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Here they are, your blasts from the past revealed.

It’s been fun going down memory lane with so many of you in the last week, after you commented on your favorite restaurants or stores that no longer are in the Roanoke Valley or in your hometown.

From pizza eateries to appliance stores, burger places and department stores, memories of past retailers sure do stay with us, don’t they? I liked hearing about features of certain malls and stores that you remember most, such as Tanglewood Mall’s French Quarter and the vanilla milkshakes at Allen’s Pharmacy.

As far as trends in this informal survey, pizza restaurants were mentioned most often. Hamburger eateries followed.

These stores and restaurants received more than one mention:
The Ground Round
Davis Pizza
Kenny’s Burger
Lendy’s
Ferro’s Pizza
Pasquale’s Pizza or Patricia’s Italian Restaurant
Newby’s
Villa Sorrento
Harris-Teeter
Murphy’s
Arthur Treacher’s Fish & Chips
Best Products (or BEST)

And finally, if you care to reflect a little more, what makes a store or restaurant memorable? Any general key features or must haves, in your opinion?

It’s no secret that more food retailers are trying to promote themselves as the primary source for local produce and other foods. Even large chains like Wal-Mart have jumped on the bandwagon and appear to be making progress.

Here’s an interesting Wal-Mart Web site, highlighting what locally grown produce the retailer sells in which state. If you check out Virginia, you’ll see that from June through August, Wal-Mart is selling Virginia-grown broccoli, corn, cucumbers, green bell peppers, peaches, radishes and squash.

And through October, the Virginia selections include yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, and others.

Wal-Mart claims that its selection of locally-grown produce is even larger than last year. One example is chili peppers. Apparently 65 Wal-Mart stores in Virginia are selling state-grown chili peppers, compared with zero last year.

I have some follow-up news about a local coffee retailer’s expected move to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Next month, Java the Hutt will take the place of Jazzman’s in the hospital’s lobby level.

Employees who work evening and all-night shifts at the hospital probably crave a caffeine fix at some point during their work day. Bob Buckley, owner of Java the Hutt, said he’s hoping that the coffee shop will have later evening hours, though those hours aren't yet set. He’s awaiting a decision by hospital management that will spell out a specific time frame.

Last month, a hospital employee commented on this blog that Jazzman's did not offer late enough hours to accomodate the night shifts.

Buckley said he'll likely try out the later hours on a trial basis at first to see what traffic the shop draws during that time period. So, stay tuned.

By the way, if you’re a hospital employee, what hours would you like the coffee shop to pull?

Thanks for all of the great feedback about your memories of former restaurants and stores throughout the region. I’m compiling your contributions now to blog about this week, so keep reading.

I’m working on a story about the region's grocery options, with the opening of Kroger’s newest store planned for July 24th in the Bonsack area. In some research, I found some tips directed at grocers about how they can encourage consumers to spend more. It’s according to a report by Unilever, called “Winning Shoppers in Turbulent Times.”

So, lookout for these sales tactics the next time you’re at the supermarket. They may or may not entice you to spend more than you budgeted.

1) Create circulars built around whole meals. They resonate with shoppers who are budgeting and planning their menus.
2) Increase samplings of products across the store to encourage shoppers to make purchases they had not intended.
3) Shoppers already are skipping aisles. Tempt them to shop all aisles by featuring sale items in every aisle.
4) Tag products that have a high-wellness quotient. Two thirds of adults say health drives their food selections.
5) Cross promote items on the shelf to stimulate sales in areas that consumers might abandon, such as offering coupons for cookies in the milk section.
6) Showcase “friends and family” specials for economy sizes, since bulk buying is on the rise.

Eager for a new Apple iPhone? You won't find one at AT&T's company-owned stores in the Roanoke and New River valleys.

These stores sold out of iPhones today, the first day they went on sale, said AT&T spokeswoman Beth Gautier. You'll have to check back in the next week, when the stores will receive fresh inventory, she said.

Remember, if you use these new iPhones in Southwest Virginia, your Internet connection won't be as fast as connections in 300 metropolitan areas nationwide, where 3G technology is available. It's not available in Southwest Virginia, Gautier said.

But the technology will be expanded to 350 total cities by the end of the year, so Southwest Virginia likely could have it by then, she said.

I know you have them -- good or bad memories of stores and restaurants that no longer exist. For whatever reason, they closed, and they’re not coming back.

For example, some people still are lamenting the loss of Hecht’s, which switched over to the Macy’s nameplate in 2006. I’ve heard from a number of shoppers who say they no longer can find their favored brands or style of apparel that only Hecht’s carried.

As for me, a restaurant in Staunton, where I grew up, recently closed, and I’m still sad about it. It was the Pullman Restaurant, and it was built in a restored train station in the city’s historic downtown district, alongside the train tracks.

