June 30, 2008Fork in the Alley will spin-off to downtown
The restaurant doesn’t yet have a name, but Trinkle said he expects it to be a take-off on Fork in the Alley. The menu largely will be similar, with brick oven pizza and some new additions. The manager of Fork in the Alley is handling most of the details, Trinkle said. This new restaurant will be open for business by late this year or early next year. This part of downtown, with vacant and run down buildings, isn’t the city’s retail hub. But Trinkle said some renovation work set to transform this area attracted him to the site. Ed Walker, a local developer, owns much of this block, including the Gary’s location and a building across the street that is planned for art studios. Also, Walker owns the former Virginia Mills Cotton Products plant on 6th Street. He wants to renovate it for 108 condominiums or apartments. June 27, 2008Marking Ukrop's first year in Roanoke
Here are some of the activities going on between 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. at Ukrop's Franklin Road store: --Starting at noon, the grocer will give away slices of a custom-made Mill Mountain cake. It weighs more than 200 pounds and serves more than 400. And here’s your chance to comment on Ukrop’s Roanoke store. If you’ve been there in the last year, what do you think about the store, its prices, foods, etc.? In your opinion, has it had a successful first year in business? June 26, 2008Launch Pad launchesIf you're into science, check out a new gift shop at Center in the Square. It’s called the Launch Pad. This store, housed on Center's lower level, used to be a shared space for the art, history and science museums. But the Science Museum of Western Virginia has taken over as its primary operator. It closed the store for awhile to switch up the merchandise to a science theme. The store reopened this week. The selection includes science kits, toys, gadgets and a Rock Sluice, which previously was located in the museum’s fourth floor galleries. For $4 a bag, you receive a mystery bag of gem stones. The upper level of the Launch Pad will be used for different activities, such as summer camps and birthday parties. Museum members and visitors (on the day of your visit) are eligible for a 10 percent discount on purchases at the shop. But the Launch Pad won’t remain at its spot for too long. With Center in the Square’s upcoming renovations, the store may move to an upper level space, possibly in another year, Ferguson said. June 24, 2008Dunkin Donuts brewing at Wilco HessYou now can find Dunkin Donuts coffee in more places than just Dunkin Donuts. This coffee recently started brewing at some local Wilco Hess convenience stores. 
They’re all serving the hot coffee, but the Vinton location also is selling Dunkin Donuts’ iced java and tea. But you’ll still have to go to Dunkin Donuts on Franklin Road in Roanoke for doughnuts. They haven't been added to the Wilco Hess selection.
June 23, 2008Outdoors retail center is bulking upA retail center housing mostly outdoors stores is taking shape in Roanoke County. Tractor Supply Co. opened last weekend. According to the retailer's Web site, Aug. 30 is the grand opening. So, look out for possible discounts and special giveaways that day. Tractor Supply claims to be the largest retail farm and ranch store chain in the country, with 791 locations as of March. It's based in Tennessee. Tractor Supply's Roanoke County store went up adjacent to Gander Mountain, which opened in April off Interstate 81, in the Hollins area. Also, Camping World is slated for this center, though I don't yet know its opening date. Its Web site only states that the Roanoke County store is "Coming Soon." June 20, 2008From dinnerware to a camera, some items cost less
Certain electronics, such as digital cameras, along with hotel room rates, women’s clothing and some dinnerware are supposedly priced lower than they were last year, on average. You may find that some of these items still are more expensive comparatively, depending on where you shop. But this is a bit of good news, considering all of the reports that prices for most everything in our lives are higher. Have you discovered anything that’s cheaper now compared with last year? I’m having a hard time thinking of examples, but I’m sure your thoughts will trigger ideas. June 19, 2008Too many coffee shops?Update: I heard back from Mike Sebolt, who said that he and Kathy Johnson sold High Point Coffee because it was too difficult to make ends meet financially soley on his income, since Johnson was managing the coffee shop. He also said the economy was a challenge. About the number of competiting coffee shops, Sebolt said in an email that "There are quite a few but we always felt we had something really unique and special."
