May 30, 2008Popping popcorn pricesIt’s going to be a busy weekend for the movies, with today’s opening of “Sex and the City.” If you head to the theater to catch this flick or any others, keep in mind that the price of popcorn is rising. That’s partly the reason why at least one theater chain, AMC Entertainment, has begun charging $1 more per ticket. It also has raised popcorn prices. Check out this story for more details. We don’t have AMC theaters in the Roanoke or New River valleys, but hopefully, we won't eventually see other theaters upping prices as well! Mill Mountain makes its move
The new space at 117 Campbell Ave. is neat and larger. Seating stretches all the way to the back, in addition to tables near the front door and short bars at each of the two front windows. Some of the walls are exposed brick, while the rest of the shop is painted in a dark red shade. Star figures decorate the walls. There are not yet tables set up at a brick patio outside the back door. The menu is largely the same, though according to a sign posted inside, not everything will be served this week while employees are settling in. I did notice that prices have increased for some coffee and milk-based beverages. For example, a chai latte, which normally is $2.88 with tax, was more than $3 today. Other locations followed after Johnson opened the first Mill Mountain at 112 Campbell Ave. There are three other Mill Mountains in the Roanoke Valley, and one in Richmond. May 29, 2008The rise of take outHere's one way to gauge people's habits lately when it comes to paying higher food prices. It’s the rise of take out, according to a survey about eating patterns in America. Take-out dining is cheaper than dining inside a restaurant, because you’re likely not ordering a beverage. And you’re probably not tipping a server. Check out this Q&A with Harry Balzer, a vice president at market research firm NDP Group, and author of its annual report on Eating Patterns in America, about this subject and other food spending issues. So, have you been ordering food to-go more often lately, rather than dining out? May 28, 2008Brew pub at TowersA local restaurant chain appears to be making a significant investment at its location at Towers Shopping Center in Roanoke. Awful Arthur’s Seafood Co. wants to spend at least $50,000 to renovate a portion of its Colonial Avenue space for a brew pub. That’s according to a building permit filed with the city last week. With a brew pub, Awful Arthur’s would be able to make its own beer. I don’t have many details about this development yet, but check back here for updates. May 27, 2008Spending money downtownI’m back after a long Memorial Day weekend, and I hope your weekend was enjoyable. I recently found out about a new way that Downtown Roanoke Inc. wants to draw people to spend money, and it will kick-off this summer. Beginning in July, this organization will be selling gift certificates for use at certain downtown shops and restaurants. You won't be able to cash in these certificates, but if you spend some of the value, you’ll receive the remainder back in cash. Once the certificates are turned in for redemption, DRI will pay merchants the face value in cash. The certificates will expire after one year. You can buy them from DRI and possibly at other locations, though the group doesn’t yet know what those will be yet. I'll let you know the locations once they're announced. May 23, 2008An informal investigation into long linesI usually don’t mind waiting in line at the store. But lately, I’ve hit some pretty long waits at a local Wal-Mart. I’ve walked in between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on some weekdays, and only two or three cash registers are open (not including the self check-outs or the "10 items or less" registers). Lines of people pushing packed carts are looped in a zig-zag pattern at each cash register. There’s hardly room to get by them or to actually get in line. I realize that many retailers shut down some cash registers later in the evenings, but I consider 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. still to be early. I caught up with Mike Young, the market manager for Wal-Mart stores in this region, to ask him why so many cash registers have been closed lately. His answer is interesting. He said the daylight savings time shift likely has changed shopping patterns. The stores usually plan their shifts according to their busiest times. So, in the winter, when it was dark earlier in the evening, fewer people shopped after 6 p.m., and Wal-Mart planned its staff accordingly. Now, since it’s light outside until at least 8 p.m., people are out later and perhaps the store hasn’t adjusted, Young said. He also explained that every Wal-Mart is different. For example, the Bonsack Wal-Mart typically sees one of its largest rushes of the day at 1:30 p.m. That’s when lots of parents stop by for groceries and other items before they pick up their children at nearby elementary schools, which let out in the mid-afternoon. Continue reading "An informal investigation into long lines" » Free Friday BBQThere still are a few hours left for a free food offer that's good for today. Three Li'l Pigs in Daleville is celebrating its 5th year in Botetourt County. So, today it's giving away free barbecue! Check out the Botetourt View blog for details. May 22, 2008This weekend may cost yaIf you’re like me, you’re already thinking of how you will spend the long Memorial Day weekend, whether it’s hanging out in Southwest Virginia or heading out of town. But no matter what you’re doing, it’s probably going to cost you more than last year. Not to put a negative spin on what is supposed to be a sunny weekend, weather-wise, but prices are rising for basically everything and that will impact all of us, one way or the other. 
