for fear that a deal could fall apart.

But if you read between the lines, these retailers often do not say whether or not they are considering an area. They just state in a typical corporate speak that a certain area is not in their immediate store opening plan.

On one particularly irritating occasion several years ago, a national retailer (a book store) told me that it was not planning any new Roanoke area stores after I inquired about it. But the next day, I received a news release from this retailer about a new store in the works for Roanoke. Likely they were writing this news release the day they spoke with me!

So, I mention all of this to say that Kohl’s and Costco could very well already be scouting the Roanoke area for potential stores. But likely we won’t find out that news directly from them.

Tipping has been in the news lately related to a situation where a California judge ordered Starbucks to pay its baristas $100 million in tips and interest because it allowed shift supervisors to share tips with baristas. Apparently, supervisors are considered managers and aren’t supposed to get a share of the tip pool. Starbucks has said it will appeal the ruling.

I’m not planning to debate what this case means, though it has created a windstorm at Starbucks’ company owned locations across the country. Baristas in some other states also have filed suits against the coffee retail giant.

But I bring this up to discuss tipping. Probably like many of you, I’ve debated how much I should tip baristas for coffee-shop related orders. There’s a tip jar sitting on the counters of many local coffee shops, such as Mill Mountain Coffee & Tea. I know there isn’t a hard and fast rule about this, but I wondered your thoughts on how much you tip at a place that is not your typical sit-down restaurant.

Also, what do you think of the idea of pooling tips? At times, I’d like to only tip the person who personally makes my drink. At some local places, a barista might recognize me and make the drink that I often request before I actually order it. That's service!

If you think you’re seeing an unusually high number of pushes to be more environmentally friendly lately, you’ll begin to see even more by Earth Day next month (April 22). It seems like this is the magic day or timeframe that many retailers, namely grocers, are rolling out different environmental initiatives.

Whole Foods Markets is one of them. This natural and organic foods grocer already has announced its plans to do away with all plastic bags by Earth Day. There’s not a Whole Foods in Southwestern Virginia, but I’m sure that some of you have shopped at this grocer in other cities.

The Richmond-based Ukrop’s Super Market, which has a Roanoke store, has a few environmental changes up its sleeve next month. It plans to offer ten $1,000 Ukrop's gift cards between March 31 and April 26. You can enter a drawing to win one of these cards by carrying the grocer's mesh bags or reusing a paper bag, along with using its valued customer card.

Another way to have a chance to win a gift card (which we all could use nowadays with the cost of so many foods rising) is to buy marketed “green” products at Ukrop’s stores. Some examples of the chain’s eco-friendly eats include all-natural spring water, Full Circle-branded products and all natural meat and bakery items.

And to all of you who have commented that you keep forgetting to bring your reusable grocery bags into the store with you, Ukrop’s is planning to post a sign on the front door of its stores. It will remind customers to get their reusable bags out of their cars before they shop, said Bobby Ukrop, president and chief executive officer of the chain, this week.

You still may not want to go all of the way back to your car once you’ve reached the store’s front doors, but at least it’s a reminder before you begin shopping.

Let me know if you hear of other Earth Day initiatives.

Federal tax rebates have been springing to many people's minds, because the checks are coming soon. The payments, that could range from $600 to $1,200 or more, under the economic stimulus plan are supposed to be rolled out in May.

Some states have considered creating a sales tax holiday to coincide with these rebates. Read more about it here. Tax holidays are periods when certain purchases are tax-free.

Virginia is not one of these states, according to the state's department of taxation. But there is a spring sales tax holiday for hurricane preparedness that's set for May 25 to 31. It will include portable generators priced at $1,000 or less and other items that apply that cost $60 or less. Of course retailers can choose to absorb the sales tax on any merchandise during this period.

Here’s more detail about the holiday.

Back to the stimulus, I’m curious about how you plan to spend your federal tax rebate check. Have any ideas so far?

A survey by the National Retail Federation says that people will spend 40 percent of their checks. And of the $105.7 billion distributed through the tax rebates, at least $30 billion will be used to pay down debt, according to the survey.

I’ve been away from blogging for the last several days, because I have been sick with the flu. Finally, I have recovered.

Here’s an update on a new grocery space in downtown Roanoke that I mentioned last week. Jay Aneja, who is owner of 7 to 7 Grocery, said this new store slated for Campbell Avenue, will stock supermarket items, though it won’t be a full grocer like Kroger or Food Lion.

Aneja plans to sell dry grocery items and some produce, such as fruits, onions, tomatoes and other vegetables in season. The shop also will sell some convenience store fare, including hot dogs, fried chicken, onion rings and hot drinks.

The growing number of people residing in apartments and condominiums in downtown Roanoke prompted Aneja to create the small grocer, which will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. The new store is located beside The Hancock, a building that is being refurbished to house apartments.

