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Are you in the beach mood yet?

Roanoke handbag company, Claire V., will launch its newest collection this Thursday in beach party style. The company with a headquarters on Campbell Avenue in downtown Roanoke is hosting a tropical-themed launch party, complete with tropical drinks, hula dancers and a steel drum band.

Claire V.'s new handbags, called Lola Starfish, are crafted with corn husks and made in China. Claire V. is marketing the bags in various shapes and sizes as the perfect environmentally-friendly summer totes. To the left is a picture of one of the bags.

Lola Starfish apparently already has gotten recognition by several national magazines, such as Lucky, Real Simple and Women's World. Lucky Magazine chose the straw-like bags as an editor pick for one of its issues, said Kelly List Zappia, a spokeswoman for Claire V.

If you attend the party, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 128 E. Campbell Ave., you also can enter a raffle to win a chance to help design, name and model a new Claire V. handbag for the spring 2010 collection. The raffle's proceeds will benefit Bethany Hall, a Roanoke recovery center for women.

Claire V.'s bags are designed in Roanoke and handcrafted at training centers for land mine victims in Cambodia. Ten percent of Claire V.'s net proceeds go toward women and children's education and health initiatives in Southeast Asia.

Proceeds from sales of the Zola Starfish collection will go toward Bridges Across Borders, a nonprofit organization that addresses global violence.

You can RSVP for Thursday's launch party by emailing amanda@clairev.com.

Red Clay restaurant opened its doors today in downtown Roanoke.

This Campbell Avenue eatery is a spin-off of one that already exists in Rocky Mount. Here's my blog post from last month about the restaurant, which moved into the former spot of The Mix.

For now, the Roanoke Red Clay only is open for lunch Monday through Thursday and lunch and dinner on Friday and Saturday.

Lunch hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Steve Mullins, one of the owners, said the menu will be the same as the one at the Rocky Mount eatery for now, though later it will be adjusted with some new items. Click here for the menu.

Also, jazz and blues entertainment already is lined up for this Friday and Saturday evening at the Roanoke Red Clay.

I have tasty news for those of you missing the fresh meat produced on the Kingery farm in Roanoke County and formerly sold at the family's country store.

Last week, co-owners Randy and Wayne Kingery opened a separate meat market a few doors away their former country store on U.S. 220 South in the Clearbrook area of Roanoke County. New owners, Thomas Milton and Ashley Russell took over this store in January.

At the new meat shop, called Kingery Brothers Meats, you'll find homemade sausage, tenderloin, ribs, hamburger and other meats straight from the Kingery's farm, where the family raises and butchers pigs.

This meat shop at 5437 Franklin Road is open Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

I learned the newest opening date set for Dunkin Donuts at Keagy Village in Southwest Roanoke County.

The franchise owner, Andy Rod, told me that he's planning to open the doughnut shop sporting a drive-through window on May 15.

Work still is going on to ready Keagy Village for tenants, but Rod told me that he's pleased with progress there. He has been waiting until this retail center was more complete before opening Dunkin Donuts.

Still, there have not been further announcements of new stores at Keagy Village. So far, Ntelos is open. Firehouse Subs also is slated to open in the same building as Dunkin Donuts and Ntelos.

Most days I receive emails from every kind of company or retailer imaginable, promoting various products. Lately these companies try to get my attention by mentioning the economy or stating that a particular product is recession proof.

These companies think that mentioning the economic downturn is sure to get a reporter's attention nowadays. Though some ideas are legitimate, I always read between the lines before buying into the assertion.

Today, I received two such news releases from retailers with Roanoke Valley locations. Each one includes the word "economy" in the headline.

Still, one announces a new sale, while the other simply re-markets its merchandise as an inexpensive buy for consumers.

Here are the details:

A local consignment shop, Plato's Closet, markets its business model with the headline "A tight economy doesn't mean teens can't be fashion-forward."

The other release from Shoe Carnival states that this shoe chain is offering a buy one get one half off deal, good through January, if shoppers make a purchase during a 10-day window next month.

The headline says, "Shoe Carnival wants to help their customers through tough economic times with a first ever promotion."

Perhaps these promotions will truly help you to save money. I won't be the judge of that.  But likely we will continue to see retailers using the economic downturn to draw shoppers. We talked about Target's recent "affordable" ads on the blog earlier this month.