Now to you. Comment here with your tales of stores or restaurants that once were in the Roanoke or New River valleys. I’ll blog about the ones with the most mentions.

And speaking of retailers closing, The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that some Starbucks locations already have been notified that they will close by the end of this month. Starbucks will release the complete store closure list next Tuesday.

The coffee retailer plans to shut down 600 stores nationwide, though it has not yet identified all of the locations that will close.

Correction: Shula's 347 Grill is set for the Roanoke Plaza Hotel, which formerly was the Wyndham Hotel. The hotel will become a Sheraton later this year.

I’ve tracked down the scoop about Shula’s 347 Grill. A spokesman for this restaurant company, founded by legendary NFL coach Don Shula, says Shula’s will open a Roanoke location in the last quarter of this year.

Shula's 347 Grill is headed for a first floor spot at what is now the Wyndham Hotel. But this hotel is in the process of becoming a Sheraton, according to Bill Herman, who is vice president of corporate development for Shula’s Steakhouses, based in Florida. Roanoke will be the 31st location nationally for Shula’s 347 Grill.

Herman described this grill as a mid-tier restaurant, compared with the company’s other brands. The company’s high-end or fine dining concept is Shula’s Steak House.

Shula’s has several different restaurant concepts, including Shula’s Steak House, Shula’s 2 Steak & Sports, Shula’s on the Beach and Shula’s 347 Grill.

On the grill's menu, you’ll find steaks, sandwiches, hamburgers, seafood, salads and more. Entrees range from $20 to $30 for dinner. To the left is a picture of a Shula's 347 Grill in Philadelphia.

Some of you mentioned that you had dined at other Shula’s 347 Grills inside hotels. Herman said hotels are a niche location for this restaurant, though not all of the eateries are inside lodging properties.

Shula’s was attracted to the Wyndham Hotel because of some renovations that are taking place at this Roanoke site, off Hershberger Road.

"The hotel’s going to be one of the nicest hotels in Roanoke," Herman said. "They’re putting significant dollars in there."

Oftentimes, Shula’s restaurants are used as meeting spots for corporate functions. The restaurant company seeks locations where there are a variety of businesses nearby, Herman said.
“You’ll get support from business people,” he said. “The hotel that it’s in is very important. We tailor to business hotels.”

I’ll keep you updated when I find out the new eatery's opening date in Roanoke. For its grand opening, Herman said to expect an appearance from Don Shula himself.

Photos courtesy of Shula's Steakhouses

Steve & Barry’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection today, according to this article in the Chicago Sun-Times. This is the retailer known for its celebrity-endorsed apparel, including Sarah Jessica Parker's "BITTEN" line

It’s unclear how many stores could close as a result of Steve & Barry's apparent financial trouble. Locally, this retailer selling inexpensive shoes and largely casual apparel moved into Tanglewood Mall in 2006, taking over a 48,000 square feet space on the shopping center's upper level.

I like to analyze shopping habits. And if you and your significant other happen to shop together at all, you might find interesting a recent report on this topic.

According to a poll in the upcoming September issue of ShopSmart, a consumer magazine, 38 percent of couples spend more money when they shop together, often making joint buying decisions. But if it comes down to one of them making the decision, women take charge.

So, how does this relate to your shopping patterns? Do you spend more money when you shop with your partner?
I think this depends on where you are shopping and what you plan to buy. This report is true for me on a grocery store run. I spend less money when I’m the one shopping, compared to when my husband comes along!

Here are some other interesting results from the report, which was conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center:

--The majority of couples (84 percent) shop together at least sometimes, and 85 percent always or often stay together while at a particular store.
--Nearly 80 percent of men and women do at least some of their shopping without their significant other.
--26 percent of men say they shop with their significant other because they are made to do so.
--Women said they are more likely than their significant other to ask for help, use a coupon and make a return.
--One in four couples (26 percent) said they had an argument in public while shopping together.
--22 percent of men who shop with their significant other believe she wins more arguments about what to buy or how much to spend.

If you agree or disgree with any of these findings, let me know about it and share your shopping stories, too.

I know I’ve blogged about Build –A –Bear Workshop’s new location at Valley View Mall, and here’s the final word on it. The retailer confirmed that it will open its store on Aug. 8. This store will land on the mall’s upper level, in the former Bombay Co. slot, and beside GNC. Check out this Web site if you haven't been to a Build-A-Bear location.

Also at Valley View's Finish Line store, if you donate gently worn shoes, you can receive $5 off your purchase of a new pair of shoes at this store through July 31. It’s part of a shoe trade-in campaign with Soles4Souls, an international charity that donates free footwear to those in need.

But you have to purchase shoes valued at $25 or more to get the discount.