--According to AAA Mid-Atlantic, fewer Virginians will travel this Memorial Day weekend. The total travelers will decline by about three percent, and it’s because of fuel costs and other economic challenges. In Roanoke, prices were $3.69 per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline as of Wednesday, a substantial jump from $3.02 last year. --It will cost extra to check baggage onto American Airline flights. Check out this story about the airline’s plan to charge $15 for each checked bag because of higher fuel prices. That’s in addition to your airline ticket. Ouch! --If you plan to grill out, watch your budget. Increasing prices for meats, such as hamburger and hot dogs, will force you to shell out extra bucks. Read this story about how outdoor cooking is becoming more expensive this summer. How do you expect higher costs to impact your plans this holiday weekend or this summer in general? May 21, 2008Heads up on two openingsI have news on two store opening dates coming up next week and this summer.  Also, I nailed down a potential opening month for Kroger’s new store under construction on U.S. 460 in Bonsack. It may open as early as July, said Carl York, a Kroger spokesman. York also said Kroger is not announcing details yet about a new fuel center that appears planned for Towers Shopping Center. Last week, the grocery chain filed site plans with Roanoke City to build a five-pump gasoline station at the corner of 23rd Street and Brandon Avenues. That area is just below Towers. Kroger has a store on Towers lower level. May 20, 2008What kind of shopper are you?You've posted interesting comments about the pros and cons of catalog shopping. Some people think it’s more enjoyable to flip through a catalog, with its colorful images, than to browse a retailer’s Web site. Have you ever thought about how you shop? I ran across a survey by a women’s marketing communications firm in North Carolina, Frank About Women, which discusses whether fewer people are shopping for pleasure in this economically challenging time. From 2005 to 2008, the number of mission shoppers has doubled, while social shopping has decreased. If you’re a mission shopper, you like to get in and out of a store quickly, shopping with a checklist and making practical spending decisions, according to this group. Social shoppers like to shop with friends or family, and for them, shopping is an experience. So, what kind of shopper are you and have your shopping patterns changed? Here are some other shopper classifications, according to Frank About Women: I fall into several of these shopping types. While grocery shopping, I tend to be a mission shopper. While at the mall on my own time, I'm a feel-good shopper, but on weekends or out-of-town trips with family or friends, I fall in the social shopper category. May 19, 2008Two eateries are closed, for nowIt'll be August until you can dine at a popular Japanese steakhouse in Roanoke. And if you’re craving barbecue from a new Salem eatery, keep checking back. These two area restaurants have shut down temporarily. Significant work already has begun at this restaurant. But from today until late August, the eatery will close to finish up interior renovations, said general manager Atsuhiko Makajima. Kabuki has a location in Christiansburg, if you're up for a drive to the New River Valley. On West Main Street in Salem, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, has closed. But Jeffrey Gruber, a company spokesman, said the restaurant, which is a franchise, has changed ownership. It’s supposed to reopen within the week. The reason for the ownership change is unclear. Dickey's, a Dallas chain, opened late last year. May 16, 2008Who shops with catalogs?