If the Shoe Carnival or Plato's Closet advertisements sparked your interest, more details are below:

Shoe Carnival: If you make a purchase at a Shoe Carnival store, between April 1 and April 11, you'll receive a "BOGO when you want 2" card. This means that anytime through Jan. 19, 2010, you can present this buy one get one half off card to receive this deal on shoes. Shoe Carnival has a store at Towne Square Shopping Center in Roanoke, beside Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Plato's Closet: The retailer with a Roanoke location, also at Towne Square, is promoting its practical warm weather attire to teens. There isn't a specific sale going on, at least it's not stated in the news release.

The release points out certain fashion trends for the spring, such as dresses, exotic tribal prints and colors, water color prints, geometric shapes and statement jewelry. Plato's Closet sells used clothing and also buys it from consumers. 
Some popular brands sold there include American Eagle, Express and H&M.

A gallon of store brand milk or Horizon’s organic version? That’s a question that I’ve been asking myself lately when I approach the grocery store's dairy section.

I can save several dollars for a gallon of store brand milk, rather than buying the organic gallon. Because of the wide cost difference, often I've chosen the store brand over Horizon.

Not everyone is scaling back on natural or organic food purchases. According to Nielsen Co.’s Healthy Eating Report for 2008, sales of organic or natural foods rose last year, compared with 2007.

Here’s a link to the report’s findings.

What decisions have you made at the grocery store lately? Are you bypassing organic or natural products for less expensive brands?

Retailers are rolling out the yellow, orange and pink spring attire. Are you buying it?

The latest news from the National Retail Federation says that people are scaling back on new spring apparel purchases tied to the Easter holiday this year. According to a survey by the NRF, Americans will spend an average of $19.44 per person on Easter-related spring clothing, which is down from $23.82 last year.

Easter falls three weeks later this year, but warmer temperatures still may not entice clothing splurges.

Also, as you might expect, total Easter spending will be less this year. Consumers will spend an average of $116.59 on Easter candy, gifts, food and decorations, a decrease from $135.03 last year, reports the NRF.

Total Easter spending will be $12.73 billion.

Fast food Japanese cuisine appears to be making its way to Salem, replacing another Japanese restaurant that relocated to Blacksburg.

Hibachi Express will open at the former spot of the Sake House at Lakeside Plaza off Virginia 419, according to signs posted at this space.

Sake House has relocated to Blacksburg's First & Main shopping center.

Hibachi Express already has Roanoke Valley locations at Towers Shopping Center and at Valley View Mall.

I'll keep you posted when I find out the opening date and other details about this new Hibachi Express.

May is the month that you can expect renovations to be complete at two Roanoke Valley Kroger stores. The store in Vinton and one at Smith Mountain Lake are getting larger, and they will have some new features.

Here are the details:

Approximately 30,000 square feet will be added to the Vinton Kroger, making it as large as the newest Kroger store which opened in the Bonsack area last year. The changes to the Vinton Kroger include an expanded wine department, a pharmacy with a drive-up window, a new floral department, a new section selling home furniture, an additional frozen foods aisle and a new Natures Market section.

The Smith Mountain Lake (Westlake) Kroger is adding about 23,000 square feet of space, for a total of 74,000 square feet once all of the work is done. The additions there will include a new Kitchen Place department, an expanded frozen foods area, a new pharmacy and drive-up window, a new deli department with a sushi island and a cheese and an olive bar, seven new check-out lanes and six new Uscan machines.

Once the remodels are finished, let me know what you think about the changes at these Kroger stores.

Also, do you have any ideas for Kroger? Let me know what you'd like to see added or changed at local Kroger stores, if it's not already on the list above.

Lately, I've run across some local retail events coming up. Here are some dates and details:

Fleet Feet fashion show: Today at 7:30 p.m., Fleet Feet Sports in Roanoke is hosting a fashion show to celebrate six years in business. This running shop will show off some features of its spring 2009 collection of apparel and shoes by Nike, Asics, Brooks and Moving Comfort. Other showcased brands will include ISIS and Horny Toad. The event kicks off Fleet Feet's customer appreciation weekend.

Grandin Village Clean Sweep Sale: Today through Saturday, various stores in Roanoke's Grandin Village are hosting sales to celebrate the start of spring. They include 60 percent discounts on some furniture and accessories at Sam & Norah's, $3 off a gallon of paint at Harwood Paint, 20 percent off fresh arrangements and delivery at Village Flowers, and a storewide sale of 10 to 75 percent discounts at New to Me, a consignment boutique. Also, at Black Dog Salvage, through April 30, you can receive 25 percent off a purchase if you bring a donation of dog or cat food for the Roanoke Valley SPCA.

Easter Bunny appearances begin:

--Saturday at 10 a.m. at Valley View Mall in Roanoke

--March 28 at Tanglewood Mall in Roanoke County