Aneja already owns and operates a neighboring convenience store on Campbell Avenue, called G&G shop. Before this shop sold convenience store items, it primarily carried jewelry and watches. Aneja plans to return to selling this kind of merchandise once 7 to 7 Grocery opens later this month or in early April.

A growing number of downtown Roanoke dwellers lament the lack of options for places to buy groceries in their immediate neighborhood, other than fruits, vegetables and some baked goods at the city farmers market.

A new store could bring what they want. A sign recently has gone up for a 7 to 7 Grocery on 31 Campbell Ave., beside the Hancock building which is being upfitted for apartments. This is the former space of an Orvis outlet store that closed last year.

A glance through the shop's windows reveals food shelves that are in the midst of being set up. I'm not sure yet whether this store will become a full grocer or a small convenience retailer with select grocery products.
I’ll update you once I find out more information.

This year’s early Easter may have impacted what many consumers spent on St. Patrick’s Day supplies. With the annual green holiday falling on Monday and Easter coming up this Sunday, retailers likely haven’t had enough shelf space to fully market products for both celebrations, reports the National Retail Federation.

For that reason, the federation predicted that St. Patrick’s Day sales would be lower this year, at an estimated $3.64 billion, compared with $3.76 billion last year.

Still, Easter spending is predicted to be about the same as last year. The average person will spend about $135.03, which practically is flat compared with last year’s $135.07 in Easter expenditures, the NRF reports. Consumers plan to spend more on Easter meals and related foods than on candy and stuffed bunnies, according to the survey.

Speaking of Easter spending, what do you think of a recent Wal-Mart commercial where a mother talks about filling her children’s Easter baskets with candy from the discount retail giant?

On a Wal-Mart blog , some mothers are blasting the retailer, claiming that the commercial has caused their children to question the Easter Bunny's existence.

UPDATE: Laura Bradford Godfrey will appear at the Roanoke Regional Airport today earlier than previously announced. She'll now be there from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. to show off her Claire V. handbags, which are the newest additions to the airport's Hudson News shop.

It’s official. A Roanoke handbag company’s creations are landing at Roanoke Regional Airport.

Last year, a representative with Hudson Group Retail Specialists, a New Jersey company that operates Hudson News shops in airports nationwide, contacted Laura Bradford Godfrey, owner of Claire V., about selling her handbags at the Roanoke shop. It's an effort to build a larger selection of local products at the airport.
I blogged about this development in December, but the arrangement wasn’t official.

Tomorrow the handbags will debut at Roanoke’s Hudson News shop. Godfrey will be there from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. to kick off the sale.

There also will be some giveaways, so it's a good chance to snag for free one of Claire V.’s trendy purses or larger bags.

In case you don’t know about Claire V., the company designs silk handbags, and last year it launched a line of baby clothing. Its items are handcrafted by land mine victims in Cambodia and those who are handicapped or living in rural provinces. Claire V. donates 10 percent of the proceeds from its sales to education and health initiatives for women and children in Southeast Asia.

Its bags have received national recognition with appearances on ABC’s Desperate Housewives and in some publications, such as Lucky Magazine and InStyle Magazine.

Attention Dunkin Donuts fans.The Roanoke Valley is on this doughnut chain’s list of expansion plans in the next three to five years. There’s already one Dunkin Donuts in Roanoke on Franklin Road, but the retailer said it’s seeking more franchise sites.

Check out tomorrow’s Business section for more details.

Photo courtesy of Dunkin Donuts.

You may have noticed a shift taking place inside a bed and bath supply store at Towers Shopping Center in Roanoke.

Domestications/The Company Store, which opened on the shopping center’s upper level in 2006, is selling off much of its Company Store merchandise to focus on its Domestications line.

Domestications sells bed and bath supplies and home accessories, under HanoverDirect, a catalog retailer based in New Jersey. You may recognize other catalog and Internet retail concepts under HanoverDirect, including The Company Store and Silhouettes.

The change is happening in Roanoke, because The Company Store has two retail locations in Wisconsin. There was a need to focus on Domestications locally, said Pete Bather, who is vice president of marketing for The Company Store and Domestications.

“From a branding standpoint, it’s a clear message to Roanoke that they know what the store is for,” he said.

The Company Store's selection of bath, bedding and home products is similar to Domestications' offerings.

The Roanoke store is the only Domestications retail location in the country. It landed here because Roanoke houses a distribution center for HanoverDirect.

Now is a good time to head to this store if you're looking for quilts, down comforters and other bedding selections. All Company Store merchandise, which takes up the right side of the store, is 75 percent off.

Bather said he expects the transition to be complete in several weeks, adding that the retailer still may carry some select Company Store merchandise.