As I left Swedwood, though, one of the heads of the operation handled me a thick IKEA catalog. It’s 371 pages of sofa, tables, chairs and all other kinds of home furnishings and accessories. But it got me thinking, how popular are catalogs anyway? I typically go to a retailer’s Web site to browse selections and make purchases. I rarely consider flipping through catalogs. Long ago, it seemed that every retailer, especially department stores, had its own glossy catalog. Now, they're not as easy to find. Do you use catalogs to shop? And what do you like or dislike about them? May 15, 2008Fondue eatery has Roanoke on its radarA well-known fondue restaurant says it’s seeking franchisees to open a Roanoke area location. I’m sure some of you have eaten at a Melting Pot restaurant. It serves all kinds of fondue as appetizers, meals and dessert. Dan Stone, who is director of franchise sales for this Florida-company, told me that the Roanoke area is one of the chain’s open markets for a new location. There already are Melting Pots in other parts of Virginia, such as Charlottesville, Richmond and Virginia Beach. So, the chain currently is on the look-out for people interested in opening a Melting Pot in the Roanoke Valley. Be prepared to spend if you dine at the Melting Pot. I've eaten there, and though tasty, the fondue meals are not inexpensive. Stone said the typical Melting Pot customer comes for special occasions about twice a year. May 14, 2008Wal-Mart news likely nixes plans for new retailThe news today that Wal-Mart has bagged its plans to build a supercenter in Clearbrook may have dealt a blow to some retailers that were eyeing Wal-Mart’s current spot on U.S. 220. The traditional Wal-Mart store on U.S. 220, located about a mile and a half north of the proposed Clearbrook site, would have closed if a supercenter went up. Rumors and input from some local retail experts surfaced last year that at least one major chain that’s not already in the Roanoke Valley was considering Wal-Mart’s current spot in the Hunting Hills Plaza, since the big box retailer planned to leave. Now that Wal-Mart has renewed its lease and canceled its supercenter plans, this same space no longer is the running for new retail. Click here to read the Wal-Mart story. Fuel center set for TowersThe options for fueling up along a section of Brandon Avenue in Roanoke could increase. 
The gasoline center's plans haven't yet been reviewed nor approved, according to Danielle Bishop, a city development review coordinator. The plans reveal that customers will be able to turn into this fuel station both from 23rd Street and Brandon Avenue. Crews also are installing a stoplight at this intersection. May 13, 2008Kroger cuts prices on more prescription drugsThe battle for cheap prescription drugs continues. Starting today, Kroger’s in-store pharmacies will sell 90-day prescription medications for $10 on generic drugs. This is an expanded drug list, compared with the grocer’s announcement in March that it would charge only $4 for 300 generic drugs in 30-day supplies. Kroger also has increased the number of women’s health medications that it offers at discounted prices. Some of these drugs now will sell for $9 for 30-day supplies or $24 for 90-day supplies. They include tamoxifen, which treats breast cancer, and Alendronate, the generic version of Fosamax, an osteoporosis drug. Wal-Mart is another retailer that has been marketing lower prices for prescription drugs lately. What do you think is the most inexpensive local retailer for prescription medications? May 12, 2008Stamps are up, but you can prepare for next year
Now, these stamps are 42 cents each, if you didn't buy them at 41 cents. But you can start preparing for next May’s postage increase by stocking up on them this year. Here are some other price increases at the post office: --Postcard stamps now are 27 cents. Stamp image: © 2007 USPS. All Rights Reserved. May 9, 2008Preparing for hurricanes? Here's an incentive.Severe weather has been in the news lately, and June 1 marks the arrival of hurricane season. 
For a list of all exempt items and other guidelines, click here. Also, keep in mind that retailers can choose to eliminate the sales tax on any merchandise during this period. But they’re still responsible for paying that tax to the state. May 8, 2008The latest on new health clubsIf you’ve gone by Towers Shopping Center lately, you may have noticed that there now is a pink sign up for Planet Fitness. It’s a new health club planned for the Roanoke shopping center, and work has begun to renovate its space in the former spot of Hancock Fabrics on Towers lower level. I haven’t been to Planet Fitness clubs, but I’ve read articles that this health club has strict rules about grunting while working out. Check out this 2006 New York Times story about the club's policy. I’m haven't yet found out the date that Planet Fitness is expected to open. Also, Gold’s Gym has opened its Crossroads Mall location in Roanoke. It initially landed a temporary spot at Crossroads for several months, while crews renovated its new space. This is the second Gold’s in the Roanoke Valley. If you’ve tried out Gold’s new gym or if you’ve been to a Planet Fitness elsewhere, share your thoughts on these health clubs. May 7, 2008Makeover at Vinton Burger KingUPDATE: Look for Burger King to reopen by the end of July, according to franchise owner Mike Sloan. Sloan owns three other Burger Kings in the Roanoke Valley. The Vinton restaurant, which was built in 1972, needed a makeover, he said. It's been closed since mid-March. 