Mike Sebolt and Kathy Johnson delved into the coffee retail business in 2007 with high hopes. Their coffee shop, High Point Coffee, may not have turned out as they expected. High Point on Brambleton Avenue in Roanoke County has closed, and Doreen's Gourmet is taking over. Check out the details on the SWCo blog. Sebolt told me that Johnson has taken a new job as a guidance counselor at the Governor’s School. When they opened High Point, she quit her job as a guidance counselor at William Byrd High School to manage the shop. Sebolt’s still a teacher at Salem High School. It’s unclear why they decided to sell High Point. Sebolt didn’t respond to questions about their decision. Perhaps it was a way for Johnson to go back into an education-related career. But it's also no secret that the local coffee retail business is extremely saturated. There are five Starbucks in the Roanoke Valley and locally-owned coffee shops galore. Mill Mountain Coffee & Tea has four shops, and Mojo Café and Brambleton Blend aren't too far from High Point’s former location on Brambleton Avenue. There also are two Daily Grinds, one on Electric Road and another in Salem. And don't forget several Java the Hutt drive-through kiosks. High Point's closing raises questions about its ability to withstand so much coffee competition. June 18, 2008Tomatoes are backTomatoes have reappeared on some fast food menus after certain raw types of this fruit caused a salmonella outbreak nationwide. McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Yum Brands, the parent company for Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut, this week added tomatoes cleared of the salmonella risk back onto sandwiches, salads and other menu items. Also, Kroger and Ukrop’s Super Market stores locally have rolled tomatoes back onto shelves, according to spokesmen for these grocers. Ukrop’s tomatoes are grown in Florida, but once certain varieties were proven safe, the chain began selling them again, said Wade Carmichael, who is Ukrop’s senior category manager of produce. A source for shipping dealsIf you’re a frequent online shopper, you know that shipping costs often drive up the price of an otherwise inexpensive purchase. Well, there’s a place where you can go to find numerous deals on shipping, from freebies to discounts at well-known retailers. It’s www.freeshipping.org. This is not a new Web site. It launched in December. But it’s a convenient way to find discounts on shipping or freebies for this service in one place. There are coupons for a host of retailers, including Old Navy, Macy’s, Sears, Kohl’s, Amazon.com and Best Buy. The drawback is that some of these coupons require you to spend a certain amount or order a specific item, such as free shipping for orders valued at $75 or more at Caribou Coffee or free shipping only on Godiva purchases at Macy’s. One of the best deals that I noticed was a free two-day shipping offer with no minimum purchase required at Amazon.com. Let me know what you think of some of these deals. June 17, 2008Dickey's plans to reopenFor all of you who have been wondering if Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in Salem will reopen, don't lose hope yet. A Dickey’s spokesman, Jeffrey Gruber, told me Monday that the company still plans to reopen the restaurant on West Main Street, though a timetable is not set. The restaurant, which was a franchise, closed because it is changing owners, Gruber said. June 16, 2008Domino's in downtownI’m back from a sunny trip to Florida, where the sandy beach was as white as flour and the turquoise water refreshing. The shopping also was marvelous. I hit a mall with Ann Taylor, Macy’s, Dillard’s, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware and many other stores, including cute boutiques near the beach. I can’t go on vacation without fitting in a little time for shopping. How about you? Anyway, it sounds like many of you had a lot to say last week, from discussing the high prices of ordering pizza and to weighing in on retail downtown. I’m still shifting through emails and messages from last week, but I ran into some information about a new Domino’s Pizza location in downtown Roanoke. I know several of you said you don’t like to order pizza from chain establishments, but in case anyone likes Domino’s Pizza, this restaurant opened recently on Williamson Road, inside the former Yellow Cab building. Its interior design reflects the chain’s new Vision 20/20 design. Inside there’s an open area view into the kitchen where you can watch the pizza as it’s being made. 
