www.roanoke.com

It's not often that you will find great deals on designer jeans.

But designer denim will be priced at between $45 and $100 on Thursday at a Charity Denim sale, held at Roanoke College in Salem. Charity Denim is a non-profit organization that partners with different groups to sell inexpensive pairs of jeans and raise money for various charities.

Charity Denim can sell denim (made domestically or under safe working conditions) at low prices because the jeans are last season's overstocks and samples.

For the Thursday event, Charity Denim is working with Delta Gamma, a sorority at Roanoke College. A portion of the proceeds from the sale will go toward Service for Sight.

You can shop for denim deals from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the college's Colket Center.

If you like Starbucks coffee, you may want to try the instant version of the chain's new brew.

Today Starbucks launched instant coffee in all of its U.S. stores. It's called Via Ready Brew, and it sells for $2.95 (3 pack) and $9.95 (12 pack).

You can find Via in some other stores, such as Target, and in some hotels, but it won't be sold in grocery stores until next year.

Click here for more details.

According to this story in the Wall Street Journal, Via is a strategy by Starbucks to offer lower cost regular coffee to customers who don't want to pay for pricier java. An instant packet of Via produces a cup of coffee that's less than $1.

And if you want to taste this new instant coffee, all Starbucks stores will host special taste tests this Friday through Monday. You'll be able to taste the Columbia Starbucks Via instant coffee next to the fresh-brewed Pike Peak blend and guess which one is the Via coffee.

Taste test participants will receive a coupon for a free tall brewed coffee on a future Starbucks visit and $1 off a Via purchase.

Apparently, Halloween spending is headed down a spooky path this year.

Consumers will spend less on their Halloween costumes, decorations and parties, in general, this year, according to a survey conducted by BIGresearch, for the National Retail Federation.  People will spend on average $56.31, which is down from $66.54 last year.

The state of the U.S. economy is impacting Halloween spending plans for nearly one in three consumers.  Ways that people say they will cut back this Halloween include buying less candy, making costumes instead of buying them, using last year's decorations and costumes and even not going to as many haunted houses and fall festivals.

"Since retailers know that Americans will be looking to celebrate on a budget, there's no doubt we will see creative costume and decorating ideas in every price point imaginable," said Tracy Mullin, president and CEO of the National Retail Federation, in a news release.

I've already noticed discounts on some Halloween costumes at several Roanoke area stores.

Here are the National Retail Federation survey results, if you want to check them out.

What about your Halloween plans this year? Are you looking for ways to save money, making your own costumes, cutting backon candy costs or reusing decorations?

I have good news for those of you who are hot dog lovers and specifically, fans of the Roanoke Weiner Stand.

Gus Chacknes plans to reopen the Weiner Stand's Brandon Avenue location in Roanoke. Chacknes, who is the nephew of former owner, Gus Pappas, now owns this hot dog business at 3601 Brandon Ave. 

I reported earlier this month here that Pappas sold the Weiner Stand building. But Chacknes doesn't own the real estate.

Look for this hot dog stand to reopen next month. And check out my story in tomorrow's business section for more details.

In case you missed this news in Saturday's Business section, a former Fuddruckers building in Salem is under contract.

Triad Commercial Properties, the company that plans to purchase this vacant restaurant structure on Electric Road, would like to open an International House of Pancakes at this site, according to Matt Huff, who is a broker with Poe & Cronk Real Estate Group. As of Friday, the sale had not closed, though Huff, who is representing the property's owners, said that should happen soon.

This would be the third IHOP in the Roanoke Valley.

Fuddruckers, a hamburger chain, closed in 2007.  A building plan for renovation work at this 8,360-square-foot building has been submitted to the city of Salem, and it's under review, a building official told me.

I'll keep you updated on future plans at this site, which is located near Lakeside Plaza.

Has a retail sales person ever annoyed you? Then again, have you ever frustrated a sales person?

I found interesting some of the following tips about how to improve your experience with store sales people. These are tips from author Freeman Hall who wrote the book, "Retail Hell: How I sold my soul to the store. Confessions of a tortured sales associate."

Tell me what you think of some of this advice.

1) Use pushy sales people to your advantage. If you run from them, you may be missing out on great customer service. Let them to show you what's hot if you're trying to find a particular item. But don't let them talk you into buying something that you don't want.

2) Make friends with sales people. If you connect with a particular associate, they'll often give you the heads up on special sales and new merchandise arrivals.

3) Shop early in the day, not five minutes before the store closes. Walking in for an intense shopping session right before closing irriates store associates, and they'll be less likely to give good customer service.

4) Don't talk on your cell phone while a sales person is helping you. They'll likely move on to the next customer because you're not paying attention.

5) Know when and where it's appropriate to haggle for a better deal. This may work at a privately-owned shop but not likely at a chain or larger store.

6) Don't fall for a lying sales person. If a store associate says you look great in an outfit, but you don't like it or don't feel it's right for you, trust your own instincts. Not all sales associates lie to make the sale, but some do.

Craving ice cream? Cold Stone Creamery will give away free ice cream today from 5 to 8 p.m. for its annual Make a Wish Foundation event.

Cold Stone locations in Christiansburg and Roanoke, along with others nationwide, will take donations for the foundation as well as give away 3-ounce cups of ice cream, called Jack's creation. This selection mixes sweet cream ice cream with brownies, sprinkles and caramel topping.

Click here for more details.

Elderberry's officially opened its new Salem smoothie shop on Tuesday.

This shop at 304 Main St. is Elderberry's third location. Its other shops are in Roanoke County and Blacksburg. The Salem store opened temporarily on Sept.12, serving only smoothies, tea and coffee to coincide with Olde Salem Days, an annual arts and crafts fair.

The shop has a menu of light foods, such as wraps and sandwiches, along with smoothies and other beverages.

Elderberry's Salem hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Here is my previous blog post about Elderberry's.

If you're itching for more thrifty shopping venues, here's the latest on Goodwill's plans for its newest Roanoke store.

Goodwill Industries of the Valleys will open its sixth Roanoke Valley store on Thursday at 3418 Orange Ave. at Market Square East Plaza.

This 13,705-square-foot store is Goodwill's 29th retail location across its Roanoke, New River and Shenandoah Valley footprint.

On Saturday, to celebrate the opening, other retailers at Market Square East Plaza will offer discounts and giveaways. These festivities will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

I've also gotten word recently of a new Goodwill store planned for Daleville, near the Botetourt Commons retail center. Check out my retail column in this Sunday's business section with more details about the new store.

Since Friday, you've all had much to say about the news of Ukrop's closing in Roanoke. Thanks for weighing in. In case you missed it, here's the latest story on the future of Ukrop's soon-to-be vacant store in Roanoke.

Also, I want to address some comments by some of you, expressing concern that the city of Roanoke has used taxpayer dollars to fund the Ivy Market project. No taxpayer money has been used to fund this project.

The developer, IMD Investment Group, receives incentives based on the performance of Ukrop's and Walgreens.  This means that the city considers the tax revenue generated by these two retailers before IMD actually receives any kind of payment.

When the city crafted this agreement in 2004, officials estimated that the development would generate at least $1.4 million in tax revenue. The contract says that IMD would receive up to $600,000 for 15 years, if the stores generated this amount. So, the city had hoped to recoup about $800,000 a year in retail taxes from Ivy Market.

This is more money than the city would have received if this site had remained in its former state. You may remember that this Ukrop's site was once overgrown with weeds and known to many as a "hobo-jungle."

It's unclear what will happen with this agreement now that Ukrop's will be closing. If IMD finds another store to fill the Ukrop's spot, the tax incentive will stay intact, according to city officials.