August 29, 2008Cosmetics and the environmentIt looks like cosmetics retailers are joining the push to save the environment. Even though we don’t have any Lush stores in the Roanoke area, you might find interesting this story about Lush employees going naked this week at its stores nationwide to encourage people to stop using excess packaging materials. Still, a new cosmetics line in Roanoke is promoting recycling, though it’s not quite as risqué as asking employees to go without clothing. At MAC Cosmetics' new booth inside Macy’s, which opened Thursday, customers are encouraged to bring in leftover make-up containers. If you bring in six containers, you get free lipstick. August 28, 2008Do coffee and politics mix?
A consumer research firm, BIGresearch, says it has figured it out for you, based on its monthly consumer intentions and actions survey. According to the survey, those who drink Starbucks coffee, slated the “latte liberals,” typically support Obama (44 percent). Those who enjoy McDonald’s coffee prefer John McCain (45 percent). Undecided voters trend toward Dunkin Donuts java (22 percent). The survey points out the declining number of Starbucks locations, based on the coffee retailer’s recent closings nationwide. “With a declining number of Starbucks stores, it’s possible the ‘new’ key battleground states may be McDonald’s and Dunkin Donuts,” said Gary Drenik, president of BIGresearch, in a news release. Bojangles' Q&A
August 27, 2008Openings on the horizonIn the next week, two new retailers plan to open up in Roanoke. Tomorrow (Thursday), Chocolatepaper, a gourmet chocolate, card and gift shop will open its new downtown Roanoke store at 308 Market St. Chocolatepaper already has a location in Roanoke County, off Electric Road. And next week, on Sept. 4, Planet Fitness will open at Towers Shopping Center in Roanoke. This health club, which is new to the Roanoke Valley market, will land in the former spot of Hancock Fabrics on Towers lower level. Reinventing the GapGap shoppers probably have noticed the latest changes in fall fashion picks at the men and women's apparel chain. Shoppers are closely watching the changes made by a new designer Patrick Robinson. He’s the third designer to try to reinvent the Gap, which is losing once loyal customers next to competitors such as Abercrombie & Fitch. This new look already has come to the Gap at Valley View Mall in Roanoke. Mannequins near the front of the store model simple yet fashionable shades of gray, brown and other dark colors, in the form of long sweaters, trench coats and multi-colored scarves. Check out this story about the push to turn-around the Gap. What do you think about the retailer's new look? August 26, 2008Another resource for smoke-free dining
By visiting the site, you can find the restaurants in different areas that do not allow smoking. The cities are Roanoke, Radford, Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Danville and Forest. According to a news release about this Web site, created by Common Sense Solution in Lynchburg, the database “is not making any moral judgments about smoking and is not advocating legislation to make all restaurants smoke-free. DSFUSA is simply providing information, allowing democracy in its truest sense to operate, where diners can locate those restaurants they want to patronize so they can ‘vote’ with their dollars.” It’s free for restaurants to be included on the site. This joins another local effort to advertise smoke-free eateries online. The Web site, www.breatheroanoke.org, also lists restaurants that ban smoking. It last was updated on Aug. 12, because apparently, the assortment keeps changing. August 25, 2008Macy's lands new cosmetics lineThis week a line of cosmetics that’s sold globally is coming to Roanoke’s Macy’s store. On Thursday, MAC Cosmetics will debut at the Valley View Mall department store. This line of makeup, fragrances and accessories is coveted by Roanoke area shoppers, according to Macy’s store manager, Trish Burch. She said customers have been requesting that the store carry MAC cosmetics for some time. “This is a huge win-win for us,” Burch said. MAC, which stands for Make-up Art Cosmetics, is sold in a variety of department stores, and in Virginia, they include Macy’s, Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's. There also are individual MAC stores. The Roanoke Macy’s will carry the majority of the New York company’s collection, except for certain items that are exclusive to MAC stores. Check out MAC Cosmetics' Web site for more information about the company. In other cosmetics news, CVS wants to make a name for itself in the beauty realm. The drug store retailer is testing an upscale beauty store concept, called Beauty 360, which will focus on skin care and cosmetics. It’s planning to open two stores, one on the West Coast and another on the East Coast. The East Coast location could land in Washington, D.C., according to this news article. August 22, 2008Fast Freddy's updateI finally have some news about Fast Freddy's in Salem. This restaurant on West Main Street has been closed for more than several weeks. A sign posted on the door states that it has shut down because of a family emergency. Amelia Goldacker, who owns the business with her husband, Gary, told me that Fast Freddy's will reopen, though she did not want to state an exact date. Goldacker said they have closed the restaurant for a time because her mother moved in with the family from her New York home. The Goldackers live in Roanoke County, and they also own Roanoke Bagel Co., where Amelia Goldacker primarily works. She said she will let us know when a reopening date is set. Analyzing your grocery cartWhat aisles are you bypassing at the grocery store to save money? 