This structure was built in 1928, so it’s an example of a historic building taking on a very new use. June 13, 2008Pizza: An economic indicator
The observation is interesting, and I guess it makes sense. "Instead of going out for a sit-down meal during the weekend and ordering pizza for dinner during the week, consumers are scaling back by having an affordable pizza meal on the weekend and preparing more weekday meals at home,” said Darren Tristano, an executive vice president at Technomic, based in Chicago. This year, 32 percent of people reported ordering pizza for dinner during the weekend, while only 29 percent had pizza on a week day. That’s a difference from the year 2006, when 35 percent of people said they ordered pizza during the week, and 28 percent had it on the weekend, according to the Technomic report. So, analyze your pizza ordering trends. Do you or your family fit this report? June 12, 2008Father's Day spending will be downFor many holidays, the National Retail Federation releases a report about what consumers will spend. Lately, these reports have looked nearly the same. For the last several holidays, high gasoline and food prices have been predicted to cut into spending. And Father’s Day appears to be no different. The annual day to honor your dad is Sunday, and according to the NRF, people will spend an average of $94.54, compared with $98.34 last year. Total spending nationally will be $9.6 billion. Most people plan to take their fathers out for a special outing, such as dinner. Other popular gifts are clothing, books, gift cards and sporting goods, according to the NRF. So, what about you? Are high prices for what seems to be everything impacting your Father’s Day budget? June 11, 2008Hot news about local coffee business
And by early next year, they’ll open a full shop inside Virginia Western’s commons area. There, they plan to serve the typical coffee and related beverages, along with bagels, muffins and possibly desserts. Also, this local chain is headed for Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. On Aug. 25, Java the Hutt will take the place of Jazzman’s, a cafe on the hospital’s ground floor, Bob Buckley said. He called the move “an answered prayer.” And while making all of these plans, the Buckleys' business is adjusting to its third local drive-through location on Orange Avenue. Java the Hutt recently replaced Joltz, a former coffee drive-through, at Market Square East Shopping Center. The Buckleys opened their first Java the Hutt at Towers Shopping Center in 1994. Earlier this year, they closed Coda, a coffee and food shop on Grandin Road, to focus more on their drive-through business. Photo by Kyle Green, Roanoke Times photographer, of Bob Buckley at the Towers Shopping Center Java the Hutt. June 10, 2008Membership deal at Planet FitnessPlanet Fitness at Towers Shopping Center in Roanoke is beginning to sign-up members. A flyer for this new health club states that there’s a pre-grand opening sale going on. From now until June 27, you can sign up for memberships for $10 a month. The fine print states that this rate is subject to a $20 annual rate guarantee fee. I still haven’t heard from the franchise owner about when this new health club will open, though renovation work already has begun at the space. Click here for more info about Planet Fitness. June 9, 2008Skate board shop rolling to new spaceGood morning, everyone! I’m on vacation in Florida this week, but thanks to technology, I’m still blogging. So, keep coming back here and post comments, too. 
By July, it will land a larger space at a strip center that also houses the International House of Pancakes and U.S. Cellular. Kenny Johnson, a retired owner of the Greenhouse who works at the shop occasionally, said finding parking downtown was becoming too difficult for customers. On Saturdays, the store's busiest day of the week, most nearby parking spaces are filled up, said Johnson, whose two sons, Lee and Daniel, now own the Greenhouse shops in Roanoke and Blacksburg. Johnson said the Blacksburg store’s sales are growing, while in Roanoke, they are not. He blamed the sales drop-off on a lack of convenient parking options. At the Greenhouse's new Valley View Boulevard space, “we have parking right in front of us now,” he said. Photo by Roanoke Times photographer Jared Soares June 6, 2008Whole Foods isn't coming to Roanoke, despite what a job ad saysIf you've seen an online job advertisement on Monster.com or other Web sites for a Whole Foods Market in Roanoke, don’t get excited. 