Usually, when fast food restaurants are rebuilt, they emerge with a more contemporary design. Some local McDonalds changed their look several years ago by adding electric fireplaces and flat screen televisions. May 6, 2008What are you spending on mom?Mother’s Day is Sunday. Have you started thinking of what gift you'll buy for your mom? The National Retail Federation says that you won’t be spending as much as last year. Though not a huge decrease, consumers will spend about $138.63 on average this year, compared with $139.14 last year, based on an NRF survey. “Consumers will be very cautious with their wallets this Mother’s Day, heeding mom’s advice that she really doesn’t need much,” said Phil Rist with BIGresearch, which conducts the survey for NRF. “Gas prices and other economic issues will still be at the forefront of people’s minds as they shop around for the perfect gift for mom.” Share your ideas for Mothers’ Day gifts if you’re already thinking of them. I would tell what I’ve bought for my mom, but she sometimes reads this blog, so I could ruin the surprise. May 5, 2008Restaurant reopens in time for Cinco de MayoJust in time for the Mexican holiday, Cinco de Mayo, a Roanoke Mexican restaurant has reopened after a fire in March. On Sunday, El Rodeo on Plantation Road opened its doors after closing for about two months to repair damage from fire and smoke. On March 6, a fire burned through its roof. The early morning blaze was caused by an electrical line from a neon light. Since then, the restaurant has repainted walls, replaced decorations and made other repairs, said general manager, Nelson Flores. Already, customers appear to be flocking to the reopened eatery. To celebrate Cindo de Mayo, El Rodeo is serving its lunch buffet all day. It also has a variety of drink specials. You’ll find discounts on food and drinks at Mexican restaurants locally and nationally in honor of this holiday that celebrates Mexico’s victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. May 2, 2008Linens 'n Things will close two Virginia storesLinens 'n Things plans to close two stores in Northern Virginia, along with 118 others nationwide, because it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. These stores include one at Potomac Mills Mall in Prince William and another at Tyson's Corner in Vienna. There are no Linens 'n Things locations in the Roanoke Valley, though I'm sure many of you have shopped in these stores elsewhere. This could be the reason that department store chain, Kohl's, said recently that its home section is lagging behind its other departments in performance. Shopping for a worthy causeIt’s always good to hear about sales, particularly as the weekend begins. For those of you who like to shop early in the morning, Belk is having a charity sale tomorrow from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. This four-hour shopping event benefits local charities, schools and nonprofits. But to get in, you have to buy a $5 ticket. With the ticket, you are eligible for discounts ranging from 20 to 50 percent on all store purchases, excluding cosmetics and fragrances. You’ll also receive $5 off your first purchase of $5 or more during the event. Tickets are available at Belk stores, and these donations are divided among the participating charities. May 1, 2008It's official: Krystal has shut downKrystal Co. confirmed today that its fast food eatery in Salem is closed. I'm trying to find out more details about why Krystal, which is known for its square hamburgers, has shut its doors after a little more than a year in business. The Radford franchisee, Rich Pappas, has not returned calls for comment. Here's a statement from Krystal, via spokesman, Brian Cooley: “The Krystal Company and our franchise partner in the Roanoke Valley have decided to close our Salem location on Wildwood Road at this time. Ever since we opened our doors in Salem, our guests have shown great passion for our iconic food with the big taste. The Krystal Company is committed to further developing its presence in Virginia, and it is our hope to open more locations in the state in the near future. During our absence, we invite our guests to continue to satisfy their cravings for Krystal at any of our nearby locations including our restaurant in Bristol or any of our nearly 400 restaurants across the Southeast." Kohl's is cutting back on new storesFor all of you who are longing for a Kohl’s department store to open in the Roanoke Valley, a recent announcement from the retailer may dash some hopes. Kohl’s told its shareholders Wednesday that it’s scaling back its store openings nationwide this year and for several more years. It plans to open 70 to 75 new stores this year, compared to earlier projections of 90 new locations. It's also pushing back other expansions from 2009 to 2012 or 2014. The retailer is blaming a tough consumer spending climate on dire predictions for new stores. Rising gasoline prices and grocery and health care costs are some of the factors. Of course, this news doesn't mean that a Roanoke Valley location isn't already in the works, but it's a reminder that economic challenges are impacting retailers' plans. Read this article for more detail. It’s interesting that Kohl’s home segment, which includes pillows and blankets, has been hit the hardest with lagging sales, according to the story. Accessories are performing the best. Kohl’s still is No. 1 on MyRetailRoanoke.com, a Roanoke city operated Web site on which people can vote for the stores they’d like to see come to this area. |
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