It also reports that 40 percent of people are not buying as much beer, wine and spirits for fear that it will heighten their grocery bills. But 32 percent of women said they’re still buying environmentally friendly products and that these items are worth the extra cost, compared with 21 percent of men. And have you been wondering if Americans actually used their federal economic stimulus checks, issued several months ago, on food? Kroger is one grocer that waved special deals to consumers who cashed in their checks to stock up on groceries. But that didn’t convince everyone. According to Precima, 84 percent of Americans said they did not spend their stimulus checks at the supermarket. August 21, 2008Kabuki will reopen in SeptemberSince May, Kabuki, a Roanoke Japanese steak house, has been closed for massive renovations, but the general manger said the eatery will reopen by the second week of September. According to Atsuhiko Nakajima, general manager, the renovations are 70 percent complete, and they're taking longer than planned. Originally, the restaurant management hoped to reopen for business this month. The construction work will add 4,000 square feet to the eatery, which sits on a hill on Franklin Road. The additional space makes way for more tables and a larger dining room area. A sushi bar will replace the restaurant’s bar area. Nakajima is in the process of hiring an additional 18 to 20 employees for the eatery, because more servers are needed to cover the expanded dining space, which is expected to accomodate a larger number of patrons. Also some former employees have found other jobs while Kabuki has been closed, he said. If you're up for a drive in the meantime, Kabuki has a location in Christiansburg.
Health food shop opens its doors
Natural Market offers a slightly different selection than Nature's Outlet stores, with more shelves of dry foods, frozen items and healthy beverages alongside aisles of supplements and health remedies. Charlie Rea, the owner, said he will sell organic wine, though the store doesn't yet have an ABC license to carry it. He's also testing different gourmet local cheeses to add to the mix. 
Below is an excerpt from my May 18 Retail Roundup column with more details about Natural Market by Nature's Outlet. Retail Roundup Growth is healthy for an area retail chain that sells nutritional supplements and herbal remedies. Charlie Rea, owner of the four-store Nature's Outlet chain, is shaking up his business model with plans to open a new store. The Natural Market concept will be slightly different from other Nature's Outlet stores. Shelves will be stocked with dry foods and beverages. Foods will include wheat-free and gluten-free varieties, and many with "a gourmet twist," Rea said. Organic wine and beer also will be sold there. But some of offerings will be similar, including an array of supplements and free health information. Rea said he came up with the idea for a Natural Market concept as he considered ways for his chain to grow. There are Nature's Outlet stores in the Roanoke Valley and Martinsville. Rea looked into opening an additional location in an outlying area, but he said he wasn't satisfied with what he considered to be a low population density in places such as Botetourt County and Smith Mountain Lake. Valley View Mall, which draws regional shoppers, had a broader appeal. Rea did not reveal what he is investing in the new store, which includes renovations to its 3,260-square-foot space. Its product mix will "present foods that are appealing but at the same time healthy," Rea said. It also will be interactive. Food samples will be a regular offering, along with Saturday wine tastings. Rea's parents, Dennis and Cheryl Rea, founded Nature's Outlet in 1977. Several years ago, Charlie Rea bought the retail chain from his parents. Rob Rea, Charlie Rea's brother, will run the Valley View store.