I’m sorry to disappoint those of you who have had your hearts set on Whole Foods coming here. Whole Foods, a natural and organic grocery chain based in Austin, Texas, plans to open its Richmond store at Short Pump. Also Whole Foods is relocating its store in Charlottesville to a new area off Hydraulic Road. A free treat for National Doughnut Day
This celebration, which falls on the first Friday in June, was established in 1938 by the Chicago Salvation Army as a way to raise funds during the Great Depression, according to Krispy Kreme. It also was a chance to honor World War I Salvation Army workers who made doughnuts for soldiers. In Roanoke, Krispy Kreme is located on Melrose Avenue. June 5, 2008The growth of self checkoutAt least one Roanoke Kroger has added a few additional self checkout kiosks, revealing that there is growing demand for this quick and supposedly convenient way of buying groceries. Kroger is looking for opportunities to add more of these kiosks in its high-traffic Roanoke Valley stores, said Carl York, a spokesman for the grocer. “There are a lot of people who really like them [the self check-out],” York said. “Others still like going through the lines and talking with the cashier.” The newest local Kroger that is under construction on U.S. 460 in Roanoke County will have self checkout kiosks, he said. It’s planned for a late July opening. Here's an interesting article about the popularity of self-service machines, whether they are self checkouts or vending machines. A report by Packaged Facts forecasts that the transaction volume of self checkouts will continue to rise. Of course, there are pros and cons to using self checkouts, which you now can find at many big box retailers, including Wal-Mart. I typically use them to purchase a maximum of 10 to 15 items. And I appreciate when others abide by roughly that same rule. Those lines can be long at times! What do you like or dislike about using self checkouts? June 4, 2008Thai food replaces Indian cuisineAn Indian restaurant in downtown Roanoke has closed, and a Thai food eatery is moving in. Thai Orchid is taking over the former space of Swagat Indian Cuisine on First Street. The motor lodge since has been demolished, and there are plans to build a structure to house Social Security Administration offices in its place. The owner of Thai Orchid, Richard Sarayudej, told me that he considered opening an eatery in Norfolk, where some of his friends reside. But he couldn’t find a location there. And the Swagat space in downtown Roanoke opened up. This restaurant apparently closed several months ago, but the reason is unclear. Sarayudej said Thai Orchid should open by July. Currently, he’s cleaning up and adding new tables inside this space, which he is renting. Tong's Thai is another downtown thai restaurant on Salem Avenue. June 3, 2008August will bring new El RodeoThis August look for new Mexican flavor on Orange Avenue in Roanoke. That’s when El Rodeo will open at the former spot of the Steakhouse restaurant, according to co-owner Agustin Arrellano. The specific opening date is unknown, though owners have been making plans to locate there since last October. Arrellano’s ownership group has several other El Rodeos in the Roanoke Valley. This new Orange Avenue spot will be the fifth local El Rodeo. Reflecting on the Slate Hill visionYou may have read a story in today’s newspaper about developer Jim Smith’s plans at a prominent area in Roanoke County, called Slate Hill. Several years ago, this hillside was cleared for what eventually is supposed to be retail and commercial space. According to the story, Smith said he's moving along with plans for a hotel for this location, though he didn't state the name of a specific hotel, so it's unclear where he actually is in the process. Also, he mentions that several retail and restaurant prospects are in the works. Initial plans call for 200,000 to 250,000 square feet of retail. I don’t know about you, but I’ll believe it when I see it! Some of the retailers that Smith has considered as Slate Hill prospects are Filson outdoor suppliers, Smith & Hawken garden and outdoor furniture and The Company Store. The Company Store recently had a Towers Shopping Center location, but it pulled its merchandise from that store to focus on a similar retail concept, Domestications. Smith did mention in the story that many retailers aren’t in expansion mode right now. That’s likely related to a challenging economy. I’m interested in what stores or restaurants you think would do well at Slate Hill. Talk away! June 2, 2008Summertime at Valley View
On July 14, Puppy Love is supposed to open its doors on the mall's upper level, near Macy's. This new store will sell puppies, kittens and pet supplies. Build-A-Bear Workshop will open in early August. According to a mall map, this retailer is set to land in the former spot of Bombay Co. on Valley View's upper level. Also, Salon del Sol is coming this summer to the District at Valley View, though an opening date isn't set, according to the mall's Web site. This new store will carry Aveda hair and skin care products and makeup, as well as offer manicures, pedicures and spa packages. In case you didn't catch one of my latest retail columns, Natural Market Nature's Outlet is another new store planned for the District at Valley View. Look for this retailer to debut in August, selling dry health foods and beverages, including organic beer and wine. Natural Market is owned by the Nature's Outlet chain, which has stores in the Roanoke Valley and Martinsville. |
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