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In the journalism world, we report what we know, even in cases when there is little information to share.

Many readers have asked me about the status of Bojangles', a fast food restaurant that's under construction at the corner of Colonial and Brambleton avenues in Southwest Roanoke County.

The owner of this Bojangles' franchise, Stan Seymour, has not returned my calls to him in the past month for status updates on this new restaurant.

So, I'll report to you what I know. It's obvious that construction is moving along at this site, from looking at the photo to the left. This new fast food restaurant will measure 3,800 square feet, and it will have a drive-through. This will be the fifth area Bojangles' franchise for Seymour.  Last year, he opened a Bojangles' on Peters Creek Road.

I don't yet know the projected opening date for this restaurant, as well as additional details, such as whether there will be another business near Bojangles'. Seymour owns the land, and he told me that the site is large enough to fit another business, such as a bank branch.

Now, it's your turn. If you've heard any news about this new Bojangles', let us know what you know.

The cupcake craze continues.

Yesterday, I noticed the beginnings of a bakery business in the Grandin Village area, inside the former location of Coda, a coffee shop, on Grandin Road in Roanoke.

The shop, called Viva La Cupcake, opens today, according to an email that I received from owner,  Pennie Ahuero. Here's a link to the Viva La Cupcake Web site. The new shop specializes in catering for special events, but it also serves individual cupcakes and beverages, such as coffee and milk.

Once I find out some more details about this new cupcake enterprise, I'll pass them along to you.

Viva La Cupcake arrives just as the owner of Bubblecake, another local cupcake shop, said that she will be opening a second location in downtown Roanoke.

A Roanoke cupcake shop is expanding, after only several months in business.

Lisa Lusk is making plans to open a second location for her South Roanoke cupcake eatery, Bubblecake. She's taking her sweet cupcake creations in all kinds of flavors to a small retail space at 16 W. Kirk Ave. in downtown Roanoke.

Success in South Roanoke has led Lusk to pursue a second venture in downtown, which she will call Bubblecake Cupcakes & Coffee. Lusk plans to bake her cupcakes in South Roanoke and do the finishing work in the Kirk Avenue space.

Business is hopping at her South Roanoke shop, where Lusk said she sells 600 to 1500 cupcakes a day.

Lusk told me that she chose a second location to cater to the downtown Roanoke office crowd. Often, downtown employees come to her South Roanoke shop on Crystal Spring Avenue for a sweet treat after lunch.

Lusk wants to be closer to this crowd of loyal customers. She's also hoping to make cupcake deliveries to downtown offices.

Demographically, 92 percent of Bubblecake's customers are women between 25 and 40 years old, she said.

Expect more focus on coffee offerings at the new Bubblecake shop, along with cupcakes, of course.

And look for Lusk's newest Bubblecake to open sometime in November.

Fast food restaurants and coffee shops rely on drive-through business to generate significant revenue.

And those of you who regularly pull your vehicle through a restaurant's drive-through probably already know which ones tend to be the fastest and get your order right.

So, how do your assessments match up with QSR magazine's recent ranking of restaurant drive-through service?

Chick-fil-A was first in overall drive-through performance this year, based on QSR's annual study. QSR ranks the speed of service, menu-board appearance, speaker clarity and order accuracy.

According to this story about the ranking, Chick-fil-A has been No. 1 for six of the last seven years.

But this year, McDonald's fell to seventh from second place.

Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy told me in an interview last year that the chicken chain aims for a 90 second drive-through turn around time or better. Some Chick-fil-A's have 120 to 140 cars per hour in the drive-through, which equates to less than 60 seconds per vehicle, he told me.

Here are QSR's winners in each category:

Speed of service: Wendy's

Speaker clarity: Chick-fil-A

Order accuracy: Chick-fil-A

Menu board appearance: Whataburger

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.

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.

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.

I just learned that Jimmy John's is expected to open by the end of this year in Roanoke, on U.S. 460. That's according to spokeswoman Ali Goldner.

Many of you know about Jimmy John's. It's an Illinois-based sandwich chain, and it already has two restaurants in Christiansburg and Blacksburg.

Goldner said she could not offer more details about Jimmy John's Roanoke store. Apparently, it's a franchise, and the chain does not release details about its franchisees until after each new restaurant has opened.

This new Roanoke Jimmy John's is planned for the intersection of Blue Hills Drive and U.S. 460.

In other local restaurant news, the owner of The Isaacs Mediterranean Restaurant in Roanoke is making plans to open the Meze World Cafe in the former spot of Trio Bistro Bar Bottle in downtown Roanoke. You can read more about it on the Fridge Magnet blog.

It looks like a new restaurant is coming to a former tearoom in Salem.

There's a sign in front of the former spot of Petticoats and Petit Fours at 311 W. Main St., announcing that the Salem House Restaurant is coming soon.

Petticoats and Petit Fours closed several months ago

I don't yet know the details about the Salem House Restaurant.