August 20, 2008New nTelos stores coming soonI have news about nTelos’ plans for additional stores and service in the Roanoke and New River valleys. In September, this wireless service provider will open a retail location at the Kroger Square at Bonsack, a new center in Roanoke County. Also that month, it plans to open its doors in Blacksburg at 1326 South Main St. In October, nTelos will locate a store at Keagy Village, a shopping center under construction on Electric Road in Southwest Roanoke County. These openings will bring nTelos’ total to 10 locations in the Roanoke and New River valleys. The company also has launched a nationwide mobile broadband service, which covers Southwest Virginia. It offers wireless access from laptops, PDA/Smartphones and cell phones to the Internet. The speed is comparable to wired broadband connections, and it’s ten times faster than dial-up, nTelos claims. NTelos added 20 new cell sites in the Roanoke Valley earlier this year. Speaking of wireless retailers, an AT&T store in Christiansburg is celebrating its grand opening this Saturday. The store on Spradlin Farm Drive is offering a variety of special discounts, including 50 percent off flip phones and free ring tone cards. And since we’ve talked about icy treats lately, I couldn’t resist telling you that there will be free Cold Stone Creamery ice cream there. August 19, 2008Spanish eatery taking Michele's on Main spaceSeveral of you have noted that Michele's on Main, a Salem restaurant, has closed. Salem reporter, Miranda Adkins, has the scoop about what's opening in its place. Cafe Madrid is slated to open its doors today. Click here for the details. August 18, 2008Food deals are flyingRestaurant deals are being tossed around with greater intensity lately. And some may or may not be related to the fact that Americans apparently aren’t eating out as much, according to some industry reports. Here are some examples: 1) T.G.I. Friday's recently launched a loyalty program, called Give Me More Stripes. The membership benefits include a free appetizer or dessert upon sign-up, an $8 gift certificate for every $100 spent (excluding alcohol), communication about menu offers and a one time jump-the-line pass. 2) If you buy a drink in the morning at Starbucks locations, you’ll receive a receipt to return for a $2 iced beverage after 2 p.m. that same day. This is one of a series of recent Starbucks promotions. In a recent report, Technomic, a food industry consulting firm based in Chicago, said that 35 percent of consumers are dining out less frequently than a year ago. Money woes are the reason. People are trying to save money, they have less money to spend, and they cited the high price of some restaurant menu items, according to Technomic. “It’s vital for operators to provide consumers with added value incentives to maintain and grow their business,” said Darren Tristano, an executive vice president at Technomic, in a news release. “Consumers want to feel that their dinner experience is a good value regardless of the price point. Special offers, promotions, family-pack and combo meals promote that perception.” Let me know what restaurant deals that you have noticed lately. August 15, 2008Good and bad news about Dickey'sMany of you have been awaiting the reopening of Dickey’s Barbecue Pit on West Main Street in Salem. I have good and bad news about this restaurant's fate. Jeff Gruber, a spokesman for the Texas restaurant chain, said the company still is working on the final details to reopen the restaurant. Dickey’s closed in May, after a little more than six months in business. The company has said it’s in the process of finding a new owner. Unfortunately, Gruber still doesn’t know when the restaurant will reopen. I’m beginning to wonder if it will happen. “We hope to get the store open as soon as possible,” Gruber told me this week. Also, Fast Freddy's, another restaurant on West Main Street and not too far from Dickey's, has shut down. A sign on its door says that it is closed for a family emergency, and that it will reopen. Of course, it doesn't list a reopening date. August 14, 2008Java sales outpace soft drinksSoda junkies may be surprised by this news, while java connoisseurs may not find it so jolting. 
