www.roanoke.com

Happy 2009! It's time to make those resolutions for the new year. And because money likely is a little tighter for many of us as 2009 begins,  this may be the year to ask, how much is this resolution going to cost?

Are you forking over the money for a gym membership or a weight loss program this year? Are you resolving to reign in your spending in different ways or cut credit card debt?

Check out this story in USA Today about how some people's 2009 resolutions are reflecting current economic times.

Do you like shopping at a mall? By now, you're likely tired of any kind of shopping, on the heels of this busy holiday season.

Check out this report that discusses consumers' dissastisfaction with shopping malls because they believe that these centers all look the same. The report is based on a survey by the Jay H. Baker Retailing Initiative at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Verde Group, a research group.

According to the report, shoppers believe that enclosed and outdoor malls are boring because they all contain the same chain stores and restaurants. Consumers also complained that some shopping malls do not have enough restaurant variety.

The report refers to malls as once "modern wonders," with attractive features, such as children's rides, water fountains and food courts.

What do you think? Do you enjoy mall shopping or are you uninspired by a mall's sameness, highlighted in this report?

Want to talk retail? Why aren't Kohl's or the Cheesecake Factory in the Roanoke Valley? Why do some stores and restaurants choose other areas for locations, other than here?

Look me up at the Stocked Market holiday bazaar this Saturday at the Roanoke Civic Center. I'll be at The Roanoke Times booth from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.  I'd love to meet you, hear your thoughts on the local retail scene or just chat about your favorite shops and restaurants.

The Stocked Market, a fundraiser for the Junior League of the Roanoke Valley, begins tomorrow and ends Sunday. It features a variety of merchants selling an assortment of finds, from candy and chocolates to jewelry, handbags and other accessories. Click here for more details about the event.

U.S. military personnel will get the royal treatment at some restaurants tomorrow and next week in honor of Veterans Day.

Tomorrow, 164 Applebee's locations will offer free meals to active duty military and veterans, with proof of U.S. military service. All Roanoke Valley Applebee's are participating in the offer, as well as restaurants in Christiansburg and Lynchburg.

And a week later, on Nov. 17, Golden Corral restaurants will host military appreciation dinners from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. These dinners are free to any person who has served or currently serves in the U.S. military.

There may be other Veterans Day freebies throughout the area. Let me know if you hear of others.

Happy Halloween! With the presidential election days away, some costume retailers believe that mask sales will predict the winner of the election.

Check out this story about sales of presidential masks this year. According to the article, Barack Obama masks have been most popular, but also, sales are swift for masks depicting President Bush.

If you are carving out your trick-or-treating route for Friday, keep in mind that three area malls are taking part in the Halloween action.

On Friday, trick-or-treaters are welcome at participating retailers inside Valley View, Tanglewood and New River Valley malls.

At Tanglewood, the trick-or-treating begins at 5 p.m. and ends at 7:30 p.m.

At Valley View and New River Valley malls, it lasts from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Not enough time for exercise? Try 24 hours.

A national health club chain, Anytime Fitness, is planning a November or December opening at the Kroger Square at Bonsack in Roanoke County. I’ve reported about this fitness club’s local arrival, but I recently found out some more details about it.

Dwight Ward, the former manager at Gold’s Gym in Southwest Roanoke County, is the franchise owner of Anytime Fitness.

Ward, who has a private personal training business, said he wanted to run a smaller health club with a philosophy that is different from mega fitness centers.
“I wanted something a little bit smaller, a little less intimidating,” he said.

Anytime Fitness, set for a 4,200 square foot space, is an adult-only club. It houses cardio equipment, free weights and weight machines. The Bonsack gym also will have a tanning salon.

And its doors never close, at least to members. Members receive a key to the facility, and there is video surveillance at all hours, Ward said. Also, the club offers panic buttons for members to wear. The press of a button rings the local police department.

Pre-sales for memberships already have begun. Click here for more information about the Bonsack health club. I'll let you know when a specific opening date is announced.

Weekend plans? Take note of these relatively large events tomorrow at two regional shopping centers, Valley View Mall and New River Valley Mall.

Valley View Mall:
Think pink and dress like it. The Positively Pink Parade to benefit the Every Women’s Life Program begins bright and early at 8 a.m. at the District at Valley View, which is adjacent to Valley View Mall. Every Women’s Life provides cancer screening and diagnostic services to uninsured or underinsured women.
Parade participants dressed in crazy pink garb will take a lap about the mall’s outer loop. There will be prizes for the best dressed parade participants. You can register through 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning at the parade. Click here for more details.

New River Valley Mall:
With hay wagon rides, pony rides, amusements and concessions, the Community Fall Festival will be held at the New River Valley Mall in Christiansburg from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This year’s event will feature a bike rodeo sponsored by the Christiansburg Police Department and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Hey, blog readers. I have spent the day reporting on the closing of the City Market Building in downtown Roanoke. In case you didn't hear, this historic structure that houses 10 restaurants that serve pizza, subs, hamburgers and more closed to the public on Friday. The food businesses are doing extensive cleaning and according to officials, mice were found inside the building.

The city said today that these businesses will not reopen until all are properly cleaned and the health department can give the restaurants the go-ahead. City officials don't know when the building will reopen for dining. In the meantime, be prepared to scout out other eateries for dining in downtown Roanoke.

Check www.roanoke.com today and tomorrow as more details unfold.

Also, on an unrelated subject, but one that is somewhat close to home, read this story about the status of Circuit City, which is based in Richmond. The chief executive officer of the electronics retailer has resigned, as the company initiates a turn- around effort. Circuit City is considering whether to sell the company in the midst of financial troubles and declining business at its stores.

There is one Roanoke area Circuit City store, located near Valley View Mall.

When is the last time that you stepped foot in a movie theater? Despite the economy and higher prices for movie tickets, frequent moviegoers apparently don’t plan to cut back on trips to the theater this year. According to a summertime report by market research firm, the NPD Group, 80 percent of people will go to the movies the same amount or more often than they did last year.

Of those consumers surveyed, 48 percent said they enjoy going to the movies because of the “movie-theater experience,” such as the large screen and sound systems. But the top reason that many like the movie theater is because it’s a social experience that they can enjoy with friends and family.

Still, those who plan to scale back their movie theater trips this year believe that there is a dearth of good film choices, and they’re unwilling to spend time and money at the theater, according to the NPD report.

In the last year, I have rented movies more often than going to the theater, but that’s mainly due to time constraints. What about you? Have your movie viewing methods changed in the last year?