Food service venues, such as coffee shops, are the largest channel for coffee sales, with about 87 percent of the market, according to the report. But Packaged Facts expects sales of coffee through retailers, such as grocery stores, to keep growing, eventually taking 45 percent of the java market. That’s because you often can find recognizable packaged coffee brands, such as Seattle’s Best and Starbucks, on store shelves. August 13, 2008Goodwill's new Roanoke store opens ThursdayIn the interests of ultrathrifty consumers, here’s a new local store to add to your shopping list. Goodwill Industries’ new Roanoke store opens tomorrow at 9:15 a.m. This 6,000 square feet retail location, formerly a bread shop, is at 2502 Melrose Ave. in the parking lot of Goodwill’s corporate office. From donated clothing, shoes, furniture and books, you’ll find just about anything here except food. This is the 27th retail store for Goodwill Industries of the Valleys. The company had sales of $22.2 million during the 2007-2008 fiscal year. Finding your way at the big boxesI like reading maps and figuring out new ways to end up at different destinations. And that’s not just while I’m driving a car. A map is most helpful while I make my way through big-box stores. These huge stores swallow me sometimes. And if I don’t already know my way around, it’s no fun wandering aimlessly trying to find what I need among the many aisles. That’s why I sometimes pass right by the big stores for the smaller ones, where it’s easier to get in and out without too much hassle. I stopped at Wal-Mart in Christiansburg yesterday, and I was pleased to see that the discount giant is issuing maps of its store to consumers. Some of Wal-Mart’s local supercenters are being redesigned or already have undergone changes inside, including the Christiansburg location. The ones in Bonsack and Salem are next on the list. As part of the reconfigurations, the store departments are being switched up, and you know what that means—more confusion for all of us. The Christiansburg Wal-Mart’s redesign supposedly is complete, and I noticed large blue signs pointing out the departments. I don’t shop at this location often enough to compare the new alterations with what was there previously. But hopefully, maps will be on hand to guide consumers after the redesigns are complete at the Roanoke Valley stores. In case you missed it, below is an excerpt from my July 13 retail column about what's in store at some area Wal-Mart Supercenters once the renovations are complete: August 12, 2008Are sweets recession-proof?Check out this recent story about candy's ability to be recession-proof. Or so some say. Some consumers say they are willing to shell out $1 or less for a candy bar or some other gourmet candy treat, despite cutting back on spending in other areas. This may be true for at least one Roanoke area retailer. The owners of Chocolatepaper, a candy store that's opening a second local location in downtown Roanoke, told me several months ago that the shop's sales were rising. They attributed their success to the so-called "recession-proof" candy industry. And since we have been talking about ice cream shops in the last week, I wonder if ice cream also is recession-proof. What do you think? Are you willing to splurge on a $3 ice cream treat, even if funds are tight elsewhere? Many of you mentioned the long lines that form at Cold Stone Creamery. I've noticed those similar lines recently on trips to Maggie Moo's Ice Cream in Roanoke. These ice cream shops don't appear to be lacking business, especially during the hot summer months. August 11, 2008Retailers want your back-to-school dollars
From July 18 to Sept. 5, if you place an item on hold using the mall’s NearbyNow Web search or mobile messaging service, you will be eligible for certain prizes or for the chance to win the item that you put on hold. Five shoppers each week will be chosen to win the mall items that they requested to be put on hold, from clothing to shoes. The grand prizes include gift cards from Buckle and Metropark, iPhones and other mobile digital devices, USB flash drives and a Nintendo DS handheld game unit. You can visit the mall’s Web site for more details on how to search for mall items’ availability and to put them on hold. To use the text messaging service, text Valley View at “VLV.” A series of exchanges will lead you to search for certain items that are on sale. I also noticed another back-to-school and college related promotion. At Target, if you spend $50 on men, women, and children’s apparel, shoes, jewelry or handbags, you’ll receive a $10 Target gift card. But if you want the savings, you’ll have to act fast. The offer expires on Aug. 16. August 8, 2008Cold Stone Creamery scooping up RoanokeIce cream news sure is hot this week. I recently found out that Cold Stone Creamery plans to make its mark in Roanoke this fall. Jamey Elder, a Cold Stone franchisee who lives in Lynchburg, told me that he's opening a Cold Stone Creamery on Valley View Boulevard. This global ice cream chain is slated for the former spot of U.S. Cellular, beside the International House of Pancakes, at a retail strip center across from Target. The specific opening date hasn't been finalized. Elder, who owns Cold Stone shops in Christiansburg and Danville, said he's been scouting out a Roanoke location for some time. And he's finally found what he considers to be a suitable spot for high traffic and visibility. Cold Stone is based in Scottsdale, Ariz., and it has about 1,400 locations in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Mexico, Denmark and United Arab Emirates. Early this week, I also learned that Ben & Jerry's is planning new shops at Valley View Mall in Roanoke and at the New River Valley Mall in Christiansburg. More on McAlister'sI found out some more information about McAlister’s Deli’s, headed for Towers Shopping Center. This eatery, which is a cross between fast food and sit-down dining, is set for a mid-November opening at the Roanoke retail center, said Jeff Shawl and Chris Smith of Peak Restaurants LLC, two of the Knoxville, Tenn.-based franchise owners. Their franchise company owns seven McAlister’s locations in Tennessee and North Carolina. They're now targeting the Roanoke Valley for future growth of this Mississippi-based chain. During a phone conversation on Thursday, Shawl and Smith said the Towers location will seat about 148 people. It will open in the former 4,700 square feet spot of Life is Gantner, on Towers' upper level. These restaurants serve a wide variety of sandwiches, soups, salads and other lunch and dinner fare. They're the kinds of places where you order at a front counter, take a number and find your own table. However, there are servers who bring your food to you and refill drinks. “We try to hit that service element that some of our competitors don’t do as much,” Shawl said. Shawl, a native of Bristol, Tenn., and Smith, who is from Virginia Beach, but whose family lives in the Roanoke Valley, said they were attracted to the Towers spot because of the traffic it already draws from Fresh Market and Kroger, which both are at Towers, and nearby Ukrop’s Super Market. Eventually, they'd like to have four or five McAlister's restaurants across the Roanoke and New River Valleys and Lynchburg. August 7, 2008Eat and stuff bears for worthy causesHungry? Want to get creative? Here are two opportunities to satisfy these urgings and support a cause while doing it: *Satisfy a sweet tooth: *Let your creativity run wild: Build-A-Bear’s Valley View store opens Friday on the mall’s upper level, near Belk. New Web site at Gander MountainUPDATE: Gander Mountain spokesman David Ewald said the new Web site marks the outdoor retailer's entrance into Internet sales. Gander Mountain started in 1960 as a catalog company. On the heels of Gander Mountain’s spring arrival in Roanoke County, this outdoors retailer now has a new Web site. Gander Mountain has launched this site with 10,000 best selling and seasonal items, including brands sold in the store and its signature company brand. I’m not sure how “new” everything on this site is, though. The company spokesman hasn’t returned calls for more details. But on this supposedly revamped Web site, you can write product reviews and sign up for information on seminars and special events at the stores. In a news release, Gander Mountain stated that its fiscal 2007 sales were about $970 million. The market for the outdoor lifestyle industry is more than $50 billion in annual sales, according to the release. Also, as some of you have noted, Camping World now is open near Gander Mountain, located off Interstate 81 in the Hollins area of Roanoke County. Camping World opened on July 25, selling new and used RVs and related accessories. Also, Tractor Supply Co. opened in June, further shaping this outdoors-themed retail center. August 6, 2008McDonald's rebuilding
A sign in front of the eatery directs customers to the Franklin Road restaurant. This redesigned McDonald’s will have many of the elements of the chain’s new contemporary design, though it will not have a fireplace, Ford said. And she’s not sure yet whether it will have a flat screen television. Several local McDonald's and some other fast food eateries have been rebuilt and redesigned in the last few years. August 5, 2008McAlister's moving into TowersRestaurant news seems to be ripe right now. A new eatery for this area, McAlister’s Deli, is planning a location at Towers Shopping Center in Roanoke, according to a spokesman for Rappaport Cos., the company that owns Towers. Apparently, this restaurant concept, serving deli sandwiches, soups, salads and a signature sweet tea, will slide into the former spot of Life Is Gantner on Towers’ upper level. McAlister’s menu includes an array of lunch and dinner items, such as chicken cordon bleu, meatloaf, salmon filet and kid’s meals. Check out the restaurant chain's Web site here. McAlister’s, based in Mississippi, has deli locations nationwide, including two in Virginia. They’re not too far from the Roanoke Valley, located in Harrisonburg and Waynesboro. I’ll pass along updates once I find out when McAlister’s is slated to open at Towers. August 4, 2008Pressure on the $1 double cheeseburgerThe $1 menu may be too good to be true. McDonald’s says it’s considering ways to keep its double cheeseburger at $1, despite rising cost pressures on several key ingredients, such as cheese and beef. It might have to raise the price of this burger next year. Here’s the story for more details. Apparently, these menus haven’t been profitable enough at some McDonald’s franchises. Of course, many consumers welcome the low prices, especially nowadays. Cool news: Ben & Jerry's is growing in the regionUpdate: Ben & Jerry's will open its Valley View Mall shop between Lids and Trade Secret at the food court, according to Valley View's marketing director, Ashley Likens. Here’s a cool scoop to start off the first full week of August. Ben & Jerry’s, a well-known ice cream chain, is planning two new locations in the region, one at Valley View Mall in Roanoke and the other at the New River Valley Mall in Christiansburg. Valley View’s Web site states that Ben & Jerry’s will move into a food court spot by October. At the New River Valley Mall, the ice cream store will take over the former WSLS location sometime this month, though I don’t have details yet on the specific opening date. This will be Ben & Jerry’s second New River Valley shop. It also has a store at Kent Square in Blacksburg. Ben & Jerry’s, based in Burlington, Vt., and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever, is an eclectic ice cream business that began 30 years ago. It is focused on promoting environmentally-sound business practices and using dairy products from family farms, including milk and cream from cows that are not treated with the synthetic hormone rBGH. At these shops, you'll find a variety of unique ice cream flavors. Among Ben & Jerry's top 10 flavors are cherry garcia, chocolate chip cookie dough, chunky monkey, phish food and peanut butter cup, according to its Web site. There are more than 430 Ben & Jerry’s shops in the United State and more than 150 locations internationally. August 1, 2008A sign says New York Pizza is expanding, but it's not
The tall sign in front of a vacant building and beside New York Pizza on Hardy Road states “Coming soon to New York Pizza....new 10,000 square feet addition.” Supposedly, the expansion would include “More family entertainment” and “More seating,” according to the marquee. I finally caught up with the owner of New York Pizza, Tony Montuori, about when this expansion is slated to occur. And it turns out that it won’t be happening, at least not for now. For various reasons, including the deaths of his parents in the past few years, Montuori has decided to put future expansion plans on the backburner for at least another year or so. But that doesn’t really explain why he's left this sign up for so long. Montuori said it’s been there for the past several years. Montuori, a native of Italy who opened the Vinton restaurant in 1983, said he plans to remove the expansion advertisement eventually, though he didn’t offer a timeframe. Wise back-to-school spendingSince the spotlight seems to be on back-to-school shopping lately, with Virginia's sales tax holiday beginning today, here are some tips to help guide you in making wise spending decisions. They're suggestions from the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants. Also, if you do shop this weekend, comment here about how much you do or do not end up saving by not paying the 5 percent sales tax. I want to hear your stories! Back-to-school shopping tips aimed at parents of school-aged children: 1) Before heading to the mall, do a closet inventory. Perhaps your child's khaki pants still fit. Or one sibling can wear hand-me-downs from the other. 2) Set a spending plan. Leave the house with a shopping list in hand to guide your purchases and keep you from impulse buying. Also, have in mind exactly how many pairs of shoes, socks or pants your children need. 3) Remember that buying mix-and-match clothing can be less expensive in the long-run, rather than buying pants that only go with one shirt, for example. Also, be sure to consult the school's dress code. 4) Look for deals year-round. Your child doesn't have to start off the school year with a closet full of new outfits. Buy necessities before school starts and look for sales at other times. Share your own tips here, too!
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